PRINTING: Setting the Page Size of ASCII files.

Support knowledgebase (jsmeix_print-ascii-pagesize)
Applies to

SuSE Linux: All versions

Symptom:

When printing ASCII files, a few letters or lines are cut-off.

Cause:

The problem is that the printer cannot print too close to the edges of the paper and, therefore, the print data made by a2ps is too long or too much to be printed on the page. In the file /etc/a2ps.cfg, the page size and margins for each print media are specified. Normally, a2ps uses A4 format and, by increasing the A4 formats' margins, the print information will fit on one page.

Solution:

When you configure your printer, choose the paper size a4dj or letterdj, where bigger margins are set. For special settings, change the appropriate lines in the file /etc/a2ps.cfg:


#################################################################
# 1)            Definition of some media                        #
# (Must be defined before --medium)                             #
#################################################################
# Medium: name, width height [llx lly urx ury]
Medium: A3       842    1190
Medium: A4       595     842
Medium: A5       420     595
Medium: B4       729    1032
Medium: B5       516     729
Medium: Letter   612     792
Medium: Legal    612    1008
Medium: Tabloid  792    1224
Medium: Ledger  1224     792
Medium: Statement 396    612
Medium: Executive 540     720
Medium: Folio    612     936
Medium: Quarto   610     780
Medium: 10x14    720    1008
 
# Desk Jet users: bigger margins
Medium: A4dj            595     842     24      50      571     818
Medium: Letterdj        612     792     24      40      588     768

For example, increasing the A4 formats' margins looks like this:
#################################################################
# 1)            Definition of some media                        #
# (Must be defined before --medium)                             #
#################################################################
# Medium: name, width height [llx lly urx ury]
Medium: A3       842    1190
Medium: A4       595     842     24      50      571     818
Medium: A5       420     595
Medium: B4       729    1032
Medium: B5       516     729
Medium: Letter   612     792
Medium: Legal    612    1008
Medium: Tabloid  792    1224
Medium: Ledger  1224     792
Medium: Statement 396    612
Medium: Executive 540     720
Medium: Folio    612     936
Medium: Quarto   610     780
Medium: 10x14    720    1008

# Desk Jet users: bigger margins
Medium: A4dj            595     842     24      50      571     818
Medium: Letterdj        612     792     24      40      588     768

In this case, the settings for A4dj are entered.

Additional Information

Reference from of the info page for a2ps:

Your Media 

Configuration Setting: Medium: NAME DIMENSIONS 
Define the medium NAME to have the DIMENSIONS (in PostScript 
points, i.e., 1/72 of inch). 

There are two formats supported: 

long 
in which you must give both the size of the whole sheet and 
the size of the printable area: 
# A4 for Desk Jets 
#      NAME     W      H     LLX   LLY   URX    URY 
Medium: A4dj    595    842    24    50    571    818 
where WxH are the dimension of the sheet and the four others 
stand for lower left x and y, upper right x and y. 

short 
in which a surrounding margin of 24 points is used 
# A4 
#      NAME     W      H 
Medium: A4      595    842 
is the same as 
# A4 
#      NAME     W      H 
Medium: A4      595    842    24    24    571    818 

The info page for a2ps can be viewed with the command "info a2ps" or, using the X Window System and KDE, with kdehelp "info:(a2ps)".


Keywords: PRINTING, PRINTER, PAGE SIZE, LAYOUT, ASCII

Categories: Frequently asked Questions , Documentation , Printer

SDB-jsmeix_print-ascii-pagesize, Copyright SuSE Linux AG, Nürnberg, Germany - Version: 09. Nov 1999
SuSE Linux AG - Last generated: 15. Oct 2002 by wimer (sdb_gen 1.40.0)