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Print size driving me mad.


G

garigoun

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Hi Everyone, For some reason I am having problems with getting a correct print size. I am running CS5 on OSx Maverick. I need to print an A4 Sheet with several circular designs exactly 3cm dia. These need to be cut out to fit on badge blanks. I have tried to size the original image using the rulers set at cm, and using guides to establish the parameters, print res is 300. They just will not come out the correct size no matter how much I mess about with them. It's really frustrating.
Any help appreciated
Gari
 
Let me see if I have this right. Your trying to make your circular designs a specific size using the rulers??? If so that is not the way to do that.
Put each item (ellipse) on a separate layer. Select each one with any selection tool. Cmd J . Now it's on a layer, enter Cmd T (transform) and you can control the precise size from there. If you drag it by the handles, the dimensions appear as it is dragged, but you can enter precise dimensions on the menu bar at the top.
 
Last edited:
ALB68 said:
Let me see if I have this right. Your trying to make your circular designs a specific size using the rulers??? If so that is not the way to do that.
Put each item (ellipse) on a separate layer. Select each one with any selection tool. Cmd J . Now it's on a layer, enter Cmd T (transform) and you can control the precise size from there. If you drag it by the handles, the dimensions appear as it is dragged, but you can enter precise dimensions on the menu bar at the top.
Click to expand...

Thanks ALB66. I've just tried your suggestion and it still comes out much smaller than required. I have a circular design that I need several copies of. The design is from a photograph so will the resolution of the original picture have anything to do with it.
?
 
No,
Can you give us a screenshot of your PS page ? What kind of printer are you using?
 
Ok....

We have some basic information so that's a good start...it's just a case of doing the maths now.

A4 is 297 x 210mm (cm are not used as they are not an SI unit of measurement)
We convert these dimensions to inches as print resolution is in Pixels Per Inch....so...
297 / 25.4 = 11.69"
210 / 25.4 = 8.26"

We can now calculate the MAX image size in Pixels that will fit onto A4...

300 * 11.69 = 3507px wide.
300 * 8.26 = 2478 high.

Now, if you create a NEW document with those dimensions and 300 as the resolution we can easily work out how many pixels you need your circle to be to print out at the right size...

30mm = 1.18"
@ 300 dpi that = 300 * 1.18 = 354px

Then on a new layer, use the elliptical marquee tool + shift (to constrain to a circle) to draw out a circle of exactly 354px dia....and fill it or whatever you need to do to it.

Use the INFO panel to watch how big the selection is as you do it.

Now when you print that out it should be exactly the right size.

As a check lets do the maths backwards......354px @ 300ppi = 1.18" or 30mm

You can in fact have ANY sized circle print out at 30mm, all you need to do is find the dia of the circle in Pixels and work out the resolution to give you the right dimensions in mm.

For instance, if the circle you had was 250px dia then the resolution would be calculated...

250 / 1.18" = 211ppi

This is obviously less than your desired 300 but meant as an example of how ANY sized pixels can printed at ANY size on paper by using the right resolution.

Hope that helps.

Regards.
MrTom.
 
Mr Tom..100% correct, but we still don't know how the OP has it set up in PS
 
Makes no odds really Larry....if the OP HAS to print @ 300dpi then the circle HAS to be 354px dia.

You can't twist the maths to work it any other way.

Changing the amount of pixels that make up the dia and still print it correctly means the resolution has to change.....if that isn't a option then the amount of pixels in the dia has to change.

Somethings got to give otherwise it just won't work out.

The only other option I suppose would be to change the dpi of the printer but that's not normal practice as far as I'm aware, its best left alone.

Regards.
MrTom.
 
MrTom said:
Makes no odds really Larry....if the OP HAS to print @ 300dpi then the circle HAS to be 354px dia.

You can't twist the maths to work it any other way.

Changing the amount of pixels that make up the dia and still print it correctly means the resolution has to change.....if that isn't a option then the amount of pixels in the dia has to change.
Somethings got to give otherwise it just won't work out.

The only other option I suppose would be to change the dpi of the printer but that's not normal practice as far as I'm aware, its best left alone.

Regards.
MrTom.
Click to expand...

I hear what your saying, but if the images he's trying to print are not on separate layers he has no control over the size of them, That's why I wanted to see the screen.
 
HI Guys, give me a couple of minutes to digest all that, just had my tea. grateful for the interest. Will get back asap.
G.
 
garigoun said:
HI Guys, give me a couple of minutes to digest all that, just had my tea. grateful for the interest. Will get back asap.
G.
Click to expand...

Just trying to get as much info about your setup and the way your print driver is setup. dv8x makes a good point, if the print driver happens to have a setting that fits to media that will cause the output to not be as expected. MrTom's assertion is correct also.
 
Sorry guys, the screen sot won't load, the file selection is greyed out on the answer box. Going to try the maths method now.. I'm using a Canon MP460 BTW
G
 
At last, the math method worked. Many thanks to all. Still don't understand why, if I place the guides at the correct distances and place the circle accurately it won't print out the same size. Anyway I've learned a lot from you all, I appreciate you taking the trouble, thanks
G
 
Good ..issue solved.
 

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