Mike Chaney's Tech Corner

I really like the print quality I have always obtained with the Qimage products; first Qimage Studio, and now Qimage Ultimate.  But I must confess, what seems to me should an easy and intuitive method is NEVER simple...I guess I just don't understand the software.
Scenario:
I have a scanned tiff file in Lightroom (very large).  I right-click on the image in LR, and choose edit in Qimage (Edit a copy with LR adjustments).  I go to Qimage.  I want to to print on 8 x 10 paper (let's say I've been printing on 4 x 6 paper, but for this image I want it on 8 x 10 paper).  I choose the 8 x 10 size in print properties.  The paper size changes appropriately in Qimage. So far so good...
NOW, this is from a 35 mm negative (landscape orientation) and I want the whole scanned image on the  8 x 10 sheet with let's say a 3/4" border on each 8" wide side.  So, 10" minus 1.5" (2 x .75") equals 8.5" for the long side (of the image, right?).  I click on Default print properties, choose Custom, choose Specify One Dimension and enter 8.5" for the long side.  I click OK.  NOTHING HAPPENS!!!!!!!!!  Furthermore, it gives me a message saying that the specified print size is larger than one page (say what?), and do I want to span it across several pages?  This makes no sense to me.
And the same thing happens if I load the .tiff file straight in to Qimage.
All I want is the full 35 mm aspect ratio (landscape orientation)  image on an 8 x 10 sheet with 3/4" borders on the right and left side of the image (landscape).
Please tell me what I'm missing, because it's very frustrating. ???

I found a way around this, but it involves several other steps:  After selecting the 8 x 10 sheet size in Print Setup, add the image to the queue, click on the button to lock print orientation, then click on Edit Page, go to the Size/Loc. tab, then specify "8.50" in the left hand box of "Actual print size", hit the tab key, and then click on Apply to "Selected".  Now I see my image with the long side of the uncropped image 8.5" long on an 8 x 10 sheet, centered. 

What I don't understand is why can't I get the same result when specifying one dimension of 8.50" for the long side?

Thanks in advance for any helpful info...

Hi,
I've just been through your process in QU, and, yes, I see the problem. It occurs when the image is already in the queue as it is when sent from LR.
However, if the folder where the image is located is open in QU and the size is specified by clicking the size button on the thumbnail, then all works as you would want.
Why the difference, I do not know but will enquire further.
I note that you are using a 8x10 page size; remember the printable area for this will be less than that, note the dimensions above the page preview.
For your situation there is another way:
Select the image on the page preview, open the Print Properties box with a 2 sec right click.
Make sure the crop button is off and select Fit to Page. Enter a white border of 0.75" with the B setting to keep the overall size and reduce the image size.
To allow for the page margins created by the driver printable area restriction, you will need to reduce the 0.75 " accordingly.
That should do it.
Terry

OK. I've been back through the process again and got it to work as you want.
When you get this message, answer YES and it works.
Not logical as far as I can see but that is the answer to you problem. We'll see what Mike says.
Terry

Hi Terry,

Thanks for the quick feedback!  I am at work right now, but will check out your alternative methods when I get home later today.  I do love Qimage and am appreciative for the help I get on this forum.  I hope Mike will chime in.

Thanks,
Dan

Apparently the need to click "yes" to the question about spreading over more than one page allows for square, prints. Maybe the dialogue just needs an extra bit of explanation, it fooled me initially. Mike is aware.
My preference would be to use the add border method, saves doing the arithmetic!
Terry

Hi Terry,
I tried your above method and it works great.  Exactly what I need!  Thanks so much!
Dan