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General => Technical Help => Topic started by: g forgeron on Saturday 21 October 17 15:15 BST (UK)

Title: Printer Problems
Post by: g forgeron on Saturday 21 October 17 15:15 BST (UK)
My printer will not print what I ask it to do. I'm operating with  Windows 7, using Photoshop 7 and a Canon Pixma iP4300 printer.  I bring up the picture in Photoshop and put a border round it. I then ask the printer to print it, but instead of printing an equal border, it prints a wider border at the top and bottom of the picture.

I've tried the various printer preferences ie,borderless printing, normal size, fit to page, scaled printing, page layout and poster printing.

 All to no avail, any suggestions?
Title: Re: Printer Problems
Post by: Dyingout on Saturday 21 October 17 15:36 BST (UK)
Try saving as a PDF
this should show you what is printing before you print
as this is printing industry standard,
you should get a better idea of your print, before you hit the button.
Title: Re: Printer Problems
Post by: g forgeron on Saturday 21 October 17 15:54 BST (UK)
Sorry Dyingout, I know what I'm printing, that's the problem, it isn't printing what I ask it to print.

The preview I get shews the unequal border.
Title: Re: Printer Problems
Post by: bluesofa on Saturday 21 October 17 16:16 BST (UK)
Very frustrating!

Would this be explained if the photo with border isn't the same dimensions as the paper - so it is fitting the photo to the width of the paper, but the height of the photo is less than the height of the paper, hence leading to a bigger border at the top and bottom?

In photoshop you could perhaps create a blank page the same size as your paper (File>New>Blank Image) at resolution of at least 300 dpi, and then copy and paste your photo onto it (using Select>All, Edit>Copy and then Edit>Paste).  It's more effort, but hopefully you can then create an image that will print just how you want it.
Title: Re: Printer Problems
Post by: japeflakes on Saturday 21 October 17 16:19 BST (UK)
Have you done it before with no problem? If you try a different photo size what happens?  Try a canvas size in black say) of say 5x7  and put a 4x6 picture in it. What does that look like?  Is the correct paper size selected on your printer etc
Title: Re: Printer Problems
Post by: Gadget on Saturday 21 October 17 17:33 BST (UK)
What method did you use to add the border - was it with canvas size (the easiest way to add a simple border)  or was it from a plugin?


Gadget
Title: Re: Printer Problems
Post by: g forgeron on Sunday 22 October 17 20:17 BST (UK)
This is the first time I've tried to put a border onto a photo. The way I do it is  IMAGE+RESIZE+CANVAS SIZE, I then chose it to be central, then add the border size I wish.

As I wrote initially it looks perfect on the screen, the same size of border all round. However when printed the top and bottom are larger
Title: Re: Printer Problems
Post by: Gadget on Sunday 22 October 17 20:21 BST (UK)
It's probably not the same ratio HxW as the A4 sheet so the printer is centering the image and following your instructions.

added - to test this, make the border a different colour to the paper - black or grey, etc.
Title: Re: Printer Problems
Post by: g forgeron on Monday 23 October 17 16:44 BST (UK)
The image I am printing is 4"x 6", the paper is also 4" x 6"
Title: Re: Printer Problems
Post by: Gadget on Monday 23 October 17 17:00 BST (UK)
I see that on your snip the 'Actual Size ' shows as 5.75' x 7.75'  but other settings seem to contradict this - puzzling  :-\

(I assumed you were printing A4  as I didn't see the far right of the image on my laptop :)  )
Title: Re: Printer Problems
Post by: Gadget on Monday 23 October 17 17:04 BST (UK)
To get the print you want, you need to get the image, including the border, in a 4 x 6 ratio.
Title: Re: Printer Problems
Post by: g forgeron on Wednesday 25 October 17 11:53 BST (UK)
I have it in a 4x6 ratio & the borders are still not symmetrical no matter what size of border I ask for
Title: Re: Printer Problems
Post by: Gadget on Wednesday 25 October 17 12:12 BST (UK)
To get  a ratio of 4x6 you would need to have the print size in the box that I've indicated in my previous post as 5.75 x 8.625  rather than 5.75 x 7.75.   (4x6 = 1x1.5)

If you just want a white border, you wouldn't neeed a border when printed on white paper.

Added - if you do want to add a border and print to the 4:6 ratio,  you should not make the border (not white)  the same all around but for each unit of extra width, you need to add 1.5 units of height. Believe me - I've been doing this type of print for over 20 years and before that using frames and mounts  for my photos and paintings.

If your original photo isn't a 4:6 ratio , then you'll never have it fitting unless you crop.
Title: Re: Printer Problems
Post by: Gadget on Wednesday 25 October 17 16:31 BST (UK)
I've created an image of ratio 4:6 in white (representing your paper)  and then created an image to the size shown in the print size on your screen shot (5.75 :7.75) in pink (representing your file).  The file below shows the result - which is what you have.

Title: Re: Printer Problems
Post by: g forgeron on Wednesday 25 October 17 17:18 BST (UK)
Hi Gadget many thanks for all your replies, I'll have a go at your latest instructions, you really have spent a lot of time explaining to a geriatric. The old grey cells ain't what they used to be.