After struggling with this for some time, I put all the suggestions together from earlier posts and was finally able to print onto legal-sized paper.
Since I have not been the only one who has been dealing with this problem, I'm sharing what worked.
I did the following:

From "Printers and Faxes" in the Control Panel
Printing Preferences --> Choose 8 1/2 x 14 paper (this will make legal-sized paper the default for your printer, so you'll want to go back and change it when your done)

Open Internet Explorer
File -->Page Setup --> Record your margin settings

Open DS
File-->Page Setup -->Check your margin settings. If they're different than the ones that you recorded from Internet Explorer, change them to match. (Note: If the Paper Size being displayed in this window is not 8 1/2 x 14, you need to go back and check your printer settings in the Printers and Faxes and make sure that it is, indeed, set at 8 1/2 x 14)

File -->Restart Program


That's it. I know that there may be some variations among computers, but I hope this works for others who have been trying to make this function correctly.

Blessings and a Merry Christmas,
Laura in IL

quote:

Originally posted by Laura in IL:
From "Printers and Faxes" in the Control Panel
Printing Preferences --> Choose 8 1/2 x 14 paper (this will make legal-sized paper the default for your printer, so you'll want to go back and change it when your done)

The foregoing is the KEY to changing paper size for Dress Shop. The paper size must be selected there. If you only change it in Dress Shop, it does not stick (at this time--DS build 6.14).

Internet Explorer has nothing to do with page size or margins in Dress Shop now (long ago, it did). Set DS margins anywhere you want them, they will stick. [12/23/05: Sorry, the Measurements chart still uses IE page setup. To get chart on one page, in IE Page Setup, set top and bottom margin to .25 inch and remove header and footer.]

The reason for restarting DS if you change the default printer's paper size midstream is to make sure your Dress shop MyDSSettings.txt file has the opportunity to read the change in the windows operating system's default printer file.

Maybe there's something the DS programmers can do about the page size not sticking in a future update. My guess is that it already has a position on the "to do" list.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Diane Day,

Should printing be this complicated? I can do MS Word, Excel and Corel Draw without jumping through hoops. I would have never noticed any problems except when printing the quarter scales, I noticed the huge (in my opinion) margin set at the top of DressShop as of 6.14 (and perhaps an earlier version or two.) I had no printing problems with 6.06 but I was not using 8.5 x 14 paper. I was content with 8.5 x 11. It was only when DressShop increased margins that I tried to use longer paper. I used to be able to get my measurements on one piece of paper. Now even the measurements take two of 8.5 x 11. When I say "print at 85%" it still takes two. There is a hard break built in? I have spent too much time and paper trying to figure this out that I am frustrated. I just want to print a pattern and try to sew it...not fiddle around with settings that I need to set unique to this program. Really, should it be so complicated? The power users are used to figuring out these things and they have "work arounds" for other things. I am just a hopeful user who wants a "user friendly" program. Not something I have to figure out each time I sit down at the computer and want to print something.

Rose Marie,

I have been reading your posts about printing for what several months? Rather than continue to be frustrated with 'fiddling' why don't you just let DressShop print and stop worrying about it printing on two pages!

You say you don't have to fiddle with things in Word, Excel, etc. Well, as a long time user of those two programs, I can tell you that if your documents go over one page and you want them formatted perfectly the page settings have to be fiddled with as well. Of course, Livingsoft doesn't have several hundred programmers on staff to make sure printing is perfect, like Microsoft does.

Oh, since I suspect your motive for printing on one page is to save money, well, I just bought a ream of paper. It cost me $3.99 and divided by the 500 sheets of paper in the ream, it calculated out to .00798 cents per page.

I hope this doesn't upset you, but it just seems to me that you are frustrating yourself needlessly.

In fairness, there's more than cost involved in this issue. There's the frustration of not being able to adapt the printing in a simple fashion - and it is true that dress shop's printing function is much more finicky than most software. There's also an environmental issue. Some of us simply do not want to waste paper, and having to use two pages to print measurements when they should easily fit on a single page is a waste of both paper and storage space.

