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• • April 2, 2014 at 9:31 am #67840
    SusanB

    Member

    Hi. I create printable educational products in the form of PDFs using InDesign (I have both CS5 and CS6). Some of my products have items that are specific dimensions (i.e. 3″ x 3″). I find that when I print on my printer, everything is reduced in size. I have the Page Scaling set to None but it still shrinks the page. How can I set up all of my PDFs so that they print at actual size for any printer? (I need this to work for other printers so that my customers can print them at the actual size. By the way, the margins on my PDFs are set to 1/2 inch on all sides.) Thanks so much for your help!

  • April 2, 2014 at 10:05 am #67842
    David Blatner

    Keymaster

    Are you printing from InDesign or from Acrobat? Or some other PDF reader? You cannot really control how someone else will print the PDF. My guess is that there’s some setting in your print dialog box, or the printer driver that is causing it to change size.

  • April 2, 2014 at 10:50 am #67843
    SusanB

    Member

    Thanks for the help.

    I’m printing from Acrobat. I’m going to be getting a new printer soon. I’m hoping to find one that will make it easier to print at actual size. Any recommendations?

    That’s unfortunate that I can’t make a PDF that will print uniformly across all printers. Any recommendations for this issue? Should I try to come up with print instructions for each document that WILL enable the customer to print at actual size?

    • April 2, 2014 at 2:23 pm #67844
      Dwayne Harris

      Member

      It has to be a setting somewhere. If it’s 3 inches 3 inches, it clearly would print on regular size paper and it should not change size. And anyone else should be able to print the PDF at the original size.

      Have you printed from the InDesign file and compared to the output from the PDF? If the InDesign document prints correctly, then it’s got to be a PDF setting. If it also prints out wrong in InDesign, then InDesign is reducing it.

  • April 4, 2014 at 1:00 pm #67884
    SusanB

    Member

    Thanks for the suggestion, Dwayne. However, as David said and is explained in this article (https://ask-leo.com/why_dont_pdfs_print_at_the_same_size_as_the_original.html), not all printers will print PDFs at the actual size which is a bit frustrating for publishers. That’s why I was wondering if it would be prudent to include instructions on how to potentially print at actual size with a printer. (No guarantee that it will work on every printer)

  • April 4, 2014 at 1:53 pm #67887
    Dwayne Harris

    Member

    I read the article, but that’s about full size standard pages. Not small sizes. There is no reason why a 3 x 3 inch PDF would not print correctly on any printer.

    There is no printer that I know of that would have 2 or 3 inch margins (or more).

    How are your files set up? For example, is the 3 x 3 one set up as 3 x 3 in document settings, or do you have set up as 8 1/2 x 11 with margins?

  • April 11, 2014 at 1:10 pm #67943
    Anonymous

    Inactive

    Hi Susan B,

    I’ve been printing PDF for decades and never came across your problem.

    I would check one area, when you go to print your PDF go to the properties button, top right corner of the print window check under the Effect drop down tab and make sure the radio button for actual size is selected.

    You might want to check the InDesign printer properties as well.

    I just tested a PDF to 5 different printers and the 3×3 is dead center spot on registered from each printer.

    Reloading your print drivers may help asa well.

    Good luck

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