PainShop Pro 9 - printing problems

Author

printing problems

carol sc

2007-06-23, 6:26 pm

I have a long-standing problem with printing images that require precise
placement i.e. putting an image on a notecard to have it precisely centered
on the 1/2 of the card that will be the front. I use the page layout
process, but it seems that the layout doesn't accurately reflect the width
parameters, since usually the margin on the right side is smaller than on
the left. I used to have the same problem in earlier psp versions that
didn't have templates like 9 does, despite careful measuring. I have an HP
printer, but had the same problem with an epson. It always takes me 3-4
trial runs for each image, even using a template. I know there's something
very simple I'm missing? Any help appreciated!
Carol

Trev

2007-06-23, 6:26 pm

"carol sc" <cwade@mindspring.com> wrote in message
news:467bb9f2$1_2@cnews...
>
> I have a long-standing problem with printing images that require precise
> placement i.e. putting an image on a notecard to have it precisely
> centered on the 1/2 of the card that will be the front. I use the page
> layout process, but it seems that the layout doesn't accurately reflect
> the width parameters, since usually the margin on the right side is
> smaller than on the left. I used to have the same problem in earlier psp
> versions that didn't have templates like 9 does, despite careful
> measuring. I have an HP printer, but had the same problem with an epson.
> It always takes me 3-4 trial runs for each image, even using a template. I
> know there's something very simple I'm missing? Any help appreciated!
> Carol
>
>
Your problem is that the printer has a none printable margin. The image even
in print layout will only be positioned in the printable area. If I am
making a Greetings card I use the Avery template for a card and trim the
paper with a craft Knife to that size after printing.
My Hp leaves a 3 mm margin down the long side and a 11 mm at the end of the
sheet which it uses to hold the paper straight when printing the last lines

Spandex Rutabaga

2007-06-23, 6:26 pm

carol sc wrote:
>
> I have a long-standing problem with printing images that require precise
> placement i.e. putting an image on a notecard to have it precisely centered
> on the 1/2 of the card that will be the front.

There's a reason for that.

> I use the page layout
> process, but it seems that the layout doesn't accurately reflect the width
> parameters,

It does correctly reflect the width.

> since usually the margin on the right side is smaller than on
> the left.

As you observe, the real issue is margins.

> I used to have the same problem in earlier psp versions that
> didn't have templates like 9 does, despite careful measuring.

The issue there was margins too.

> I have an HP
> printer, but had the same problem with an epson.

On careful inspection it might have turned out to be a similar
but not identical problem. I'll explain why in a second.

> It always takes me 3-4
> trial runs for each image, even using a template.

It shouldn't if you understand what is going on and if you use
a ruler to pin down the issues once and for all for each printer
you use.

> I know there's something
> very simple I'm missing? Any help appreciated!

Most (or maybe many) printers have a margin on which they cannot
print. This may be, for instance, because these areas of the
paper are used in feeding the paper through the printer and so
any ink there would smudge. You can print one image that is too
tall for the paper and another that is too wide for the paper,
each time selecting the Fit To Page option in the File > Print
dialog. Then from the first print you can measure the size of
the unprintable top and bottom margins and from the second print
you can measure the size of the unprintable left and right margins.
With these numbers in hand and the known size of your image you
can position any image correctly (i.e. centered left to right
and top to bottom in the top half of the paper) by choosing the
Custom Offset option in File > Print and setting the right Left
and Top Offset.

Side_margin_width = (Paper_width - Image_width) / 2
Left_Offset = Side_margin_width - Unprintable_left_margin_width

Top_margin_width = (0.5 x Paper_height - Image_height) / 2
Top_Offset = Top_margin_width - Unprintable_top_margin_width

Alternatively, some printers are capable of so-called borderless
printing, where the ink goes right to the edges of the paper
and there are no unprintable margins. I don't know if your
printer(s) can or cannot do that. Usually, this is not something
that is enabled by default. Instead you have to enable it
somewhere in the printer driver using the dialog that appears
when you press the Properties button in the File > Print dialog.
You'll have to explore if such an option exists for your
printer(s). If borderless printing can be enabled, then any
margins you specify with Left and Top Offsets or indirectly by
using a centered template should directly translate to the same
margins on the paper.

The overall problem is that PSP does not account for unprintable
regions of the paper and you have to compensate for those margins
by doing a little arithmetic.

Spandex Rutabaga

2007-06-23, 6:26 pm

Spandex Rutabaga wrote:
>
> carol sc wrote:

>
> As you observe, the real issue is margins.
>
>
> The issue there was margins too.
>
>
> On careful inspection it might have turned out to be a similar
> but not identical problem. I'll explain why in a second.

Perhaps I didn't make it clear enough, but the unprintable
areas differ in size from printer to printer. Therefore you
must estimate them separately as I previously described for
each printer that you use.

carol sc

2007-06-23, 6:26 pm

Thanks! I wouldn't have thought of that way to find out what the printer
margins are...but I would have thought that the left and right sides would
be the same, in which case it seems it would all even out - however, what
you say makes very good sense. I'll check it out! Thanks again.
Carol

"Spandex Rutabaga" <SpRu@agabatur.xednaps> wrote in message
news:467D63D5.7C5E3A04@agabatur.xednaps...
>
> Spandex Rutabaga wrote:
>
>
> Perhaps I didn't make it clear enough, but the unprintable
> areas differ in size from printer to printer. Therefore you
> must estimate them separately as I previously described for
> each printer that you use.
>

Spandex Rutabaga

2007-06-23, 10:18 pm

carol sc wrote:
>
> Thanks! I wouldn't have thought of that way to find out what the printer
> margins are...but I would have thought that the left and right sides would
> be the same, in which case it seems it would all even out - however, what
> you say makes very good sense.

Generally the unprintable areas on the left and right edges of
the paper are *not* of the same width.

Chuck

2007-06-26, 6:20 am

And, they may not be the same from one printer to another of the same make
and model!
If the left side is closer to the edge than the right side, it may be
possible to shim the paper guiides.
Just depends on how the printer is built. Lots of plastic parts usually mean
less than perfect centering.
A few printers have utility software that allows you to move the printing
area a bit.

"Spandex Rutabaga" <SpRu@agabatur.xednaps> wrote in message
news:467DC764.42AD6D49@agabatur.xednaps...
>
> carol sc wrote:
would[color=darkred]
what[color=darkred]
>
> Generally the unprintable areas on the left and right edges of
> the paper are *not* of the same width.
>

carol sc

2007-06-26, 6:20 pm

Thanks, Chuck. I'm just getting ready to give it another try, so here
goes....Carol

"Chuck" <cdkuder@msn.com> wrote in message news:467f7801$1_2@cnews...
>
> And, they may not be the same from one printer to another of the same make
> and model!
> If the left side is closer to the edge than the right side, it may be
> possible to shim the paper guiides.
> Just depends on how the printer is built. Lots of plastic parts usually
> mean
> less than perfect centering.
> A few printers have utility software that allows you to move the printing
> area a bit.
>
> "Spandex Rutabaga" <SpRu@agabatur.xednaps> wrote in message
> news:467DC764.42AD6D49@agabatur.xednaps...
> would
> what
>
>
>

Spandex Rutabaga

2007-06-26, 6:20 pm

Spandex Rutabaga wrote:

> Generally the unprintable areas on the left and right edges of
> the paper are *not* of the same width.

Chuck wrote:
>
> And, they may not be the same from one printer to another of the same make
> and model!

Absolutely. This is why I wrote:

"On careful inspection it might have turned out to be a similar
but not identical problem."

In response to Carol's:

"I have an HP printer, but had the same problem with an epson."