Hi - I have used the mail merge function in Word 2003 successfully to print address labels on 8.5" x 12" fanfold paper with an Epson LX-400 printer for a long time. I have now got a new computer with Windows 7 and Word 2010 but am having difficulty with the label printing.
I installed the recomended printer driver for the LX-400 which is listed as LX Series 1 (80) and I copied the word template file and the related .mdb files over to the new machine.


Everything seems to work with the merge running and the Preview within Office 2010 looking correct but when I actually print the the labels I get an error message that "The margins of section 1 are outside the printable area of the page". Also a print preview shows the top of the first label cut off. If I ignore the error and print the first line is cut-off and the same happens at each page break. (If I click fix top and bottom margins get added.)
The page top and bottom margins are set to 0 and the printer to tractor feed but it seems that the document is being treated as if each page had a top and bottom margin.
What am I missing and appologies if this has been asked before. I have tried to search for an answer but not found one.

The warning message is because your printer driver is telling Word the printer can't print to the edges of the paper. You may need to access the printer configuration options and set its allowable margins to 0.

__________________
Cheers,
Paul Edstein
[Fmr MS MVP - Word]

Thanks for the reply. The printer is set to tractor feed but there does not seem to be any options to set the allowable margins. However I will have another look.

I have had another look and there does not seem to be a way to control the printer margins in the printer settings. I re-checked on the Epson site and its a bit debatable if the LX-400 is supported as it depends were you look. In one place it is listed as supported but in another it says there is not a Windows 7 driver.
Basically I think I am stuck with this one unless anyone knows better!

To change the printer's allowable margins, it's unlikely the generic Windows driver would be sufficient - you'd need an Epson one for that. It's possible a Vista driver from Epson, if there is one, would do the job.

__________________
Cheers,
Paul Edstein
[Fmr MS MVP - Word]

Thanks for your reply. I have had a look for a Vista driver on the Epson web site and its not listed as a supported product so I will just have to print my labels from my XP laptop. Its not the end of the world as I don't print many labels but its still useful. I was given the printer for free years ago and I only tried in on Windows 7 as the Epson web site says it is supported on one page but then that its not supported on another.

Best regards,

John