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Q44922: Adjusting the Alignment of PostScript Output

Article: Q44922
Product(s): Microsoft Windows 95.x Retail Product
Version(s): WINDOWS:2.x,3.0,3.0a,3.1,3.11
Operating System(s): 
Keyword(s): 
Last Modified: 18-DEC-2000

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The information in this article applies to:

- Microsoft Windows versions 2.03, 2.1, 2.11, 3.0, 3.0a, 3.1, 3.11 
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SUMMARY
=======

Most PostScript printers have their printable regions factory aligned to a
tolerance of 1/8 inch. This means that if you print a page from an application
such as Aldus PageMaker, with a line exactly 1 inch from the physical edge of
the page, it may be off by as much as 1/8 inch in one direction or the other.
This applies to both vertical and horizontal alignment.

This is not a problem with the Windows PostScript driver. The Windows PostScript
driver does not set the position of the printable region; it uses the factory
set position. If the factory set position is off, the Windows PostScript output
will be off.

You can permanently adjust the position of the printable region on the page in
increments of 1/300 inch.

MORE INFORMATION
================

Use the following PostScript code to adjust the position on the page of the
printable region:

     serverdict begin 0 exitserver
     statusdict begin
     yyy xxx setmargins
     start
     ^D
     ^C

The "yyy" above represents the number of 1/300-inch units that you want to adjust
the vertical position of the printable region. Positive numbers move the
printable region downward, and negative numbers move the region upward.

The "xxx" represents the number of 1/300-inch units that you want to adjust the
horizontal position. Positive moves the region to the right, and negative moves
to the left.

To adjust the position, follow these steps:

1. Create a test page in your application:

  a. Place a vertical line exactly 1 inch from the left edge of the page.

  b. Place and a horizontal line exactly 1 inch from the top edge of the page.

  c. Set both vertical and horizontal margins to 0.

2. Print the page, and measure the amount by which the lines vary from their
  ideal 1-inch positions.

3. Convert this measurement to 1/300-inch units. For example, 1/16 inch would be
  approximately 19 units.

4. Use an ASCII text editor (such as Notepad) to create a text file of the above
  PostScript code. Note that you create the ^D and ^C lines by using the caret
  character on the keyboard, not by typing CTRL+D or CTRL+C. Substitute your
  measurements for the the "yyy" and "xxx".

5. Copy the file to your printer. Most PostScript printers reprint their startup
  pages at this point. If you receive a PostScript error printout, your printer
  does not support this type of operation.

Your printable region alignment is now corrected. Reprint your test page to
verify this. If you overcorrected, simply repeat this process using new
measurements.

The new alignment is written to your printer's nonvolatile memory and the
adjustment is permanent.


Additional query words: 3rdparty printing 3.00 3.00a 3.10 3.11 windrvr

======================================================================
Keywords          :  
Technology        : kbWin3xSearch kbZNotKeyword3 kbWin203 kbWin210 kbWin211 kbWin300 kbWin300a kbWin310 kbWin311
Version           : WINDOWS:2.x,3.0,3.0a,3.1,3.11

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