Printing on custom sized paper

[LurfysMa]

What's the secret to printing on custom-sized paper?

I have an HP Laserjet 5000N connected to a p2p network with a couple
of PCs running Win2000. It has a manual feed tray that is supposed to
handle paper as small as 3x5. The manual feed tray has paper guides
that slide in and out in tandem so that the paper is centered in the
tray. The paper sensor (or one of them at least) is about 7" from the
right edge if the paper guide is set for 8.5x11 paper.

This printer can handle paper up to 11x17. It feeds standard 8.5x11
paper sideways (11" edge first), in case that's significant.

I would like to be able to create custom paper templates where the
page size is the exact size of the actual paper. I can then set the
margins as needed.

I would then like to the able to adjust the paper guides in the manual
feed tray to fit the paper exactly, which means that it will be
centered in the manual feed tray.

This is how envelopes work using the built-in envelope settings, but I
can't get it to work for custom sizes.

When I try this, the printing is off the right edge of the card. To
get it to work, I have to set the paper guides for standard letter
paper and place the edge fo the card against the right guide.

This has a couple of problems. For one, it doesn't always feed
straight because there is no guide on the left edge. Also, if the
paper is less than 7' wide, it won't trip the paper sensor and it
won't feed.

Can anyone tell me what I am doing wrong?

Thanks

 

[Tony]

What's the secret to printing on custom-sized paper?

I have an HP Laserjet 5000N connected to a p2p network with a couple
of PCs running Win2000. It has a manual feed tray that is supposed to
handle paper as small as 3x5. The manual feed tray has paper guides
that slide in and out in tandem so that the paper is centered in the
tray. The paper sensor (or one of them at least) is about 7" from the
right edge if the paper guide is set for 8.5x11 paper.

This printer can handle paper up to 11x17. It feeds standard 8.5x11
paper sideways (11" edge first), in case that's significant.

I would like to be able to create custom paper templates where the
page size is the exact size of the actual paper. I can then set the
margins as needed.

I would then like to the able to adjust the paper guides in the manual
feed tray to fit the paper exactly, which means that it will be
centered in the manual feed tray.

This is how envelopes work using the built-in envelope settings, but I
can't get it to work for custom sizes.

When I try this, the printing is off the right edge of the card. To
get it to work, I have to set the paper guides for standard letter
paper and place the edge fo the card against the right guide.

This has a couple of problems. For one, it doesn't always feed
straight because there is no guide on the left edge. Also, if the
paper is less than 7' wide, it won't trip the paper sensor and it
won't feed.

Can anyone tell me what I am doing wrong?

Thanks

There are custom paper size settings in the printer.
Go to the "Printing Menu" in the printer control panel, set the Configure
Custom Paper=YES.
This will enable some extra settings (In the same menu) and you can set the
custom paper to whatever size you want (X=edge that feeds into the printer,
Y=other edge) within the printer Min and Max limits.
I do not know whether this will fix your problem but it's worth a try. You will
of course have to tell the driver to use custom size paper from tray 1.
Tony

 

[LurfysMa]

There are custom paper size settings in the printer.
Go to the "Printing Menu" in the printer control panel, set the Configure
Custom Paper=YES.
This will enable some extra settings (In the same menu) and you can set the
custom paper to whatever size you want (X=edge that feeds into the printer,
Y=other edge) within the printer Min and Max limits.
I do not know whether this will fix your problem but it's worth a try. You will
of course have to tell the driver to use custom size paper from tray 1.
Tony

Tony, you are a genius!

The setup for my system was a little different than what you
described, but I was able to create a custom paper and it worked
perfectly. Amazing.

I could not find any place where I could set Custom Paper=YES. I did
File | Print... | Properties | Paper tab. On that panel, there is a
Custom button. Clicking on that brings up a Custom Paper Size panel
where I can define new sizes. It offered me settings for width and
height, not X and Y.

My first was 5x8. Once defined, 5x8 cards can be loaded into the
manual feed tray, the paper guides adjusted to hold the cards securely
(in the center of the tray), and they print perfectly.

The cards feed like envelopes, short (5") edge first, unlike the
letter size, which feeds long (11") edge first.

I decided to test your X and Y settings using the width and height
that I have. I defined another paper size named 8x5 with the
dimensions reversed -- width = 8", height = 5". When I clocked on
Save, it switched them around so that width = 5" and height = 8".

