Problem printing two-sided paper

[JUKE179r]

Hello!
I'm trying to quit wasting printer paper and print on both sides of paper.
I am using Microsoft Office 2011 and Adobe Acrobat Pro 8 with an HP OfficeJet Pro 8600 on my '07 MBP (OS 10.6.8). The Office apps and Acrobat have no option to print two-sided to my HP printer. I've even set the print options on the HP printer to two-sided but it keeps printing one sided pages with Office and Acrobat.

They only way I found to print two-sided is to save an MS Office File as a PDF file and then open the PDF file in Preview to get the option to print two-sided on the printer. The same is with Adobe too. I have to edit a PDF file in Acrobat, save the file, close out Acrobat and reopen the PDF file in Preview to print. I should be able to accomplish this from one app and not have to use two apps and end up with extra unneeded files just to print double sided.

I think I am overlooking something so any help on this will be much appreciated. Cheers!

 

[MYmacROX]

I'm assuming you have the most updated printer drivers? Downloaded directly from HP's website?
I've found doing that often adds more functionality and options for printing. Well, it's definitely a good starting point.

 

[JUKE179r]

yep. all the necessary HP printer updates are complied with. I think my problem has more to do with Office and Acrobat apps and less with the printer. Hopefully someone using these same apps can also chime in to help.
Thanks!

 

[MYmacROX]

Ok, just checking. I have an HP Photosmart and I'm able to print double-sided from apps like Safari and Libre Office. I don't have MS Office and I haven't used Acrobat. So you might be onto something there ...although, I would be surprised if specific apps interfered with that natural function of your printer.

 

[chscag]

That's a strange one. Normally, what printer options are available are obtained through the printer driver. If Preview allows two sided printing but Office and Acrobat Pro do not, it almost has to be the fault of the apps rather than the driver. But I'm wondering if it could be Snow Leopard that's limiting what your HP can do? In other words, the drivers that are are in play for Snow Leopard are likely not the same as for Lion and Mountain Lion.

 

[harryb2448]

Office prints both sides just fine with an Epson TX550W and Mountain Lion so as chscag suggests it may well be the operating system.

 

[JUKE179r]

Found the problem... in the printing options for both Office and Acrobat I had to toggle through the drop down of "Copies and Pages" and select "Layout". From there shows the options for two-sided printing. Doh!
I should have noticed that before. I really need to lay off crack.

Thanks for the help fellas!

 

[chscag]

I should have noticed that before. I really need to lay off crack.

LOL, it's easy to sometimes overlook the obvious. I was going to mention the drop down menu options, but I figured you had already done that. Anyway, glad you figured it out.