Introduction

Color printouts and transparencies are printed by selecting the appropriate printer. This handout helps you through the process of getting your document printed. The procedure is almost identical for color printing on paper and for transparency printing.

Selecting the Correct Printer

Once your document is completed and ready for printing in color or made into a transparency, first create a postscript file.

Note: You must map (install) color/transparency printers before printing each time. To speed up machine loading time, the current OAL computer configuration does not automatically load these printers.

To map color/transparency printers, select Start > All Programs > Utilities > Map Color Printers.

For Windows

1. Open the Print dialog box by selecting File >Print or typing [CTRL+P] simultaneously. See Figure 1.

Note: Do not click the Print button that is shown on most Windows programs. This skips the Print dialog box and sends your document to the Open Access Lab’s default printers.

2. Select the color or transparency printer for your lab. For example, in the SCC, you would select SCC1-COLOR or SCC1-TRANSPARENCY.

Figure 1. Print dialog box

For Mac

1. As in Windows, open the Print dialog box by selecting File > Print or typing [Open Apple+ P] simultaneously.
2. From the Printer drop-down menu, select "SCC1-COLOR" or "SCC1-TRANSPARENCY"

Figure 2. Printing from Macs

Releasing your document

After you selected a printer and clicked OK, a box appears instructing you to see a Print Operator to release your document. See Figure 3. In the SCC, go to the Resource Desk to sign for your document.  In Blocker, Read, Weisenbaker, and WCL, the form is located at the print counter.  The signature is a safeguard to guarantee that you meant to print the document in color.

Figure 3. Releasing color/transparency prints

Signing for your document

 After your document has been printed, please review the document for any irregularities or mistakes caused by the printer.  If your document is satisfactory, sign under the Pickup Signature blank on the form.

Frequently Asked Questions

1.       What is the charge for Color and Transparency Printing?  Current prices for printing can be found at http://cis.tamu.edu/oal/services/printing.php

2.       Do I need to pay for the printouts when I pick them up?  No.  Your Billing Statement will reflect the cost of all printouts at the end of each semester.  You can check your charges by using the MyPrintCharges utility located on any Open Access Labs PC.  Access the utility through the start menu.

3.       Where will my printouts be if I do not pick them up immediately?  All color printouts and transparencies are held at the appriopriate Print Room except at the SCC.  At the SCC, the printouts will be held at the Resource Desk.  Simply ask the CIS Staff member working at the time and he/she will retrieve your document for you.

4.        Are color/transparency printouts part of my semester printing allocation? Yes, color and transparencies prints are deducted from your semester print allocation.

For more help

If you need more assistance, please feel free to ask the CIS Support Staff in any Open Access Lab, or call Help Desk Central at (979) 845-8300.