Next, I tried a 3x5 size. That also worked perfectly. These are two
sizes that I have wanted for several years. Outstanding.

Flushed with success, I decided to see what would happen if I defined
a letter (8.5x11) size, so I did. It took it, but it did not feed
frpom the 8.5" edge. It fed from the 11" edge just like the standard
letter size.

I then tried an 8.5 x 8.5 size. That one did print from the top edge
in portrait orientation.

Anyway, this is just what I was looking for. Thanks so much. Where do
I send the 6-pack?

 

[Tony]

Tony, you are a genius!

The setup for my system was a little different than what you
described, but I was able to create a custom paper and it worked
perfectly. Amazing.

I could not find any place where I could set Custom Paper=YES. I did
File | Print... | Properties | Paper tab. On that panel, there is a
Custom button. Clicking on that brings up a Custom Paper Size panel
where I can define new sizes. It offered me settings for width and
height, not X and Y.

My first was 5x8. Once defined, 5x8 cards can be loaded into the
manual feed tray, the paper guides adjusted to hold the cards securely
(in the center of the tray), and they print perfectly.

The cards feed like envelopes, short (5") edge first, unlike the
letter size, which feeds long (11") edge first.

I decided to test your X and Y settings using the width and height
that I have. I defined another paper size named 8x5 with the
dimensions reversed -- width = 8", height = 5". When I clocked on
Save, it switched them around so that width = 5" and height = 8".

Next, I tried a 3x5 size. That also worked perfectly. These are two
sizes that I have wanted for several years. Outstanding.

Flushed with success, I decided to see what would happen if I defined
a letter (8.5x11) size, so I did. It took it, but it did not feed
frpom the 8.5" edge. It fed from the 11" edge just like the standard
letter size.

I then tried an 8.5 x 8.5 size. That one did print from the top edge
in portrait orientation.

Anyway, this is just what I was looking for. Thanks so much. Where do
I send the 6-pack?

Well, if the truth be known you got there yourself. If I read your post
correctly you set the custom size from the driver, my suggestion was to set it
in the printer itself. Not important since in most cases the driver will
overule the printer setting so either way should work. It continues to delight
me how well so many HP laser printers are designed, they are able to do just
about any reasonable thing that you are likely to need, the downside is that
this level of flexibility can also introduce complexity and make it confusing
to set up.
Anyway the important thing is that this fine printer is doing what you need.
Don't bother with the sixpack, I will send a truck around to your place soon;
you can't miss it, it has picture of a tiger on the side eating a miserable
little troll. If you have any trolls to spare just throw them in the back. The
tiger is very well behaved and well fed, she only eats trolls.
Take care.
Tony

 

[LurfysMa]

Well, if the truth be known you got there yourself. If I read your post
correctly you set the custom size from the driver, my suggestion was to set it
in the printer itself. Not important since in most cases the driver will
overule the printer setting so either way should work.

But it doesn't. I have been fiddling with custom paper settings from
the Page Setup many for years in utter frustration. They never print
correctly. The printer arbitrarily (or so it seems) decides whether it
is really a small paper form or just a variation of 8.5x11. If the
latter, which is most of the time, then the adjustable paper guides in
the manual tray are useless.

With your solution, it works perfectly for every size I tried (5-6)
all the way down to 3x5 and in both orientations.

My wife spent half a day trying to get placecards to print correctly
for Christmas dinner. I could do it for her now in 2 minutes. Next
year she will have time to make another cheesecake. ;-)

It continues to delight
me how well so many HP laser printers are designed, they are able to do just
about any reasonable thing that you are likely to need, the downside is that
this level of flexibility can also introduce complexity and make it confusing
to set up.

That's it, exactly. It can probably do what I want, but finding the
right combination of options and where they are hidden is the trick.

Anyway the important thing is that this fine printer is doing what you need.
Don't bother with the sixpack, I will send a truck around to your place soon;
you can't miss it, it has picture of a tiger on the side eating a miserable
little troll. If you have any trolls to spare just throw them in the back. The
tiger is very well behaved and well fed, she only eats trolls.

I'll keep an eye out for the truck, but I don't happen to have any
trolls on hand. They never last long around here. Can I give the tiger
a few troll addresses off of a few newsgroups?