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Scribus => Layout Issues => Topic started by: Daytona on November 14, 2011, 11:07:44 PM

Title: Documents printing larger than actual size
Post by: Daytona on November 14, 2011, 11:07:44 PM
Hi All,

I am designing 2" x 3.5" business cards using the OS X version of Scribus 1.4.0 rc6.

I drew a 2" x 3.5" box using the ruler and guidelines, but the problem is, when I print the document, the dimensions of the box are slightly larger than 2 x 3.5 inches.  The vertical is almost correct, but the horizontal is about an eighth of an inch longer than it should be.  My printer scaling is set to 100%, so I don't know what would be causing this.

How do I get the program to print exactly the dimensions I have specified on the sheet?

Thanks in advance.
Title: Re: Documents printing larger than actual size
Post by: utnik on November 15, 2011, 01:01:10 AM
hello daytona

do you have the same problem when you export your sla to a pdf and print it out of acrobat reader?
...if it's the same, it looks like a problem with the printer driver.

utnik
Title: Re: Documents printing larger than actual size
Post by: Daytona on November 15, 2011, 11:00:14 AM
Exporting as a pdf solved the problem, thanks!
Title: Re: Documents printing larger than actual size
Post by: Meho R. on November 15, 2011, 12:31:28 PM
Quote from: Daytona on November 15, 2011, 11:00:14 AM
Exporting as a pdf solved the problem, thanks!
Just a note: it is really recommended to always export your document to PDF prior to printing. In other words, never ever use "Print" function directly from Scribus (some users even suggested that "Print" should be removed completely from "File" menu, since it's unreliable; even devs recommend that users always export document to PDF and print from a PDF viewer instead of printing directly from Scribus).
Title: Re: Documents printing larger than actual size
Post by: a.l.e on November 15, 2011, 01:51:22 PM
hi meho...

... not 100% true but close to it :-)

one may use the print function in scribus, but if it fails (for any reason), it's probably not worth to try to fix it... just create a pdf and print it from adobe reader.

have a nice day
a.l.e
Title: Re: Documents printing larger than actual size
Post by: apastuszak on November 28, 2011, 02:17:43 AM
I am having the same problem with Scribus 1.4.0 RC6 on Mac.  I drew a 191 mm tall box and when I print it, it's 201 mm tall.  Doesn't matter whether I export to PDF or not.  It's still too tall.

I am running OS X 10.7 Lion and printing to a HP LasetJet 4200.
Title: Re: Documents printing larger than actual size
Post by: a.l.e on November 28, 2011, 01:42:42 PM
apastuszak, export to pdf and make sure that when you print the PDF, the document does not get scaled

(in acrobat reader the option to fit the document to the paper is checked by default: you will have to uncheck it!)

if it still does not work, please post a test pdf document that allows us to replicate the issue.

have fun
a.l.e
Title: Re: Documents printing larger than actual size
Post by: Christen_Anderson on November 28, 2011, 04:54:36 PM
Quote from: Meho R. on November 15, 2011, 12:31:28 PM
Quote from: Daytona on November 15, 2011, 11:00:14 AM
Exporting as a pdf solved the problem, thanks!
Just a note: it is really recommended to always export your document to PDF prior to printing. In other words, never ever use "Print" function directly from Scribus (some users even suggested that "Print" should be removed completely from "File" menu, since it's unreliable; even devs recommend that users always export document to PDF and print from a PDF viewer instead of printing directly from Scribus).

Maybe a bit OT, but has anyone been able to nail down exactly why the print function isn't reliable? Is it a bug in the code, or is it something more complicated? It would be great to be able to print directly from Scribus. I've never experienced any problem with the export-to-PDF workaround, but it's just an extra step that I would gladly do away with.
Title: Re: Documents printing larger than actual size
Post by: a.l.e on November 28, 2011, 08:56:07 PM
basically:

a/ printers can be very different
b/ drivers can be very different
c/ printing system can difffer
d/ the goal of scribus is the professional press (through pdf)
e/ you can't really share the paper on which the wrong result is printed

... at the end the missing support for every printer and print setup is mostly due to a lack of interest from the developers combined with time needed to implement it and the impossibility to debug it on the users printers :-)

voilĂ ... that's what i know of...

ciao
a.l.e
Title: Re: Documents printing larger than actual size
Post by: Christen_Anderson on November 28, 2011, 11:07:11 PM
But just because printers and drivers are different does not mean it's impossible to implement direct printing. Look at Microsoft Word (normally I don't point to proprietary software as an example of good design) - about the only thing Microsoft managed to get right is, things print properly from the software! No need to use a third program.

I can understand the lack of interest from the devs, but imho this would be a very useful - and in some cases time-saving - feature. It would eliminate the need to tell all of our beginning users to go check out imposition software, etc.

Oh well. That's just my take on it. I suppose we can't have everything  ;)
Title: Re: Documents printing larger than actual size
Post by: Nermander on November 29, 2011, 07:44:18 AM
I think the problem with printing is that Scribus does not handle the printing alone, it relies on the operating systems printing function. Printing also works very different in Windows, Linux and OS X.

So, getting the printing to work would need someone to focus on that, but because you can export to PDF and print from that I guess the developers don't give it much priority. So, there's room for someone who is voluntary to fix the printing code:)