"Not enough memory" issue when printing

[Bryan]

When I create an image in more than 5 or 6 steps, and then try to print it, I get a "print picture error".  In fact I get 5 of the same messages one on top of the other.  I am enclosing a screen print.  I am also attaching the diagnostics thread.  There is nothing in the crash folder.

 

I am using a new Microsoft Surface laptop with ARM64.  I did not have this problem on my old x86 (I think) laptop.

 

 

Paint.net Diagnostics.txt

[Tactilis]

1 hour ago, Bryan said:

When I create an image in more than 5 or 6 steps, and then try to print it, I get a "print picture error". 

By this, do you mean that if you try to print an image after just 1 or 2 editing steps, you don't get the error?

Then if you try to print after 3 steps, 4 steps, etc. it's still OK.

 

Then when you get to 7+ editing steps, you get the error?

 

What is the width and height of the image you are trying to print?
 

[Rick Brewster]

The printing UI in Paint.NET is actually provided by Windows, and this error is part of that UI.

 

Unfortunately I'm not sure what can really be done here -- either the Windows Print UI is running out of memory, or your printer driver is, or the Windows Print UI is misinterpreting some other error as if it were an out of memory error (not unheard of -- GDI+, aka System.Drawing, does this all the time).

 

Ultimately, eventually, Paint.NET will be replacing the Windows Print UI with something custom. But not today. Until then, printing in Paint.NET really is just a "good faith effort" feature. If it works, great! If not, sorry  But not much can be done about it right now. As far as I know, Microsoft has not updated this UI probably since Windows Vista (circa 2006), and it's certainly not on their priority list and I'd be surprised if they don't completely remove it in the next few years.

 

Best workaround we've got for now is to save the image and then open it in some other app that is capable of printing successfully. I know @BoltBait likes to use Microsoft Word, for instance.

[Tactilis]

7 hours ago, Rick Brewster said:

Best workaround we've got for now is to save the image and then open it in some other app that is capable of printing successfully.

Agreed.

I use IrfanView, which is lightweight, faster, and even more flexible for printing than Word.

See https://forums.getpaint.net/topic/121410-how-to-print-actual-size/?do=findComment&comment=603132 

 

I use an AutoHotkey script to rapidly copy/paste the image from paint.net to IrfanView for full-screen preview and optional printing.

See https://forums.getpaint.net/topic/122164-full-screen-preview-of-current-pic/?do=findComment&comment=610304

 

So printing is simply two key presses: F9  Ctrl+P