Have just reloaded Hat Shop on my latest computer and it won't print the pattern. I have set up the printer in page set as required re the Internet page margins. The program printed the assembly instructions but will not print the pattern. I have version 1.1 PC XP IE6 Printer HP1200 series. Any help welcome.

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Have just reloaded Hat Shop on my latest computer and it won't print the pattern. I have set up the printer in page set as required re the Internet page margins. The program printed the assembly instructions but will not print the pattern. I have version 1.1 PC XP IE6 Printer HP1200 series. Any help welcome.

This is an unfortunately familiar problem, caused by the Java dispute between Microsoft and Sun Microsystems. Hat Shop was written in Java, at a time when it was being promoted as the langauge of the Internet, the future of online computing. Sun owns Java, but they did not have the clout to get all printer makers to support it fully. Microsoft licensed Java, modified it, called it "Microsoft VM" (virtual machine, I think) then got the printer makers to all support that. Sun sued Microsoft (you can't modify our Java) and so Microsoft abandoned it.

Hat Shop was written in Java. Some printers require the Microsoft version to work properly. The more common Sun version may print and may not, depending on the printer manufacturer. If it does not print, you can get the Microsoft version here:

http://www.livingsoftnw.com/Download2.htm

You want the download labeled "Hat Shop - Microsoft VM". After installing it, you need to tell your browser it is ok to use it. Run Internet Explorer. Select Tools - Internet Options - Security - Custom Level. Near the bottom are checkboxes for "Scripting". Make sure "Active Scripting" and "Scripting of Java Applets" are both enabled and click OK.

Then, check the Advanced tab. Scroll down looking for "Java (Sun)" and uncheck that so your browser will not try to use Sun Java. Click ok a few times. You may need to reboot. Not sure about that.

Now that you are using Microsoft Java, Hat Shop should print. But, there is a big caveatt to all this. Microsoft is no longer supporting Java. So, printer makers may no longer continue to support the Microsoft version. The latest printers and computers that I have do all work, but I have not tested all combinations and have done very little Vista testing. Some day, Java applications that print large images may just stop working....

Thanks for your quick response. I am going to download Hat Shop to an older computer which we keep as a back up and try it on that. I have had a lot of problems recently with my computer and since coming back from the PC shop it is working very well and I don't want to rock the boat. I don't use Hat Shop very much so it should be ok if it works there. I need Java Sun for Kaarens classes on my PC. I thought it was a security software problem. didn't know about Java/Microsoft dispute."Signs of the times" Many thanks again.

Peggy I had the same probs with this last week when i reinstalled Hat shop.What I did was to download sun java for classes,then went into tools- int options- advanced tab and unchecked sun java,then checked marked vm java.Pc's are finacky huh?

I also have an HP Laserjet 1200 series printer, and also can't print. Well, it sort of prints - in quarter scale I get half of the pattern, pushed up against the edge of the paper, as though there should be 2 pages. With full scale, I get one blank page.

I tried your fix, but (in Vista) I don't have a Sun Java line in the Advanced tab of Internet Options. I have a Programs tab, with lots of Java add ins, but even when I disable them, I still get the little Java icon in my system tray when I run Hat Shop. I have no idea how to turn Java off, short of uninstalling it (which I don't want to do because other web sites use it).

Microsoft VM is installed (I have a section in the Advanced tab of Internet Options that deals with it - all options are checked).

I have a number of virtual printers installed, like PDF Factory and Fine Print - I get exactly the same results with these programs as with my HP printer.

Any suggestions?

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Microsoft VM is installed (I have a section in the Advanced tab of Internet Options that deals with it - all options are checked).

I have a number of virtual printers installed, like PDF Factory and Fine Print - I get exactly the same results with these programs as with my HP printer.

Any suggestions?

Only the same suggestion I already made. I would not presume that Microsoft VM is installed just because Internet Explorer has check boxes for it. None of those need to be checked, by the way. But, Microsoft VM does need to be installed. If you are not positive you have it installed, install it. Doesn't hurt. But, if you cannot report that you just installed it and Hat Shop still will not print, then that is still the only suggestion we have. And, if you have just installed it and Hat Shop will not print, then there is nothing else to try other than a different printer. Sorry....

I think that maybe I should just not use hat shop and use some other program. There are lots of hats and bag patterns on the net, a number of them free of charge. This is all just too much bother for me.

Also I am going to try drawing the pattern as laid out on screen in Adobe Illustrator and print the pattern to scale using screen measurements. That should work. I will print it out the PDF. Will let you know what happened.