Offending command: image

As you may already have guessed, an ‘image’ error points to a problem with one of the bitmap images in your file.

Possible solutions

Often a corrupted image leads to this type of error. You can easily trace which image causes the problem from applications like QuarkXPress that allow you to print jobs without the images. If the PostScript error doesn’t occur then, you can start trying to locate the bad image. Set half of your images to non-printing and try printing again. Again halve the number of images and print again and keep doing this until you located the bad one.

Updating your application and/or printer driver to the latest release could also solve issues with an offending command ‘Image’ error.

If you run into this problem when printing from Adobe Reader,  try the ‘Print as Image’ option which can be found selecting the Advanced button on the Print panel.

If the info below doesn’t point to a more specific workaround, try the basic troubleshooting tips.

PostScript error Limitcheck

If you get a PostScript error ‘limitcheck’ offending command ‘image’, an image in your document is too large, its resolution is too high or it cannot be rotated. Reduce the size or resolution, rotate the image at a different angle or rotate it in an application like Photoshop.

Some older level 2 versions of PostScript RIPs as well as Acrobat Distiller 4.0 (and 4.05 and probably 3.x) cannot handle copydot files in which the number of pixels exceeds 32000 in either direction. Using such big copydot files (eg larger than about 33 centimeters for a 2400 dpi copydot) can lead to a PostScript error ‘limitcheck’ offending command ‘image’.

If you get a PostScript error ‘limitcheck’ offending command “image” when printing from InDesign 1.0, the document probably contains a multitone EPS (duotone, tritone,.. ) that uses a spot color. To get around the error, you can either perform the color separation in InDesign itself (deselect ‘In-RIP’ in the separations tab) or you should upgrade your RIP to Adobe PostScript version 3011 or later.

PostScript error IOerror

An ‘ioerror’, offending command ‘image’ or ‘colorimage’ points to an incorrect amount of data in an image or it indicates that the printer’s PS interpreter reads beyond the end of the job while rendering an image. Two possible solutions:

  • Make sure that the channel used to connect the printer to your system is truly binary or try to change you printer driver’s settings from binary to ASCII. In general, parallel (Centronics) interfaces do not support binary data transfer, serial and network interfaces do.
  • Scan, edit, or import the image again.

PostScript error Typecheck or Rangecheck

A PostScript error ‘typecheck’ or ‘rangecheck’ orrurs when you try printing a PostScript level 2 file to a PostScript level 1 device. Check the driver settings.

7 thoughts on “Offending command: image

  1. If you are trying to print a PDF file and get the error “error: ioerror offending command: image” Hit the File/Print menu then select the Advanced button. Click on or check “Print as Image” This will solve the problem in most cases.

    Also you could send the print job to another printer if you have one availabe. Sometimes the problem is caused when a printer does not have enough emeory to print a picture on the page or cannot translate a picture on the page.

    1. @James Spencer, you are correct sir… Most of the time setting this in the print settings, along with advanced print features off (at times) will usually solve the problem.

  2. I keep getting
    Error:rangecheck
    Offending Command: image
    STACK:
    when trying to print out pictures (approx 3500 pix) and then when I shut down the program and start over, I can print it. Program is Photoshop CS3

  3. I have a psotscript file containing 2 images that I have as “functions”. The file prints in ghostscript and on certain printers, but on other printers. Why would this be? All the printers support postscript level 3.

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