Why doesn Microsoft Office print embedded PNG images correctly if PNG is one of its native image formats?
Newer versions of Microsoft Office apparently are strongly dependent on features of the printer driver in order to print embedded PNG images (particularly those with tranparency) correctly. For example, it was reported that Microsoft Office XP printing to a Brother HL-1250 either would fail to print embedded PNGs or else would print them with a black background instead of white, whereas printing the same document from the same machine to an HP Business Inkjet 1100 “worked perfectly.” In short, try using a different printer, and if that’s not an option, check with the printer manufacturer (or maybe Microsoft) for updated Windows printer drivers. Alternatively, if installing OpenOffice is an option, try that; a reader in Germany reported being unable to print PNGs on any of four Epson printers using MS Office but was able to print on all of them using OpenOffice.org.
