All prints coming out smaller than "actual size"

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  1. Posts : 6
    Windows
       #1

    All prints coming out smaller than "actual size"


    Hello,

    I'm new to the forum. Thanks for helping out a newbie!

    Problem Overview:

    Suddenly, when printing from my computer, all prints come out smaller than they should be. The problem doesn't seem to be with the printer, the filetype, or the print dialog settings. The problem only seems to happen when printing from my computer.

    Computer and Printer:

    My computer: Lenovo ThinkPad P53, running Windows 10 version 21H1

    The printer: Epson ET-2650

    Start of the Problem:

    I first started noticing this problem roughly a month ago (08/24/21). For no apparent reason, my printer was no longer showing up in the print dialogs. I uninstalled the printer and reinstalled it. Within a couple of days of reinstalling the printer, I noticed that files which have printed normally for me before were printing too small.

    Troubleshooting:

    -Made sure "actual size" is selected in the print dialog

    -Made sure my 8.5x11" paper size and orientation are selected in every menu of the print dialog

    -Tried setting size to 100% instead of selecting "actual size" and re-printing

    -Uninstalled the printer, restarted my computer, and reinstalled the printer

    -Turned the printer off and back on

    -Printed multiple unrelated files to see if the problem was due to the file itself.

    -Re-printed files that I printed before the error began occurring, just to compare side-by-side. Files that printed fine from this computer and printer before, are now too small when I re-print them.

    -Printed multiple filetypes: Adobe Illustrator, pdf, and JPEG (to test if Adobe is the problem)

    -Printed from another computer to test if the printer is the problem. When printing the same file to the same printer using my boss' mac, the prints look fine.

    -Checked all print dialogue settings. My boss and I tried printing the same file from the same program: Adobe Acrobat. Before printing, we went line-by-line and made sure we had all settings the same in every menu of the print dialog (though our dialogs look slightly different). When we each printed the document, hers came out fine, while mine was still too small.

    -Went through the troubleshooting steps 1-7 listed in the following link. The only thing I didn't do was item 3 from step 5. I couldn't find that registry. https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/...d-c6a160297350

    -Tried chatting with Microsoft support team. They didn't walk me through any troubleshooting steps that I haven't already tried


    Thank you very much for helping me solve this puzzle,
    Jeremiah
      My Computer


  2. Posts : 706
    W10
       #2

    I am wondering whether it has to do with A4 or letter setting.
    Did you check all settings in preferences and in properties of the printer driver in the control panel?
      My Computer


  3. Posts : 2,123
    Windows 11 Pro (latest update ... forever anal)
       #3

    So they didn't print properly from AI, but what other program did you try (for comparison)?
      My Computers


  4. Posts : 4,201
    Windows 10 Pro x64 Latest RP
       #4

    Sounds like a resolution setting issue

    all prints are made up of dots the printer has a setting for how many dots are in a square inch this is the DPI setting - what you have to ensure is that the DPI setting in the printer is set the same as the setting in the computer ( actually the printer driver in the computer)

    EG if the computer is set to 50DPI and the printer is set to 100DPI the print will be smaller than the required size, actually it would be smaller in two directions left to right & Top to Bottom - so in this example the print would only be a quarter of the size expected.

    Check the printer settings for DPI and those in the Application, and the Driver (these may be automatically linked but not always so best to check both).

    Another issue can me if one setting is metric Dots per cm and the other is imperial DPI
      My Computers


  5. Posts : 6
    Windows
    Thread Starter
       #5

    idgat said:
    So they didn't print properly from AI, but what other program did you try (for comparison)?
    I've tried AI, pdf, and JPEG (to check if Adobe was the problem)

    - - - Updated - - -

    PiKo said:
    I am wondering whether it has to do with A4 or letter setting.
    Did you check all settings in preferences and in properties of the printer driver in the control panel?
    I hadn't thought to check those settings. Thank you. I just checked them and everything seems to be normal. The paper size is set to letter in every selection menu I can find.

