Desktop Client: Problems printing or plotting files with large custom page sizes

When you try to print (or plot) using custom page sizes that are large, you may see problems with the quality of the printed diagram. This problem can happen with custom page sizes that don't map to anything close in the Printer Driver. By creating custom paper sizes in the driver that match the paper size in iGrafx, the mapping will be much better for printing.

From the PC that is printing the file, you can create a specific custom paper size. Once the custom paper size is created, iGrafx will match the size specified in its custom page size parameters and scale it properly. The following steps show how to create the custom paper size in the driver; using an example of 129 by 30, on an HP 500 42 driver, on Windows XP:

1. Go to the Control Panel->Printers and Faxes. (In Windows 2000, the choice in the Control Panel is Printers. The Control Panel in Windows 2000 is available from the Start button, by choosing Settings, and then Control Panel).
2. Double-click on your print driver; for example, the HP 500 42 driver.
3. Choose Printer->Printing Preferences...
4. Under Printer Preferences, Press the Custom Paper Sizes button.
5. Select an unused Custom Paper Size (e.g. Custom1 through Custom 5)
6. Set the width to 129 and the height to 30
7. Press OK, and Press OK again to save and close the dialog boxes.

Now in iGrafx, you should notice that it will match the custom page size of the file to the newly created Custom Paper Size of the driver. Check Print Preview to verify your print will look correct and match the custom paper size. Now when you print you should get the correct aspect ratio.

Items to note include:

• If you are continually varying the size of the page to output in iGrafx, you'll have to manage creating these custom paper sizes in the driver for each one, and there are often only a limited number of custom paper sizes available.
• This Custom Paper Size creation needs to be done for every PC that will print these diagrams to this plotter since the Custom Paper Size is only established within the driver running on the specific machine you change it on.
• If you are using an outside printing vendor to print large files, you can have them load the iGrafx Viewer application (any trial download will turn into the viewer once authorization runs out), so that they may print directly from iGrafx. If they are not able to install the iGrafx software for some reason, you may need to load the same driver as the one (the driver for the printer that) they are using. You will be setting up a local 'dummy' printer that really only generates a file, and then using the "Print to File" option with the correct driver. Your vendor should now be able to print the file you've created with the correct driver.