Tried to figure this out myself but no luck so hoping this can be done. 

I sell prints based on the finished paper size with a minimum one inch white border. No cropping of artwork so borders often end up uneven which is fine.

My current workflow is to set up a page, centre the image and apply the border with no cropping and then print to file. I would then print this finished file to create my final print with borders. I would like to reduce the time it takes to do all of this as I have lots of images to work with.So, I recently discovered Templates which looks very promising BUT.....when I create a page template for example a 12 x 16 inch page with one inch white border this works fine, IF I add the image with cropping. BUT...for example, if I add a square format image to this page template, without cropping, Qimage automatically reduces the size of my page (to a square format). I don't want this. I really need to maintain the exact page size at all times and if cropping is unset I need the image to scale down and fit the available print space I have allowed within the template. Is there a way to lock the template page size, so that I can achieve this without Qimage altering my template size? If this is not possible to do, could this feature be added? It would literally half my production time during print sessions. Or is this already possible?

Just to clarify, in case my explanation is unclear. I create a 12 x 16 page template with one inch border. I drop a 10 x 10 image on the template and I want a 12 x 16 finished page with a 10 x 10 image in the middle (one inch border on sides and 3 inches top and bottom.

Anyone know how to do this?

Thanks
John

Hi Mike,

Yes I am working with large format printers so using roll media. In this example, I would require a 10 x 10 printed with crop lines around a 12 x 16 page. If the template I created could be locked to my chosen size with borders and treated by Qimage as if it was a regular page, then this could (in theory) be achieved. At the moment is seems that Qimage tries to save paper by creating a 10 x 10 image on a 12 by 12 page, thus preventing me using Templates and increasing my production time x 2.

Regards
John

Sounds like Template/Centered placement is what you are looking for.

Try this.

(1) Set placement to Template/Centered (placement button under the Live View).
(2) On the Prints tab, set your print size to 12x16.
(3) Set a white 1 inch border on the Prints tab (use B, not B+).
(4) Still on the Prints tab, turn off cropping (button with scissors icon).
(5) Optional: on the Printers and Settings tab, click on "Cut Marks" and select "Mark Corners".
(6) Click the + button on thumbnails to add prints.

Step 5 will show you where to cut the pages as the crop marks will be at the template edges (12x16).

One final note...  If I were to do this, knowing I'm going to end up having to cut 12x16 sheets in the end anyway, I'd probably just cut some 12x16 sheets from the roll and sheet feed them.  That way I can go to Edit, Preferences, Print and Page Formatting, set Margins to a 1.0 inch total on all sides.  Then it's as simple as using IntelliCenter placement, keeping my 1.0 inch B border, and clicking "Fit to Page" as the size on every print.  But, as they say, different strokes for different folks.

Regards,
Mike

Fred

Did you achieve this using a template? Or was this set up manually?

Regards
John

Hi Mike,

I tested your suggested workflow and it appears to work great for single print setups. In fact, this will be very useful for my single print orders. Thanks for that! Unfortunately adding a second or subsequent print (different size) to the same page after using this workflow, changes the size I have setup for the first print. Maybe I have missed something?

Regards
John

Maybe I misinterpretted what you are trying to do.  My steps with the 12x16 size and 1 inch border will always work for any shape (aspect ratio) image.  It'll produce 12x16 "pages" with a 1 inch minimum border on the side(s).  The template size (12x16) is your page size, so any image you add at the (current size) of 12x16 will conform.  Any image added will have either a 1 inch border on all sides or a 1 inch border on 2 sides and a larger border on the opposing 2 sides (depends on the aspect ratio of the images).  So if you want 12x16 "pages", you should never be changing the print size.

Are you saying you want some "pages" at sizes other than 12x16?  If you want to do that, you'd have to separate the other sizes into different jobs since you can only have one "page" size per job.

Note: Fred's method is more flexible... but I was trying to get you to the simplest solution based on what you were trying to do (12x16 pages cut from a large sheet with uncropped images, 1 inch minimum borders on the sides).

Regards,
Mike

No Fred,

I am not looking for an identical set. I want to print up to 30 different sizes on the same page (Roll printing). I just need templates (Or similar) that maintain a specific size / aspect ratio and also apply a one inch border without cropping. Will your method allow for multiple saved layouts on the same page (Roll)?

Regards
John

I just tried another way to see which was better.
I opened the 10 x 10 template, and the select it by clicking it. Then go to sizes and choose a different size.  The template will resize itself.
Maybe you can use this informatio,
You will have to revise your work flow to suit
Fred