Printer dialog page doesn't give me landscape/portrait Orientation option

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Level 1

11 points

Printer dialog page doesn't give me landscape/portrait Orientation option

When I try to print something, and bring up the printer dialog window, I no longer have the option of swapping between landscape and portrait.

I used to be able to hit command-P, then select Layout, where I was given a choice between Orientation: a graphic up for Portrait and sideways for Layout. I would also get a small print preview window where I could see each page formatted.

Now all I get it is a small icon with the digit 1 where the preview used to be, and no Orientation option. Layout Direction is there, as are other options, but not that one. And now things only print in Landscape; I can't change print jobs to Portrait.

I deleted (really renamed) my ~/Library/Preferences/com.apple.print.PrintingPrefs.plist file, and then restarted my application, as I saw that as a suggestion in a different thread, alas no joy.

Background: I'm running Mavericks OS 10.9.1. I have an old Macbook on the same OS level; it works on that machine. The screen is failing on the old one so I'm trying to get the new one up & running. When I bought this new one I tried to clone it using Time Machine but that failed (very long story) so I had to manually copy over User and Library directories to get this one going. I'm guessing something didn't get copied over right, but regardless I should be able to select this as an option on any print.

To make matters more confusing, it didn't work on ANY app at first, but as I've poked around on it tonight (3-4 hours) it started working on some apps but not others. I have no idea why. Weird.

I really need help; I'm desparate!

Thanks.

Posted on Feb 9, 2014 10:49 PM

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Answer 1

PAHU

Level 6

16,723 points

Feb 9, 2014 11:01 PM in response to araym

Could you post a view of what you are seeing in the print dialog?

For reference, the expanded print dialog (when Show Details is selected) for many applications has an orientation icon, as shown below.

Have you tried a reset of the printing system? Note that this action will remove all devices from Printers & Scanners, but not the supporting drivers, so you will just have to add the devices again.

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Answer 2

anglicas

Level 1

0 points

Mar 23, 2016 4:09 AM in response to rcloward

I was having the same problems in Photos, would not print the right orientation. Once I reset my printers they came out on the photo paper the right way.

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Answer 3

araym Author

Level 1

11 points

Feb 10, 2014 12:40 AM in response to PAHU

So your observations and especially your last question was a very good one.

I checked the old laptop (where it was working) and the print dialog boxes appear to be consistent across machines, but different across applications. In Safari I do get something closer to what you have, in Firefox (and other apps) it's what I showed. I could have sworn they all acted the same, I thought that pop-up window was OS-generated, but maybe not.

You're on to something here. I'm checking how it works with File -> Page Setup now. It looks like they moved the Orientation option over there rather than in the print dialog box ... depending on exactly what application it is. That seems to be the case in Firefox at least.

I've got a number of apps to run through and check, and it's real late so I'll have to finish my checking tomorrow. But this is hopeful. My tax software is where I first noticed it (IRS forms get truncated when you print them landscape, sigh) but you may have pointed me in the right direction.

Confirmation later, but even so thanks for now!

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Answer 4

PAHU

Level 6

16,723 points

Feb 9, 2014 11:48 PM in response to araym

Thanks for the image.

I would say that the settings you see in Layout are correct for OS X 10.9.x. I just checked several different printer drivers I have installed and none of them have Orientation located under the Layout menu.

For all printers, when printing from an Apple application like Safari, the Orientation section is located below the Paper Size menu (which your view is also lacking) and above the Layout and other menus.

Here is the Layout menu on my system.

You mention having an old MacBook with 10.9. Is the print dialog view the same as I have shown or is the Orientation located under Layout?

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Answer 5

araym Author

Level 1

11 points

Feb 10, 2014 8:10 PM in response to araym

Confirmed, problem is solved.

To review: originally my relatively new Macbook was printing everything in landscape mode. I could not make it change, and any changes I attempted did not "stick".

I think the thing that really fixed it was the printer system reset above. But compounding my problems was that I did not recognize that different applications have different ways of setting the Orientation, in particular Safari allows you to do it right on the printer dialog box, whereas Firefox and other applications change the Orientation via the File tab -> Page Setup -> then orientation options.

I knew it was in a different place in my tax software, but I had already tried it there, and it didn't "stick" (until the print system reset). Now it does stick.

Thanks PAHU. You were a Godsend.

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Answer 6

PAHU

Level 6

16,723 points

Apr 17, 2015 12:09 AM in response to rcloward

rcloward wrote:

If you don't mind PAHU could you tell me where you found that? I'm like the help desk for dozens of people and had they came to me for help on this issue I would have failed them.

The reset of the printing system has been around for quite a while and should be used only when other printer related actions don't succeed, such as removing the printer and adding it again.

As mentioned in the article, one result of the reset is the removal of presets, which can impact the operation of a printer driver, especially if there has been an update to the OS or driver on the Mac and the preset was created for an older driver or version of OS X.

The other benefit of the reset is that it flushes temporary folders used by the printing system. So if you have a print job that fails to print and you cannot delete it then you can use the reset.

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Answer 7

rcloward

Level 1

9 points

Apr 16, 2015 2:34 PM in response to araym

I had this exact problem after updating to 10.10.3. Not only was I unable to choose the orientation in the new Photo application but because it was stuck in the landscape mode all the pictures I printed were cut off for the top row. Every application on my MacBook printed correctly except the new Photo app. Of course I blamed this app as the culprit and spent hours trying to figure out why there wasn't a place on the printer dialog within Photos to select the paper orientation. After almost giving up I came across this thread. Don't let the discussion of where the orientation settings appear in the applications distract you from your real purpose. They are where they are and there IS NOT one in Photo. The key to this entire thread is the reset of the printing system that was posted by PAHU. Thanks PAHU!! Your saved me!! If you don't mind PAHU could you tell me where you found that? I'm like the help desk for dozens of people and had they came to me for help on this issue I would have failed them.

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Answer 8

araym Author

Level 1

11 points

Feb 9, 2014 11:23 PM in response to PAHU

I didn't know about the print system reset. I tried that but alas it didn't work.

Below please find a screenshot of what I see when I try to print this very page. As you can see I have a print dialog window up, and on the Layout page option where I used to see Orientation, but now it is gone. The screenshot is before the print system reset, but I got the same thing after.