Printing webpages

[ljung37]

I have a problem with printing webpages.
I have WIN98 and IExplorer 5.
After i have saved the page,inkluding pictures(but no links),
i wish to print it out.
The problem is not the printing,it works ok, but i just can't
get the text to fit the pages.
If i use landscape alternative, it looks about the
right size, but i want it as portrait(standing A4).
But opening the page in IExplorer and setting the preferences to say 15mm margins,it still comes out too small.
Is there no way of have it fill out the page?
I can of course save the text in WordPad(wich is the only
text program i have). In WordPad it's possible to do it,
and insert the pictures separately, but it takes more time.

I don't use my printer very often, and each time it's the
same, i have forgotten how i did it, and have to spend hours
to get the print right.
Now i have found this interesting book, a tale of a journey,
with illustrations, wich i would like to print out and read
om paper.
That's my projekt. I had hoped to read it during
Christmas but now i wasted so much paper so i can't
print it even if i knew how to.

I would appreciate any helpful ideas.




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Ron.Gn

[Whyzman]

You've really opened up a can of worms with this question! http://www.PCGuide.com/ubb/eek.gif

There are a number of reasons why a page will not fully print. Most of the problem has to do with the actual design of the web page itself...which puts the real onus on the webmasters to design pages that are printer friendly.

Frames are torturous to printing! http://www.PCGuide.com/ubb/frown.gif As are web designers who extend the right hand margin far beyond a printers capability to "read" it. http://www.PCGuide.com/ubb/mad.gif

You might find THIS (http://www.jegsworks.com/Lessons/web/basics/printing.htm) site to be a good starting place.

What you see is often not what you get. To cut down on your paper trial and errors you might try using the PRINT PREVIEW under FILE in the browser.

I'm sure others will chime in with solutions they have found dealing with this very common problem.

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May all your dealings in life be win/win!

Whyzman

[This message has been edited by Whyzman (edited 12-24-2001).]

[Paul Komski]

I don't know if you have (or have access to) any word-processor other than "WordPad". I use Word2000 and what I have done before now is to:-

First save the webpage AS WebPageComplete (*.htm, *.html) in a folder of my choice.
Then I open Word2000 and Open the .html saved Webpage in it.
Finally I Save it As a .doc file (though WordPad will not be able to display this particular .doc file).

You can then set up the printing options appropriately (and edit if you want to.) You could also save the webpage to a floppy and take it to someone with Word or other software and get them to print it for you - although that would not be very handy I admit. http://www.PCGuide.com/ubb/redface.gif

I guess that other HTML editors must be able to print a WYSIWYG output page by page too.
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Take nice care of yourselves - Paul


[This message has been edited by Paul Komski (edited 12-25-2001).]

[Vic 970]

Whenever I set up a webpage I make sure that it is 'printer friendly' as I want people to print it off, I used to think that the difference was between US & UK paper sizes (what are US sizes anyway in comparison with A4?) but it seems that this is not so.
When someone puts up a webpage one supposes that the intention was to convey a message of some sort, it seems strange to me that they design pages which have to be scrolled right to left (as well as up & down) & which people are unable to print propoerly, after all, pages printed off can increase their advertising potential.

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for every question there's an answer. Then a load more questions.
Definition of Upgrade "A means of introducing new bugs to a program to replace the ones that you have eventually found fixes for"

Regards..,
Vic.

[sea69]

for one thing, when creating web-pages the author must try to take into consideration the machines monitor that most people will be VIEWING it with. (and browser)

sometimes the page can be created for or on a certain display setting.. ie.- some use different settings.

So the person creating it has to consider the widest possible settings for the MOST possible/probable viewing target 'audience'.

lol

additionally, there are *many* free screen capture apps via a google search that will work very easily to capture and print anything displayed onscreen.

hope I didn't miss the real point of this topic in my answer.

heh

http://www.PCGuide.com/ubb/wink.gif

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sea1_69@hotmail.com

homepage (http://www.seanweb1.homestead.com/3.html)


[This message has been edited by sea69 (edited 12-25-2001).]

[Vic 970]

Must admit I forgot about that. Originally when I set up my web pages I had a VGA monitor, but when I changed my pc which had a SVGA monitor the pages were all on one side, so I re-set them accordingly, thinking that by then 'most' people would be using an SVGA monitor.
Not thought about it since though. A bit 'out of site, out of mind'.

Come to think of it, I don't even know how my pages print out on US size paper !

------------------
for every question there's an answer. Then a load more questions.
Definition of Upgrade "A means of introducing new bugs to a program to replace the ones that you have eventually found fixes for"

Regards..,
Vic.

[ljung37]

Thanks for replying all -
I didn't think anyone had time for this now at Christmastime.
But i guess if you are a Master Geek you are always connected.

I have to admit that part of the problems i had was my own fault.
I had not updated my IExplorer, that's why i could not preview
the pages. I found out about that in the link you provided.
(I read your definition of 'Update' Vic! ).

Also i was a bit hasty in my view of the printout.
At a second look it's quite good. I first thought
it came out too small, but i have found that it prints out
a little bigger than the original book text.
(The book is about 7.5x5.5 inch).

