Can't print thumbnails from ID CS6 v. 8.0.2

Question

I am running InDesign CS6 v. 8.0.2 on an iMac running OS X 10.10.1.
I cannot print thumbnails to my HP LaserJet 500 Color M551dn printer. Neither can I print thumbnails out to a postscript file. Instead, InDesign reports a postscript error.
Is there a known solution to this problem?

Answer 1

@Mark – with the right PPD installed you could print to PostScript. If you have Acrobat Distiller at hand, that requires an install of Acrobat Pro, you could distill that PostScript file to PDF and print that PDF from Acrobat Pro without using PostScript technology (if you have to).
Do the following:
Get the PPD file (PostScript Printer Description) Acrobat 9 PPD here:
http://helpx.adobe.com/x-productkb/multi/save-as-pdf-options-not.html#main_InstallAcroPPD
If it is not already there, create a folder exactly named PPDs in the folder:
/Applications/Adobe Indesign CS6/Presets/
Put the PPD file inside.
Restart InDesign and use that PPD, now available in your print menu, to print to PostScript with Thumbnails enabled.
Then start Acrobat Distiller.app
Chose one of the presets for distilling PostScript to PDF you can find pre-installed there or change an existing one to your needs.
Acrobat Distiller.app should be present under:
/Applications/Adobe Acrobat 9 Pro/
or, if you installed Acrobat 10 Pro under:
/Applications/Adobe Acrobat X Pro/
Open the PostScript file in Distiller or drag it to Distiller. A PDF will be created.
Open that PDF in Adobe Reader or Acrobat Pro and print from there.
Note: There is an option for printing your PDF with pixels only under the "Advanced" tab of the print menu of Acrobat Pro (should be there with Adobe Reader as well): "Print As Image". Chose the right value for dpi resolution, might by 600 dpi.
That should work in every case.
Uwe