Images opened directly via Zip files are not being printed from Photo Viewer.

Let me make it clear that I belong to the creative section of the IT industry and not the technical category I own a graphical studio and most delivery of my works are done on mail. People use the output on web or on print as per their wish. That obviously is not my concern, I am not concerned about what and how they go about it. However, in this industry of customer service certain customers demand special treatment you see and considering the intensity of project they have trusted upon us we cannot even deny such demands. Anyways, the problems faced by them is that when they happen to open the images from within the zip files that I have mailed, it opens in a Picture Viewer and when they go ahead with the printing process, it thus happens that the print button on the Picture Viewer is grayed and it is not possible to print. But when they download it to print it, it gets printed quite normally. However, the strange part of the story is that I have another client who opens the file comfortably and prints the image even more comfortably. Surprisingly, everything between these two clients are one and the same. I mean the OS they both are using is Windows 7 itself. I don’t understand why is this dual behavior seen in both the systems? There is technically no difference that I could see. And right now, solving this issue has become a matter of self respect for ma and I can’t kill my impression in front of my clients as I had promptly taken this task up. For them, I am an IT guy and I should be able to solve this, seldom do they know the difference between a creative guy and a technical guy. Anyways, if I sit to explain all this to them, it will surely sound as mere excuse as I am not able to solve their issue. I tried consulting a lot of friends for this issue but nobody could actually help me out of this. However, one of them suggested this forum to me and so I thought of asking you all.

I totally understand you concern of creating a reliable rapport with the client and these non-IT people hardly understand the difference between a technical and a creative guy. I have faced the same issue with an in-law of mine in the same regard. He expected me to design his Wedding Card; I failed to explain him that I am a software engineer and not a graphic designer. However, I had to consult a professional, pay him from my pocket and deliver it to him as my own creation. I just hope he doesn’t come up with another assignment now. Anyways, talking about your issue, this sounds very weird. If there is one thing possible on a PC how can it not be possible on another one with exactly the same configuration? Did you check it on a third computer? Just to check where is the change? Is there something wrong in the PC which is unable to print or is it something special about the one which can print. Also, I would like to get the following details:

- Tell me the type of email id that the user without the printing option has configured in Outlook
- Where does the computer exist? Is it on the Domain or is it on some Network?
- Where is the print command sent? Is it on some wireless printer or is it on any network?

OMFG! This is like too much. Mine was a client, I couldn’t let him go it was about my bread and better. But you weren’t obliged by any chance. Why did you have to keep quite? You could say you can’t, anyways, I would not like to intrude into your personal self. It was your personal take to bring in trouble for the rest of your life. I did check this same thing on my own computer to get a disappointing result. The configuration of this PC Is also same. Anyways, the details you asked for are as follows, I hope these are what you meant:

• What type of email account is configured in Outlook? Exchange
• Is the computer on Domain or network? Domain
• Is the print sent to a wireless printer on a network? Network printer

What you are talking is out of the world and your advice is perfect I just wish you implemented it too, you wouldn’t have had the need to open this thread only. Anyways, both of you all may deal these issues as you all want. Talking about this problem in particular, I would like to clarify a few doubts, this is just to narrow down the chances and the causes of the issue that you are talking about. Well I started with ‘What you are talking is out of the world’ and lost the topic. What I was trying to tell you that it is impossible that an application with similar settings on same platform will show dual behavior. I mean how is that even possible. There has to be some difference between both of them, some difference that you are ignoring or you just did not notice. If you are serious about solving the issue for your client, what I want you to do is sit and spare some quality time and try to investigate this difference. By the way, the details that I expect from you is:

1. Please try saving a zip file on the desktop and check out if that is getting printed

a. If not, then what is making you blame the Outlook? The issue is entirely something else.

2. Also check and confirm if the other user, I mean the one who can print is using any other application to open zip file.

a. If yes then simply download the same application and install it with your and the other client’s system.

:p, yes I guess it is easier to advice and a bit difficult follow it. Not trying to give justification, but my case is a bit difficult because my clients and projects are at stake. Anyways, trying to get over this topic, let me answer what you asked me:

• As per your suggestion, I did place the zip files on the desktop and tried doing the same thing. But not much to my surprise, when I tried opening the zip folder with default Windows compressed folder, it still could not print
• No, there is no 3rd party application involved in the scenario. The simple windows compressed folder is only used to open zip files.

I don’t think we can solve this issue without a detailed check on both the PCs, there has to be some difference. As of now, just do one simple thing, suggest an installation of Winrar after which all the zipped file will be open in that and I am sure, things will work perfect with winrar. Still, I would suggest a download of trial version first, check out if what you want runs perfectly with that, after that if your desire is correctly fulfilled, you can buy a full version of the software and use it to attain the full benefits. This is all we can currently do without a detailed diagnosis of the systems. I still feel, the system which can print has a winrar or some other application installed with it.