Word document won't show in print preview and prints blank pages. Ugh! Please help!

You have been using Pages ’09 on Lion. Even if that was the most recent update (v4.3), it probably only has rudimentary understanding of Word 2010 .docx document architecture, and certainly not Word 2013 changes. If your friend is using Word 2013, have them export the document in a slightly older Word .doc format. See if that file format can provide you with a print review in OS X. So yes, there may very well be Apple/Microsoft compatibility issues.

With the latest Pages ’09 v4.3 update, you can continue to use this version of Pages on Yosemite, as it provides 100+ features/functionality more than the latest Pages v5.5.1 for Yosemite. Although the later has had some attention to Word 2013 content, the loss of basic word processing features, and no backwards compatibility with Pages ’09 — make it useless. LibreOffice has kept pace with changes in Word 2013 content, and in fact, it is one of their save formats.

Just remember that no version of Pages is a Word clone. All input, and export of Word documents is an approximate translation into Pages native .pages document architecture. This translation is only as accurate as Apple has programmed changes in Word 2010/2013 document specifications.

It would be a good idea download and install the free LibreOffice suite. They are light-years ahead of Apple in Word document compatibility, and often, when Pages and Preview fail to process a Word document — trusty LibreOffice Writer opens it right up. Especially important when dealing with Word documents older than 2001. Upon clicking the download, it will briefly pause on a donation page, before continuing to download the software. I use it.

The LibreOffice installation goes exclusively into your /Applications folder as a single file that contains its fonts, and all the applications compatible with MS Office. Unlike Apple's iWork suite of applications, LibreOffice was purposely written to be an MS Office replacement suite.

Pages is the program that this forum, that you posted in, is dedicated to.

From all you have said it sounds like you are using Word for Mac a completely different program.

Surely you pay attention to what you start up in and the name of the program at the top of your screen and as you enter here?

Peter

Is this a Pages problem?

If so what version?

What version of OSX are you using?

What "auto" shape? and what do you mean by "Auto"?

What printer?

Have you spoken to layoutready.com?

Peter