Offending command: Setpagedevice

There are many situations that can cause a setpagedevice error. Usually the PostScript interpreter will give a more detailed error message which might help in pinpointing the cause of the error. In general, setpagedevice errors are caused by incorrect driver settings or insufficient memory available on the RIP.

Driver problems

The use of incorrect settings or an incorrect driver typically causes a PostScript error: configurationerror, offending command: setpagedevice. If there is more information available (e.g. an extra line marked ‘errorinfo’ or ‘additional information’), this may point to the most likely cause of the problem. For example: additional information: [/PageSize [0 792]] clearly points to a problem with the selected output size.

• If you use an incorrect PPD driver to access features like in-rip separation or in-rip trapping, this can cause setpagedevice errors. Make sure you use the latest PPD/driver for your specific device.
• Trying to output pages that are physically too large for a specific output device can also cause setpagedevice errors. Make sure that rounding errors don’t spoil your fun if you try to output the largest possible page.
• Another popular cause for such errors is the use of an inappropriate resolution, like asking for output at 1270 dpi while the output device only supports 1200 dpi.
• I once encountered setpagedevice errors when printing jobs from Preps to a particular RIP. It took me half a day to find out that the PostScript files that were imported in Preps had been created using the driver for that particular RIP. This had never caused any problem but in this particular case, you had to use a PPD from Preps itself.

Memory related problems

When a RIP runs out of memory while processing a job, this can also cause setpagedevice errors. Some of the things you can try:

• Try to output the job page by page or even color by color.
• Lower the resolution of the output device.
• Use a lower screen ruling.
• Simplify the document.
• Reboot the RIP to solve any problems with memory leaks.
• Allocate more memory to the RIP or add RAM if possible.