I have a custom paper size of 5.5 x 8.5. In Pages, I setup a custom page size with these attributes, but cannot seem to get the HP to print it properly. In System Preferences>Printers, I choose the Default Paper Size for the custom paper, so it `seems' to be set right. But it does not print off properly. Any ideas?
MacBook Air, OS X Mountain Lion (10.8.2)
JJ,
What does "not print off properly" look like?
You can save paper by printing to PDF to see what you are going to get when you print.
I'm puzzled by "Default Paper Size for the custom paper". That sounds a bit like an oxymoron.
Jerry
Hi Jerry,
Well, instead of having the text aligned to the center of the paper, the printing starts roughly 1/3rd of the way down the page and has overshot the paper on the left side, so a good 1/3rd of the text does not show up on the paper.
And in the System Preferences>Printer selection, there is the setting for Default Printer and Default Paper Size. In this case, I am using my only printer, the HP P2035 and then I select the custom paper size.
I have saved the print as a PDF file, and there it looks fine.
It sounds like you made a custom page size of 5.5 × 8.5, but fed the paper as 8.5 ×5.5.
I try to avoid HP printers, but I doubt if they differ from the Epson, Brother and Canon ones I use in this respect:
If a custom page size 5.5 inches wide is used, the 5.5" wide top of the sheet must feed into the printer first.
Hi Jeff,
No, the paper is fed with the 5.5" first. I've tried it a few ways: having it manual feed in and then through the cassette. Frustrating.
Is the text that does appear oriented correctly, or is it sideways?
If it is oriented correctly, it sounds like the printer thinks it is centering a 5.5 × 8.5 page on a 8.5 × 11 sheet. Does the HP driver show the page size in the print dialog? Does printing the PDF from Preview work differently?
The text is oriented correctly. It prints the same from a PDF. Now, when I look at the print dialog, under Paper Handling, it is showing US Letter as Destination Paper Size. How can I change that?
I don't really know, because a lot of that print dialog depends on the printer driver, and I don't have a HP printer. In addition, I am still using Snow Leopard, not Mountain Lion.
On my system, there is a paper size setting in the print dialog when printing from Preview.
When printing from Pages, I can get that Destination Paper Size under Paper Handling, and if I check Scale to fit paper size, I can change the setting. The printer selected at the top of the dialog will determine what paper sizes are availlable.
JJ,
When you use Page Setup in Pages to choose a paper size, that size specification is passed on to your printer driver. However, when you go to Print a PDF in Preview, you must make a new selection of paper size, because Preview can print to any size paper and scale the content to fit.
Is your printer mentioned by name and model in your Print Dialog? I'm wondering if the printer is properly installed.
Jerry
Jerrold,
Ok. I tried that in Preview and I am able to select the custom paper size. However, I get the same result.
The printer name does show up accurately in the dialog box. However, when I go to Presets>Show Presets>Paper Handling, it still shows US Letter.
When I print from Preview, the Paper Size selection near the top of the dialog lets me choose any of my custom sizes, but defaults to US Letter in the Destination Size if the printer can't actually print to the original paper size, and if I check the availlable Destination sizes, it only lists the ones that the selected printer can use.
Maybe your HP print driver doesn't allow that custom size.
Ok. Got it fixed. Downloaded the latest firmware for the printer and then printed directly from the MacBook Air and not via the network. Not sure what the big difference was, but that's a question for another day! Thanks to both for your assistance!
Trying to use custom paper size to print to HP P2035 with no luck