    - - - Updated - - -

    Barman58 said:
    Sounds like a resolution setting issue

    all prints are made up of dots the printer has a setting for how many dots are in a square inch this is the DPI setting - what you have to ensure is that the DPI setting in the printer is set the same as the setting in the computer ( actually the printer driver in the computer)

    EG if the computer is set to 50DPI and the printer is set to 100DPI the print will be smaller than the required size, actually it would be smaller in two directions left to right & Top to Bottom - so in this example the print would only be a quarter of the size expected.

    Check the printer settings for DPI and those in the Application, and the Driver (these may be automatically linked but not always so best to check both).

    Another issue can me if one setting is metric Dots per cm and the other is imperial DPI
    Thank you for that explanation. I get how that could potentially cause issues. I searched the printer driver settings tab-by-tab and couldn't find a section for DPI. Would you mind sharing a screenshot of where that setting might be within the driver properties?
      My Computer


  6. Posts : 4,201
    Windows 10 Pro x64 Latest RP
       #6

    I do not know the specific printer so cannot give you specific directions but I did find the full 200 + Page manual for your printer

    https://files.support.epson.com/docid/cpd5/cpd52453.pdf

    [I]search within a PDF app for image/print scaling etc or a Metric/Imperial setting and you should find something that is set differently from you application or driver
      My Computers


  7. Posts : 6
    Windows
    Thread Starter
       #7

    Barman58 said:
    I do not know the specific printer so cannot give you specific directions but I did find the full 200 + Page manual for your printer

    https://files.support.epson.com/docid/cpd5/cpd52453.pdf

    [I]search within a PDF app for image/print scaling etc or a Metric/Imperial setting and you should find something that is set differently from you application or driver
    Thank you. Unfortunately, the search didn't seem to turn up anything as far as DPI settings within the printer or printer driver.
      My Computer


  8. Posts : 2,123
    Windows 11 Pro (latest update ... forever anal)
       #8

    JeremiahE said:
    I've tried AI, pdf, and JPEG (to check if Adobe was the problem)
    pdf and jpg are not "programs", they're file formats.

    Whilst you have no/limited options for an AI file, you need to test the other files in different programs - e.g. a pdf in Adobe Acrobat Reader, a jpg file in an image viewing program (like Irfanview).
      My Computers


  9. Posts : 4,201
    Windows 10 Pro x64 Latest RP
       #9

    At the point where you changed the 100% from Actual size, are there any other options on that dialogue? or a related dialogue that deals with output ?

    The original file could be small image and a setting of 100% or Actual size could both set the image to small. what you should look for is an option such as "Fit to Page" or "Fill Page" or even "Letter" which controls the output size

    It could be that the options you have tried are relating to the input file, you need to also to set the output

    I know you have mentioned setting the page size, but this could just be the size selector for the paper, rather than the image, (with my printer I have more than one input tray so have these set to different paper sizes and select which one I wish to use for each print job then scale the print output separately to fit the page I have selected ),

    Another check is to go back to AI and on the output dialogue set up, see what size you have your image set to, there should be an option there to create for different output media ( AI is a vector package so has infinite scaling control may be changing the output here to fit a set paper size will do the trick
      My Computers


  10. Posts : 4,201
    Windows 10 Pro x64 Latest RP
       #10

    Just sat down for first coffee of the morning (first of many so decided to scan through the user guide for the printer

    There is one reference to dpi that relates to print quality and gives options for 300 or 600 dpi - this could be a factor in the issue though I doubt it

    Further searching found an output control panel

    All prints coming out smaller than "actual size"-screenshot-2021-09-28-085757.png



    making changes here and testing you output should allow you to find a setting that gives the required output save the settings as a preset and make it default for this type of job
    You need to ensure that the page size is what you need and also try the fit to page checkbox, if this does not work for your output there are fine zoom controls, ensure that the output size chosen in AI is the same as the image size here and the paper size here is correct. this should give a good default setting - if you need too you can then fine tune as you need

    As you are printing a graphic (all output from AI I class as graphics) you may want to check out the Image options button on the mid right of the dialogue

    Hope we have a solution for your issue
      My Computers


 

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