Mike Chaney's Tech Corner

Mike's Software => Qimage Ultimate => Topic started by: prgstudios on July 28, 2015, 11:25:54 AM



Title: Possible problem - printing to Designjet Z2100
Post by: prgstudios on July 28, 2015, 11:25:54 AM
Hi everyone:

I am posting this threat at the moment to act mostly as a place holder - and a place to document an issue I am seeing between QU and Windows 10 (yes, the RTM of Windows 10).

System details:
Computer: Dell Latitude E6520, 16 gig RAM, 750 Gig SSD C:, 2 Tb 5400 D:, Gig-E connected
Printer: HP DesignJet Z2100 44" wide
OS: Windows 10 (build 10240)

Problem description:
I am trying to print some 32x40 canvas prints for a customer.  QU is doing everything it should (or at least appears to be), the driver has the paper size set at 42" x 48.4", image size is set in QU as 36"x44" plus 2" white border (total size: 40"x48").  Paper type (if you must know) is 42" wide Breathing Color LYVE with custom profile.

With these print settings (which have worked multiple times in the recent past), I am getting a letter-sized print (8.5"x11").  I have print preview turned on in the driver and can verify that the driver indeed is setting the paper size to 42"x48.4".  Print scaling is turned off, oversize/borderless is turned off, heck - even auto-rotate is turned off.

Here is the kicker: if I use a pre-defined paper size (i.e.: Arch-E), the print size comes out correct (36"x48").  This problem only seems to happen with a custom paper size such as I am using here.

I don't know if this is a QU problem (probably not) but I thought I would throw this out there to see if anyone else has seen this sort of problem and can offer some tips.

Things I am going to try when I get home tonight: printing from Photoshop(CC) to same paper/image size, changing paper defined size to 40.4"x48.4", running QU and printing from a virtualized Win-7 machine (VMware Workstation).

Just documenting a possible problem.

Ron


Title: Re: Possible problem - printing to Designjet Z2100
Post by: admin on July 28, 2015, 12:24:49 PM
I see two possibilities.  One is that there's a reduce/enlarge option turned on in the driver that you have not yet found.  In Epson drivers, for example, you have "Page Size" and "Output Paper".  If you set "Output Paper" to anything but "Same as Page Size", you get an enlarged/reduced print, so if you set "Page Size" and "Output Paper" to 11x17, you get 98% scaling (a reduction).  Perhaps your HP is doing something similar.

If not, it's a bug in the driver.  Is the driver a Win10 specific driver?  They may not have worked out all the bugs yet.  Keep in mind that whenever you update drivers, you should use "Help", "Reset Printer Settings" in QU and then set up your driver settings manually via "File", "Printer Setup".  That is, don't load saved setups from old drivers (or operating systems) as they may not be compatible with the new driver.

Regards,
Mike


Title: Re: Possible problem - printing to Designjet Z2100
Post by: prgstudios on July 29, 2015, 09:27:53 PM
Confirmed - Windows 10 problem with HP DJ Z2100-44".

I was able to spin up a VM of Windows 2k8 and copied everything into it.  The preview of the print in the VM is correct.

If nothing else, this helps to document the issue.  QU is in the clear here as far as I am concerned.

Hopefully, HP can/will release a Win10 version of their driver.  Holding my breath...

Ron