And i suppose that's because they had made an effort to make it
printer friendly.

I have found that i can open it and save as a Word6doc file
in WordPad. There i can edit it as i like and insert the
pictures separately.
I would probably have done that if it wasn't so many pages.

Downloading and printing a typical webpage, that's an entirely
different thing, i've discovered.

The ideal thing would have been to get two pages of the
original size on each sheet of paper(Landscape setting).
As it is now, i will probably need at least 150 sheets of paper.

I'm beginning to feel that maybe this wasn't such a good idea.
An easier way would be to buy the book. I have seen it available
on internet for $30 to $100.(It's an old book).
(Hmm..$30 +delivery cost. I think i can afford that. But on the
other hand, printing it would cost me only 5-6$ for the paper.
But again,it would be nice to have this book standing in my book
case,instead of just a packet of paper.
I'm beginning to bore you, am i? http://www.PCGuide.com/ubb/smile.gif Well i'm stopping now.



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Ron.Gn

[Whyzman]

Hello Vic,

US standard paper is 8 1/2" X 11"...I'm not sure how that compares to A4.

And, you are certainly correct that the ability to make hard copies of a web page/site would definitely be an advertising plus. Thus, making sure pages are "print friendly" you would think would be a priority! http://www.PCGuide.com/ubb/rolleyes.gif

As Sea mentioned, one would certainly be wise to check the results of their design in all the widely used browsers. This is almost a necessity since WYSIWYG is not always WYSIWYG from one browser to another.

"Print Friendly" would also be a feature to be tested in each browser. Following our conversation here, it will definitely be a concern to be dealt with as I design our web site.

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May all your dealings in life be win/win!

Whyzman

[Vic 970]

Thanks Whyzman,

A4 is 29.7 x 21 mm. or 11.7" x 8.3" . It then doubles or divides in each direction. ie: A3 = A4 x 2 : A5 = A4 / 2 etc.

------------------
for every question there's an answer. Then a load more questions.
Definition of Upgrade "A means of introducing new bugs to a program to replace the ones that you have eventually found fixes for"

Regards..,
Vic.

[Paul Komski]

The really neat mathematical "trick" about the A* system is that the height/width ratio is a constant that is maintained when either (a) two pages are "glued-together" along their long axises or (b) when a page is divided transversly across its long axis. This "trick" means that such doubling/halving of the area maintains the exact same 'shape' of the rectangle! http://www.PCGuide.com/ubb/cool.gif

Dont ask me to derive this constant (0.7070707070707) mathematically though!! http://www.PCGuide.com/ubb/wink.gif http://www.PCGuide.com/ubb/wink.gif

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Take nice care of yourselves - Paul

[Vic 970]

well explained Paul !! ?

------------------
for every question there's an answer. Then a load more questions.
Definition of Upgrade "A means of introducing new bugs to a program to replace the ones that you have eventually found fixes for"

Regards..,
Vic.

[sea69]

pauls been puffin' again.

http://www.PCGuide.com/ubb/biggrin.gif http://www.PCGuide.com/ubb/biggrin.gif

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sea1_69@hotmail.com

homepage (http://www.seanweb1.homestead.com/3.html)


;)~

[Paul Komski]

To Sea LOL; but folks - may not be "puffin" for a while. Just come down with shingles and it IS a b**ch. Must keep the sunny side out though. http://www.PCGuide.com/ubb/biggrin.gif

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Take nice care of yourselves - Paul

[bassman]

One other thing to consider Ijung, the cost of your ink. That has been a topic of discussion here lately.
To print 150 pages including pictures/graphics could cost you a full color and black cartridge depending on the amount of detail.

Another option to be able to save web pages is the 'PrtScn' function button at the top of your keyboard. What ever is on your screen at the time will be saved to Clipboard. Then open a WordPad doc. and hit 'Paste.'


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[ljung37]

I'm glad that my little problem stirred up so much interest.

I have now printed the 256 book-pages on nearly 160 pages(size A4
or US Legal). It didn't take as long as i had feared.
The only thing i'm not satisfied with is the illustrations, wich
looks a little grey. They are ink drawings,(so no worry about the
colour-ink "Bassman", and thank's for reminding me of the "Print
Screen"). Had they been colour i'd never done it.

I have made a few discoveries during this, and learned a few new
things. For instance, that if you mark part of the text to be printed,
you will not get a correct preview. It still shows the whole page.
It's a problem. (Is this a so called bug in IExplorer?)
I have also discovered that i can open the downloaded page in
Frontpage Express,(wich i didn't know i had) and edit the page there.
Well, that is if i can understand how it works.
Anyway,what i plan to do now, is to take the images and increase the
contrast in my Corel Photopaint program. Then i'll open the pages
in Frontpage Express, remove the original pictures and put in the new
improved ones instead. And i only have to reprint the pages with
images on them.
Is all this worth the trouble, you may ask.
Oh i'm doing it also for fun. http://www.PCGuide.com/ubb/smile.gif



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Ron.Gn