Unconventional page size produces blank space

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musicwumusic
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Finale Version: 27.1.0.271
Operating System: Windows

Post by musicwumusic » Fri Dec 03, 2021 12:49 am

Hi, I'm new here. Finale user since ~2005. Current version 27.1.0.271

I'm working with a publisher who specifies their page size to be 220 x 317.5mm

however when I export to PDF this is what I get. I can't tell if the page is the specified size or not, and I don't understand where the whitespace comes from.

I can't tell if it's a Finale problem or a printer driver problem. Exporting both from File/Export or Graphics tool produces same result. Printing to PDF won't work unless I have a PDF printer that can support that size. I just need to know if I need to spend the time and money to find something like that (CutePDF doesn't seem to have any custom sizes either and Foxit removed their printer from the free version).

Any thoughts?


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motet
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Post by motet » Fri Dec 03, 2021 1:17 am

Finale's PDF export is garbage.

CutePDF will support any size you ask it to. First you have to do is go to Windows settings, Printers and Scanners, click Print server properties, Forms tab, and create a new form size. That should then show up on the Print dialog in Finale.

musicwumusic
Posts: 14
Joined: Fri Dec 03, 2021 12:41 am
Finale Version: 27.1.0.271
Operating System: Windows

Post by musicwumusic » Fri Dec 03, 2021 4:27 am

This worked! Thank you motet ^_^

musicwumusic
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Finale Version: 27.1.0.271
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Post by musicwumusic » Fri Jan 07, 2022 11:33 pm

I just reinstalled my operating system.
Unfortunately this seems to have broken the aforementioned solution... :cry:
Now the PDF output looks like this
It's the same if I print with CutePDF or use Finale PDF export. The page size again is 220 x 317.5mm, or 22 x 31.75cm

Any other ideas?

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motet
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Post by motet » Sat Jan 08, 2022 12:34 am

Did you do the following again?
motet wrote:
Fri Dec 03, 2021 1:17 am
First you have to do is go to Windows settings, Printers and Scanners, click Print server properties, Forms tab, and create a new form size. That should then show up on the Print dialog in Finale.

musicwumusic
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Finale Version: 27.1.0.271
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Post by musicwumusic » Sat Jan 08, 2022 12:42 am

Yes I did, I'm printing as that page size (and Finale doesn't prompt me that the page size is incorrect), which is why I'm back here... *sigh*

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motet
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Post by motet » Sat Jan 08, 2022 12:47 am

I guess I would double-check both custom Windows page size and Finale's size in the print dilaog. If they look OK, try rebooting the computer.

musicwumusic
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Finale Version: 27.1.0.271
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Post by musicwumusic » Sat Jan 08, 2022 6:35 am

Hmm. It looks like Ghostscript is not compatible with my system for whatever reason. I've tried other PDF printers and only the non-Ghostscript ones work properly. Will probably have to buy Adobe to save myself from the spam that's loaded into the other software...

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motet
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Post by motet » Sat Jan 08, 2022 5:13 pm

What version of Windows do you have? Does it have Microsoft print to PDF?
Attachments
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musicwumusic
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Finale Version: 27.1.0.271
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Post by musicwumusic » Sun Jan 09, 2022 1:04 am

latest Windows 10 upgraded from 8. It does have Microsoft Print to PDF but I can't wrap my head about how to add custom sizes via the registry... :?

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motet
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Post by motet » Sun Jan 09, 2022 1:10 am

You don't have to edit the registry. I thought you did this before. Press the Windows key on the keyboard, type Printers, which will lead you to Printers and Scanners settings, then click on Print Server Settings. From there you can add your custom page size.

musicwumusic
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Post by musicwumusic » Sun Jan 09, 2022 1:11 am

Yes, but no custom sizes show up in Microsoft Print to PDF.

musicwumusic
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Post by musicwumusic » Sun Jan 09, 2022 1:13 am

This is the page sizes for Microsoft Print to PDF
Untitled.png

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motet
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Post by motet » Sun Jan 09, 2022 1:15 am

Oy, you're right! It's apparently dumbed down. Time to figure out why Ghostscript isn't working, then. I have the latest Windows, and it works for me.
Last edited by motet on Sun Jan 09, 2022 1:18 am, edited 2 times in total.

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motet
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Post by motet » Sun Jan 09, 2022 1:15 am

Have you tried CutePDF?

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motet
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Post by motet » Sun Jan 09, 2022 1:23 am

(I looked at the instructions for adding a paper size to Microsoft Print to PDF and it is ridiculously arcane. Ghostscript makes files which are half the size, anyway, and I'm sure you can get it to work.)

musicwumusic
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Post by musicwumusic » Sun Jan 09, 2022 1:31 am

I'm not sure where to even start... :(

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motet
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Post by motet » Sun Jan 09, 2022 1:52 am

I would try CutePDF. If it doesn't work, email the CutePDF support people. They are excellent.

musicwumusic
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Finale Version: 27.1.0.271
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Post by musicwumusic » Sun Jan 09, 2022 1:53 am

Update: I tried printing to Microsoft XPS printer without ghostscript installed using the custom page size, and it gave the exact same result. So it's not Ghostscript. Some setting is wrong with Finale but I have no idea what...

musicwumusic
Posts: 14
Joined: Fri Dec 03, 2021 12:41 am
Finale Version: 27.1.0.271
Operating System: Windows

Post by musicwumusic » Sun Jan 09, 2022 2:04 am

Further observations:
When I try printing a webpage from Firefox, it does not end up being larger than the page and getting cut off.
I'm going to reinstall Finale.

musicwumusic
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Finale Version: 27.1.0.271
Operating System: Windows

Post by musicwumusic » Sun Jan 09, 2022 8:17 am

Problem solved:

The print server form margins must be set to zero, otherwise Finale will start its page edge inside the form margins and this pushes the output off the page.

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motet
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Post by motet » Sun Jan 09, 2022 5:50 pm

You have software that can read XPS? In the XPS printing options I would change Printer features/Images from JPG to PNG.

musicwumusic
Posts: 14
Joined: Fri Dec 03, 2021 12:41 am
Finale Version: 27.1.0.271
Operating System: Windows

Post by musicwumusic » Sun Jan 09, 2022 6:02 pm

I went back to CutePDF. I just had to set the printer form margins to zero.

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