Print size

[L.D.]

I have scanned a document and when printed it is about 1" smaller in
width and 1 1/2" in height. Just that little bit smaller makes it harder
to fill out all the blanks because that makes some of them pretty
small. Thought I had read that a scanned image when printed would be the
same size as the original. What can I do to make it be the same size as
the original?
L.D.

 

[L.D.]

I have scanned a document and when printed it is about 1" smaller in
width and 1 1/2" in height. Just that little bit smaller makes it
harder to fill out all the blanks because that makes some of them
pretty small. Thought I had read that a scanned image when printed
would be the same size as the original. What can I do to make it be
the same size as the original?
L.D.

Little more.
I am using Photoshop 4 and went to image/imagesize and it says the size
is 8.48X10.92" , but it isn't. As I said is is some what smaller.
L.D.

 

[Wayne Fulton]

I have scanned a document and when printed it is about 1" smaller in
width and 1 1/2" in height. Just that little bit smaller makes it harder
to fill out all the blanks because that makes some of them pretty
small. Thought I had read that a scanned image when printed would be the
same size as the original. What can I do to make it be the same size as
the original?
L.D.

I am assuming 8.5x11 inch paper here, just to have a number for
illustration, but same is true for any size of paper we use.

The image will print at the same original size unless you do something to
change its printed size first, like scaling. Note that printer driver
properties normally have a "fit to page" option which does scale to
reduce image size somewhat in order to fit the printable page size, and
that would be my guess in this case.

The reason this happens is that printers typically cannot print the full
8.5x11 inch page size. They have small required non-printable margins,
perhaps 1/4 inch, meaning that the most they can print is 8x10.5 inches
(about right for a laser printer, but ink jets normally have one larger
end margin, the bigger part of an inch, so maybe 8x10 inches).

Same thing said in a different way (in the printers specifications), the
printer has ratings for a certain maximum size printable area for each
paper size. This spec may be in your printer manual, and the maximum
printable area is of course smaller than the paper.

Let's call the printable area to be 8x10 inches for the sake of having a
number here, and it means that if you scan the full area of a 8.5x11 inch
page, it simply will not fit when you print it. The printer simply cannot
print 8.5x11 inches on 8.5x11 inch paper. It probably can print 8x10
inches. So either the image must be shrunk, or the blank edges must be
clipped and discarded.

The normal options to correct this include:

1. Crop the scan heavily to eliminate virtually all of the blank margins
(so the remainder is smaller than 8.5x11 inches to fit within the printers
printable area specification). The printers required margins has the
effect of puting some of the margin back, so it will look better than you
may think. This is my favorite way, because except for the margins, it
does print actual size. This cropping is an easy knack to acquire.

2. Scale the image to print perhaps 95% size, whatever it takes.

3. Select the "Fit to Page" option in the printer driver, which
automatically does the same as 2. It will fit, but it will be slightly
reduced in size then.

 

[L.D.]

I am assuming 8.5x11 inch paper here, just to have a number for
illustration, but same is true for any size of paper we use.

The image will print at the same original size unless you do something to
change its printed size first, like scaling. Note that printer driver
properties normally have a "fit to page" option which does scale to
reduce image size somewhat in order to fit the printable page size, and
that would be my guess in this case.

The reason this happens is that printers typically cannot print the full
8.5x11 inch page size. They have small required non-printable margins,
perhaps 1/4 inch, meaning that the most they can print is 8x10.5 inches
(about right for a laser printer, but ink jets normally have one larger
end margin, the bigger part of an inch, so maybe 8x10 inches).

Same thing said in a different way (in the printers specifications), the
printer has ratings for a certain maximum size printable area for each
paper size. This spec may be in your printer manual, and the maximum
printable area is of course smaller than the paper.

Let's call the printable area to be 8x10 inches for the sake of having a
number here, and it means that if you scan the full area of a 8.5x11 inch
page, it simply will not fit when you print it. The printer simply cannot
print 8.5x11 inches on 8.5x11 inch paper. It probably can print 8x10
inches. So either the image must be shrunk, or the blank edges must be
clipped and discarded.

The normal options to correct this include:

1. Crop the scan heavily to eliminate virtually all of the blank margins
(so the remainder is smaller than 8.5x11 inches to fit within the printers
printable area specification). The printers required margins has the
effect of puting some of the margin back, so it will look better than you
may think. This is my favorite way, because except for the margins, it
does print actual size. This cropping is an easy knack to acquire.

2. Scale the image to print perhaps 95% size, whatever it takes.

3. Select the "Fit to Page" option in the printer driver, which
automatically does the same as 2. It will fit, but it will be slightly
reduced in size then.

Wayne,
I went to printer properties and selected the "Fit to page" option and
BINGO It works. Soooo, it was a printing problem,not scanning as I
understand.
Thanks
L.D.

 

[Wayne Fulton]

Wayne,
I went to printer properties and selected the "Fit to page" option and
BINGO It works. Soooo, it was a printing problem,not scanning as I
understand.
Thanks
L.D.

I'm glad it worked, but that was sort of the opposite of what I would have
expected. <g> You said your image was 8.48x10.92 inches, larger than the
possible printable area (I assume), so it seems it could only get smaller if
it was going to fit.

