I set up my HP 4L printer in Linux, the process was relatively simple. However when I print something it prints very large. The size of the text and images is about 4-5 times larger than it should be. It cuts off on the right hand side of the page. I have checked the settings again. I use portrait layout and A4 paper size but somehow it prints way too large. When my wife prints to it from her Apple Mac (on network) it also prints too large. The print system is CUPS.

What am I doing wrong?

Cobus

Have you got the HPLIP-HPIJS drivers installed?

liaty, I don't know, is there a way to find out? Where can I get these drivers?

Have a look at your file(s) in /etc/cups/ppd - their content
should tell you what driver it is. Also, for future reference,
it might help if you told us what distro you're using, since
many distro-makers come up with their own ways of dealing with
CUPS. Maybe put an entry in the side-bar? :}


Cheers,
Tink

Hi Tinkster

I checked the location you mentioned and found a file, HP4L.ppd. There seems to be a lot of settings in there defining the printer. BTW, can someone explain to me exactly what these ppd files do?

I pasted a couple of lines from the file below. At the bottom you will see the A4 paper size and printable area settings. I assume the unit is points in which case both settings are correct. Can you see anything suspicious from the settings below? Do I have the right drivers?

*FormatVersion: "4.3"
*FileVersion: "1.1"
*LanguageVersion: English
*LanguageEncoding: ISOLatin1
*PCFileName: "HPIJS.PPD"
*Manufacturer: "HP"
*Product: "(LaserJet 4)"
*cupsVersion: 1.0
*cupsManualCopies: True
*cupsModelNumber: 2
*cupsFilter: "application/vnd.cups-postscript 0 foomatic-rip"
*%pprRIP: foomatic-rip other
*ModelName: "HP LaserJet 4"
*ShortNickName: "HP LaserJet 4 hpijs"
*NickName: "HP LaserJet 4 Foomatic/hpijs (recommended)"
*PSVersion: "(3010.000) 550"
*PSVersion: "(3010.000) 651"
*PSVersion: "(3010.000) 652"
*PSVersion: "(3010.000) 653"
*PSVersion: "(3010.000) 704"
*PSVersion: "(3010.000) 705"
*PSVersion: "(3010.000) 800"
*LanguageLevel: "3"
*ColorDevice: False
*DefaultColorSpace: Gray
*FileSystem: False
*Throughput: "1"
*LandscapeOrientation: Plus90
*TTRasterizer: Type42

*DefaultResolution: 600dpi

*ImageableArea A4/A4: "18 14.40 577 827.60"
*PaperDimension A4/A4: "595 842"

Here is my pdd file. My printer is the 5740 so I don't know which values you might try changing.

*FormatVersion: "4.3"
*FileVersion: "1.1"
*LanguageVersion: English
*LanguageEncoding: ISOLatin1
*PCFileName: "HPIJS.PPD"
*Manufacturer: "HP"
*Product: "(deskjet 5740)"
*cupsVersion: 1.0
*cupsManualCopies: True
*cupsModelNumber: 2
*cupsFilter: "application/vnd.cups-postscript 0 foomatic-rip"
*%pprRIP: foomatic-rip other
*ModelName: "HP DeskJet 5740"
*ShortNickName: "HP DeskJet 5740 hpijs"
*NickName: "HP DeskJet 5740 Foomatic/hpijs (recommended)"
*PSVersion: "(3010.000) 550"
*PSVersion: "(3010.000) 651"
*PSVersion: "(3010.000) 652"
*PSVersion: "(3010.000) 653"
*PSVersion: "(3010.000) 704"
*PSVersion: "(3010.000) 705"
*PSVersion: "(3010.000) 800"
*LanguageLevel: "3"
*ColorDevice: True
*DefaultColorSpace: RGB
*FileSystem: False
*Throughput: "1"
*LandscapeOrientation: Plus90
*TTRasterizer: Type42
*1284DeviceID: "
MFG:HP;
MDLeskjet 5700;
CMD:MLC,PCL,PML,DW-PCL,DESKJET,DYN;
CLS:PRINTER;
DES:574X;
"
*End
*DefaultResolution: 1200dpi



*HWMargins: 18 36 18 9


Maybe try the default resolution and change to 1200dpi??

Sorry if this is not very helpful, if not try: http://www.linuxprinting.org/printer_list.cgi?make=HP
This lists the printers compatible with liuux and may provide some answers to the question above.

REALLY good site!!!
They had the answer to my most recent printing problem. The site seems to be very current.

Thanks, great site.

I managed to solve the problem. Installed a new driver. Selected the LaserJet 4L hpijs from the HP (HPLIP) manufacturer rather than the HP manufacturer. Not sure what the diff is but works now.

Thanks to everybody who helped.
Cobus