I am very happy with dress shop, but that doesn't mean it's a perfect product, and it doesn't mean that I should not be allowed to voice a concern. I think that the developers are professionals, and so far it seems to me that they accept criticisms and concerns in a professional manner. So if someone has a concern, they should feel free to voice it.

quote:

Originally posted by Rose Marie:
Should printing be this complicated?

It's not complicated unless you try to change the default settings.

quote:

I can do MS Word, Excel and Corel Draw without jumping through hoops.

I can't speak for Corel Draw because I don't use it, but the word processing programs and Excel default to standard paper size. Try printing them with 14" long paper without changing your default printer's paper size and see what happens. This discussion is not about printing with other programs.

quote:

I would have never noticed any problems except when printing the quarter scales, I noticed the huge (in my opinion) margin set at the top of DressShop as of 6.14 (and perhaps an earlier version or two.)

That extra "space" at the top of the quarter scale pattern is not "margin" space, it is actually space on the pattern layout reserved for printing information about the pattern--previously explained by Bob Clardy. I don't like it either, but since it's there we have to deal with it accordingly until it gets changed--if it gets changed. At this time there's no adjustment we users can make to change that particular effect.

If you want a scaled pattern piece printed on one sheet of standard paper and it won't fit with margins of .25 inch at top and bottom, then you're going to have to reduce the scale to smaller than 25%.

quote:

I had no printing problems with 6.06 but I was not using 8.5 x 14 paper. I was content with 8.5 x 11. It was only when DressShop increased margins that I tried to use longer paper.

It is not the margin that changed. You are the one who controls your margins. The amount of reserved space above the pattern on the layout which you cannot change can be seen if you print that page with the grid turned on. This has been explained to you in private email.

quote:

I used to be able to get my measurements on one piece of paper. Now even the measurements take two of 8.5 x 11. When I say "print at 85%" it still takes two. There is a hard break built in? I have spent too much time and paper trying to figure this out that I am frustrated.

The measurements page is printing to the old way, that is, it IS using IE settings to print. If you want to print your measurements on one page, it will do so with IE top and bottom margins set at .25 inch, and the headers and footers removed in the IE page setup. And, no, there is not a hard page break involved.

If you are trying to figure out how things work, you need the patience, the time, and the determination to begin to understand what it is you're finding, so that if there are problems you can be specific in what it is that might need to be changed or corrected.

quote:

I just want to print a pattern and try to sew it...not fiddle around with settings that I need to set unique to this program. Really, should it be so complicated? The power users are used to figuring out these things and they have "work arounds" for other things. I am just a hopeful user who wants a "user friendly" program. Not something I have to figure out each time I sit down at the computer and want to print something.

Printing DS patterns is not a complicated process, unless you try to manipulate the defaults. If you want to manipulate a software product's printing defaults you need to first understand how the software works, how your printer works and what its limitations are. But even more important you need the time and patience to do the detective work. Sometimes its best to leave settings at default until you do.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Diane Day,

*********
"but the word processing programs and Excel default to standard paper size. Try printing them with 14" long paper without changing your default printer's paper size and see what happens."

I can print. When this problem first erupted for me, I had to ask my spouse where I had to go to change all the printer settings. I had been using the mentioned programs (Word, Excel and CorelDraw) and had been able to print both 8.5 x 11 and 8.5 x 14 without having to touch my printer settings on the control panel. The default was for 8.5 x 11. I would select my page to print, press "print" and the printer box would come up. I could say the paper size and could change the paper orientation from Portrait to Landscape. And then the printer printed the correct size and orientation. So having to reset everything, and then having to restart the computer seemed a bit convoluted in achieving in the printing process for Dress Shop.
**********
"That extra "space" at the top of the quarter scale pattern is not "margin" space, it is actually space on the pattern layout reserved for printing information about the pattern--previously explained by Bob"

I don't have anything printing in the aforementioned space. On the quarter scales, there is 7/16 of blank space, then 3 rows of blank grid boxes. No words. I am not printing full size at the moment and don't have any patterns I can refer to so I don't know if there is writing on the full size patterns.
***********
"It is not the margin that changed. You are the one who controls your margins. The amount of reserved space above the pattern on the layout which you cannot change can be seen if you print that page with the grid turned on. This has been explained to you in private email."

