Photoshop Printing Problem

[marcus]

I print my own custom DVD covers using Photoshop. For some reason, when I now print, it prints out the cover MASSIVE, so that only a quarter of the whole image is on a page of A4 for example. Preview shows this small section of the overall image also. The size of the cover is 3150 x 2175 which is the right size for the boxes the cover goes in. Im pretty sure I havent had this problem before, but cant see an option to affect it..

[Pavey]

Are you hitting page set up first,setting your paper size,then print with preview,and setting your output size?

[marcus]

I open Image, then Page Setup to Landscape, Print with Preview.

The Scale setting I select as 3150 x 2170 points.

[Pavey]

Are you on a pc now,maybe its different,but can you select paper size in page set up?

[marcus]

Yah, Its set to A4, and sheet. Im using PS CS btw.

[Pavey]

Forgive me if im giving you baby steps but do you then get this page,where you should be able to select your output size? (in scaled print size)

[marcus]

Yeh I do, its scale 100% like yours, reducing that reduces the print output size, but Ive not altered that in any way.

[Pavey]

Hmm,guess thats your solution though to get the right sized image,but im sure you already know this.

It sounds like everything you are doing is right,just thought i would have a magical solution as i print every day,admittedly on a mac,but that shouldn't matter.

Sounds odd but how about a re-start. May be a quirk?

[Magnakai]

It's my old XBox!
Miss ya baby...

[bangaio]

you need to reize the file. Select Image -> resize -> image size and then select the siz eof your image.

You need to also ensure it is not going to resample your image so uncheck the resample image box. Keep constrain proportions selected so it keeps your image the same aspect.

Simple. Try setting a high DPI setting here, may help. This way of printing from PS is much better than resizing it at the print preiview level.

[vertigo]

Ehhh you do want it to resample your image actually, with it set to best quality so that it averages all the pixels when it scales it so it looks smooth, otherwise it just pixel resizes and you end up with something horrid looking instead.

[bangaio]

nooooooooooooooooooooooooo! Resanpling will result in a smaller file size which saves space but by it's nature eliminates lovelly pixels you spent so much money on when you bougfht your digicam. Trust me, please! I sell prints run on an A3 epson pigment ink printer and this is a standard way of resizing for printing.

On the flip side if you made your image photoshop would try to interpolate the pixels and ps' interpolation is truly dreadful, you'd need something like genuine fractals for that.

ALso the PPI, or DPI setting simply says how many pixels will fit an inch - simple. It has nothing to do with compressing pixels and the like.

[marcus]

I think this is sorted now. It is because of the original cover, typically they are sized correctly from the outset, but it so happens the last 4-5 Ive got have all been sized around 40" X 30" which is way bigger than it needs to be. The right size setting for what I want is 10.5 x 7.25 at 300 DPI, this seems to fit the case nicely