Envelope printing - dialog box confusion

[Pesticle]

I am struggling to print envelopes via Apache OpenOffice Writer (4.1.15) on my MacBook Pro M1 (2020) connected to an Epson Expressions Photo XP8500. The AOO instructions I’ve found don’t fit with what happens when I follow the procedure (video tutorial also doesn’t agree with my experience).

Instruction initially used: https://wiki.openoffice.org/wiki/Docume ... Office.org dated 10 Sep 2021.

In step 7, it states ‘On the Setup dialog, select your printer and click Properties.’ - There is no properties button visible. (see image 02). As a result, steps 8 & 9 cannot be followed.

Then, in step 10, it states ‘If you have a manual feed tray, select this under Device.’ But I cannot find a tab or button labelled ‘Device’ (My printer does have a manual feed tray)

I’ve also looked at instructions at https://wiki.openoffice.org/wiki/Docume ... _envelopes (thanks to RoryOF for this link) - which says ‘You can also choose a different printer or alter printer setup (for example, specify the tray that holds envelopes) for this print job.’ - but I can’t because there’s no option displayed to do this.

Any advice on what to do, please?

[MrProgrammer]

Envelope printing …

Disclaimer: I have no experience printing envelopes with OpenOffice. I always address them manually.

Instruction initially used: https://wiki.openoffice.org/wiki/Docume ... Office.org dated 10 Sep 2021.

Thank you for providing the link to the documentation which you read. I note that the instructions there say: This article needs to be checked for accuracy and style.

In step 7, it states ‘On the Setup dialog, select your printer and click Properties.’ - There is no properties button visible. (see image 02). As a result, steps 8 & 9 cannot be followed. Then, in step 10, it states ‘If you have a manual feed tray, select this under Device.’ But I cannot find a tab or button labelled ‘Device’ (My printer does have a manual feed tray)

• Step 7 selects the printer. I find this in the Printer secion of the dialog. Use the Setup button, as shown in your attachment above.
• Step 8 sets the envelope size. I find this in the Format section of the dialog.
• Step 9 sets the orientation. I find this in the Printer section of the dialog.
• I don't see a place to select a manual feed tray. Consult your printer's manual for information about using a manual feed tray. I would think most printers use it when the machine detects that the manual feed tray is loaded.
• Also review Chapter 5, Printing, Faxing, Exporting, and E-mailing in the Writer Guide.

Format section of envelope dialog

202405091732.gif (41.06 KiB) Viewed 2435 times

Printer section of envelope dialog

202405091734.gif (32.57 KiB) Viewed 2435 times

The AOO instructions I’ve found don’t fit with what happens when I follow the procedure (video tutorial also doesn’t agree with my experience).

This is a user-to-user assistance forum, not the bug fix or feature enhancement site. But see Reporting bugs or suggestions.

If this solved your problem please go to your first post use the Edit ☐ button and add [Solved] to the start of the Subject field. Select the green checkmark icon at the same time.

[Tutorial] Mac FAQ

[Pesticle]

What I forgot to mention is that my printer, when I insert an envelope into the rear manual feed and press 'print', sucks the envelope through the machine and spits it out, clean and unprinted - the puts a sheet of ordinary paper from the regular, automated feed through and prints the address. All I need to do now is learn origami and fold the sheet into an envelope.

[MrProgrammer]

What I forgot to mention is that my printer, when I insert an envelope into the rear manual feed and press 'print', sucks the envelope through the machine and spits it out, clean and unprinted - the puts a sheet of ordinary paper from the regular, automated feed through and prints the address.

Consult your printer's manual for information about using a manual feed tray.

I don't have that printer model so I can't do any testing. The manual for that printer says:
Paper Source Options - Mac (Page 108)
You can select any of the available options in the Paper Source menu to print from paper loaded in that source.

All I need to do now is learn origami and fold the sheet into an envelope.

3 Easy Ways of Folding Origami Envelopes

If this solved your problem please go to your first post use the Edit ☐ button and add [Solved] to the start of the Subject field. Select the green checkmark icon at the same time.

[Pesticle]

Sorry for the delay in response - I have really struggled to follow the advice (this is not a criticism, I'm old, have ADHD and get easily overwhelmed with a lot of data).
In advice from MrProgrammer, above, referring to Step 7 in the guidance, you talk about using the Setup button - which I did already access but, as can be seen in my screenshot, there's no Properties button on my. Setup dialog box - and you didn't make any further mention of this button (I think!). Your final comment was about reporting a bug. It didn't even occur to me that I might be dealing with a bug. Are you saying the absence of the Properties button is actually likely to be a bug? Apologies for the slow take-up - believe me, this is a continual struggle. I appreciate the attention and help that's been given.

[Pesticle]

Further apologies - just noticed I hadn't changed my OO and MacOS details for over a year!

[MrProgrammer]

Further apologies - just noticed I hadn't changed my OO and MacOS details for over a year!

Thank you for correcting that information.

Referring to Step 7 in the guidance … there's no Properties button on my Setup dialog box. Are you saying the absence of the Properties button is actually likely to be a bug?

OK, the How to print an envelope page which you found does not match the operation of the dialog on MacOS.
• Step 8 claims the envelope size is set with the Properties dialog, but actually it is set with the Format dialog page.
• Step 9 claims the envelope orientation is set with the Properties dialog, but actually it is set with the Printer dialog page.
• Step 10 claims the feed tray is set with the Properties dialog, but your printer manual shows a different way to set it.
I think it more likely that the How to print an envelope page is wrong, especially given that it says This article needs to be checked for accuracy. We know it's wrong for MacOS. Perhaps the page is correct for Linux and Windows but needs changes for MacOS.

How much more time are you going to waste on this? You could have addressed a whole box of envelopes manually by now.

I decline to install MacOS 14 (or Linux or Windows) and purchase an Epson Expressions Photo XP8500 to test how your printer works. I decline to experiment with my own printer since I have no need to print envelopes with it and since a method for my printer may not apply to your printer. Don't use the erroneous instructions which you found. I am done contributing to this topic.