I have done as Peggy instructed and tried to change all margins to "0". My printer overrides that amount to .25" left and right and .46" bottom and top. So I cannot reduce any more.
************
"The measurements page is printing to the old way, that is, it IS using IE settings to print. If you want to print your measurements on one page, it will do so with IE top and bottom margins set at .25 inch, and the headers and footers removed in the IE page setup. And, no, there is not a hard page break involved."

Without changing the printer settings I have had since my computer was purchased and set up, the printing has changed for me and that was my reason for posting the question/problem. If it were printing the same way it did...say 30 days ago...then I would not have written in. I even tried to print my measurements on one piece of paper by reducing the size. I scaled to 85% on my printing preferences page. I still got two pages of printing. One with about 2 inches at the bottom and the second with the remaining measurements and the "Last saved" box.

I have done more with the control panel these past 2-3 weeks than I ever have since owning a computer. Before this problem for me, the control panel was something I never visited. I did not even know where it was.

I do have a question since you mentioned Internet Explorer. I do not have the internet on when I work on DressShop. Should I have it on? How would the settings there affect how the program prints? I thought my printer settings would handle that.

As you can tell, I am not that computer savvy. I appreciate the help and advice you and others have given. I try whatever is suggested....and then I cry!

One suggestion...whenever new programs or updates are "in the works", are novices every contacted? Perhaps having people who are not computer experts trying out things, would give the program designers ideas to make the program easier to use. I know there are people who have used this program for years (and daily) and don't see the program through the eyes of the occasional user.

Rose Marie

My test group consists of a core of regular what you might call power users. They understand the ins and outs of the program very well AND there are a couple testers that will call themselves computer "challenged" before anyone else will.

They do the all important "newbie" tests:are the tools friendly, do patterns make inherent sense, what can they break by doing things no long term tester would dream up doing.

They will attempt to combine elements that someone that has made patterns by hand would never consider doing.

Its obvious to some that waist and side darts wont work with a cowl...but not obvious to all.

It very much depends on the product in test how long the test goes.one project last year was slated to be in test a couple weeks.it was in test much much longer.the development effort was a bear because the fabric environment was different... and many enhancements were made to our stretch factor considerations and tools.


Kaaren

No one has answered this question so I will copy and paste it here. "I do have a question since you mentioned Internet Explorer. I do not have the internet on when I work on DressShop. Should I have it on? How would the settings there affect how the program prints? I thought my printer settings would handle that."

Whatever program I am in, when I give the command print, the printer box for HP (my printer) comes up. I don't see IE (Internet Explorer) print options. Where do I look for those? And do I have to have the internet on when printing patterns?

Hi. You do not have to have the "internet on" when using Dress Shop or MPD UNless you wish to use thwe automatic features to retrieve your activation codes.

If you wish to restore or activate directly from your Livingsoftnw account in
DS: Run your isp and Go to Help>on the web and get my activation codes. While "on line" you can also view Sewing Tips on line which is a veritable library of sewing instructions/tips from Universities,facbric shops/sewing magazines.(Help>On the web>links to :sewing topics, codes,Discussion board and the Livingsoftnw home page.)

For MPD Being on line and restoreing or activating codes/purchasing patterns you simply go to File>Settings>restore or activate

or use the "Buy this pattern" button to purchase the pattern on screen you have designed.

IE page set up for printing within Hat Shop and etc may be accessed by opening IE>File>Page set up.

additional preference settigns in IE such as enabling Java for the class whiteboard and etc may be found in IE>Tools>Internet options>settings>advanced.

Kaaren

FYI concerning paper waste - if you return your spent ink cartridges to Office Depot ( or Max, can't remember), they GIVE you a ream of paper that is very good for use in pattern printing. Not only do I get free paper, I also use the back of sheets I have already printed and can't use. Kelly