Since it didnt, then some print dialog boxes (like in Photoshop) also have a
scaling field, where you can specify to print it at some specific size, say
80% size, or to some specific size in inches. Since it was smaller before,
my guess is that such an option may have been in effect before, but then
selecting Fit to Page in the driver overrode any first smaller size
specification with an enlarged image that fits the page (equal to but not
larger than your maximum printable area size).

I think if you carefully examine all the Photoshop print options, and the
printer driver options, you will find the details and the explanations.
Normally the default everywhere is 100%, meaning to print the original image
size, the size the image itself specifies. Then keep in mind both your image
size and your printers maximum printable area specification, and it should
all become clear.

One other possibility is that scanner software can also specify a scaled
size, like 80% size, which means that it is to print 80% size. This then
becomes the size the image itself thinks it should be. That default is
normally 100% also. Since your image was 8.48x10.92 inches, then it must
have been at 100% there.

If you are NOT specifying to override the printed size in one of these ways,
then it will print at original size.

 

[L.D.]

I'm glad it worked, but that was sort of the opposite of what I would have
expected. <g> You said your image was 8.48x10.92 inches, larger than the
possible printable area (I assume), so it seems it could only get smaller if
it was going to fit.

Since it didnt, then some print dialog boxes (like in Photoshop) also have a
scaling field, where you can specify to print it at some specific size, say
80% size, or to some specific size in inches. Since it was smaller before,
my guess is that such an option may have been in effect before, but then
selecting Fit to Page in the driver overrode any first smaller size
specification with an enlarged image that fits the page (equal to but not
larger than your maximum printable area size).

I think if you carefully examine all the Photoshop print options, and the
printer driver options, you will find the details and the explanations.
Normally the default everywhere is 100%, meaning to print the original image
size, the size the image itself specifies. Then keep in mind both your image
size and your printers maximum printable area specification, and it should
all become clear.

One other possibility is that scanner software can also specify a scaled
size, like 80% size, which means that it is to print 80% size. This then
becomes the size the image itself thinks it should be. That default is
normally 100% also. Since your image was 8.48x10.92 inches, then it must
have been at 100% there.

If you are NOT specifying to override the printed size in one of these ways,
then it will print at original size.

Wayne,
Interesting you say it kinda did the opposite from what you thought.
Well It did it only once. In fact that time I got a little message
saying the image size was larger than the print size and some cropping
will occur. I couldn't make it happen again. However with what you said
about the %'s, I changed values and I can do it now. I guess, like you
said must have happened, there was some settings to override what was to
have happen-------oh heck I don't know enough about it to say what I'm
thinking or vice verser. Any way through trial and error I can make it
the size I need.
Thanks again
L.D.

 

[Wayne Fulton]

Wayne,
Interesting you say it kinda did the opposite from what you thought.
Well It did it only once. In fact that time I got a little message
saying the image size was larger than the print size and some cropping
will occur. I couldn't make it happen again. However with what you said
about the %'s, I changed values and I can do it now. I guess, like you
said must have happened, there was some settings to override what was to
have happen-------oh heck I don't know enough about it to say what I'm
thinking or vice verser. Any way through trial and error I can make it
the size I need.
Thanks again
L.D.

That warning would be expected in this case, warning you that the 8.46x10.92
inch image is larger than the printers maximum printable area size.

However you can use the Photoshop menu File - Print Options to change the
scale from 100% to say 90%, and then that Print Options dialog will show the
new printed size as 8.06x10.4 inches, and it will print that 90% size when you
print it, assuming this is smaller than your printers maxiumum printable area
(or it may not be, this is still rather borderline for inkjets). If it is
then smaller than the printers printable area, then it wont give another
warning about cropping. If you do specify 90%, it wont print original size of
course, it will print 90% size if so specified.

Or you can instead specify Scale to Fit Media there (same Photoshop box), or
you can specify the same thing in the printer driver (Fit to Page), and it
will print it the maximum size that fits in the printers printable area. I
would expect the printer driver to get last say in the matter when there are
multiple size definitions declared in different places.

I guess the point is that there are lots of size options possible, but if they
all say 100% size, then the image will print original size. Alternately, if
it doesnt print original size, you should be able to locate the setting that
is dictating otherwise. But bottom line, printers generally cannot print a
8.5x11 inch image on 8.5x11 inch paper, and cropping away the blank paper
margins goes a long way to help.

 

[Jim Lindholm]

1. Crop the scan heavily to eliminate virtually all of the blank margins
(so the remainder is smaller than 8.5x11 inches to fit within the printers
printable area specification). The printers required margins has the
effect of puting some of the margin back, so it will look better than you
may think. This is my favorite way, because except for the margins, it
does print actual size. This cropping is an easy knack to acquire.

This is the method I prefer; however I cannot get the Mac version of
Vuescan to work this way.

I crop my document... even over-crop and when I print from Vuescan, the
cropping appears to be ignored as full margin PLUS printer's built in
margin is added to printed copy... pushing document too far right and
cutting off right side of printing. Very frustrating.

I started with 7.6.73 and problem... at least with the Mac version still
exists in 7.6.82. Have submitted bug reports... Jim