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How can I calibrate a printer in LibreCAD

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umbauwfb

How can I calibrate a printer in LibreCAD

I have a problem with my prints in LibreCAD. When I print scale 1:1, the printed dimension in height is ok, but not in width. I miss 1.5mm in width for a line that should have 190mm.
If I use autocad I can calibrate the plotter. I type in the wished dimensions, do a print, measure the printed dimensions, type the measured printed dimensions in the correction filds (width, height), and save the settings. With saving I have created a *.pc3-file which I can choose for further prints with autocad. All these prints are calibrated correct.

How can I solve my problem with LibreCAD?

Thanks for your answers
Harry

claus82

Re: How can I calibrate a printer in LibreCAD

Hi man!
Try to see first the print preview and its options, I mean scale, b/w print and so on... Near print scale there is an icon called CENTER TO PAGE!!!
Or maybe you have already set this stuff an you can find out that paper size is wrong, so try to check it!
look this image:
Image.jpg

If it is a problem of the printer itself (I hope for you that is not the case), try to print in PDF, if you are under windows I use "doPDF" printer, so I can set the paper size, the PDF dpi and some other stuff...
I print in pdf many times because of my "job", and I never had problems, if you are under linux then it should be some postscript option when you print, if you are using a Mac try to find a PDF printer even in this situation, I never used a Mac, sorry.
I hope that I could help you... See ya friend!
Bye
Claudio

...the problem is not the problem, the problem is your aptitude about the problem...

umbauwfb

AW: How can I calibrate a printer in LibreCAD

Sorry Claudio,

you did not understand the problem.

To select a scale will not solve the problem.

Draw a rectangle with LibreCAD e.g. 190mmx270mm.

Then print it in scale 1:1. Then take a mm-ruler and measure the printed lines on the paper. If the dimensions of your printed lines are ok you are lucky.

I am unlucky, as in height the printed dimension is ok, 270mm, but in width it is not! In width I get 1.5mm less.

That is a problem in the communication between LibreCAD and the printer. With autocad I can solve it as shown in my first email.

I calibrate the printer with autocad and all future prints are correct.

How can I solve that with problem LibreCAD?

Harry

Von: claus82 [via LibreCAD] [mailto:[hidden email]]
Gesendet: Sonntag, 16. Juni 2013 09:56
An: umbauwfb
Betreff: Re: How can I calibrate a printer in LibreCAD

Hi man!
Try to see first the print preview and its options, Imean scale, b/w print and so on... Or maybe you can find out that paper size is wrong, so try to check it!
look this image:
Image.jpg

If it is a problem of the printer itself (I hope for you that is not the case), try to print in PDF, if you are under windows I use "doPDF" printer, so I can set the paper size, the PDF dpi and some other stuff...
I print in pdf many times because of my "job", and I never had problems, if you are under linux then it should be some postscript option when you print, if you are using a Mac try to find a PDF printer even in this situation, I never used a Mac, sorry.
I hope that I could help you... See ya friend!
Bye
Claudio

...the problem is not the problem, the problem is your aptitude about the problem...

If you reply to this email, your message will be added to the discussion below:

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claus82

Re: AW: How can I calibrate a printer in LibreCAD

Honestly Harry this time I cannot help... Maybe this is a job for devs...
I always printed correctly

Anyway, try to give me a screenshot of the print preview... and if you want, the dxf too... I'll try to open here in order to check if this is a LC problem or it is a problem in your pc... I can't help more than this, sorry man...
Cla

...the problem is not the problem, the problem is your aptitude about the problem...

umbauwfb

Re: AW: How can I calibrate a printer in LibreCAD

okay,

attached the dxf-file. Print it out in scale 1:1, take the paper and a mm-ruler and measure the dimensions.

If your mm-ruler gives you 190mm and 270mm you are lucky.

If not you have the same problem as I have. But you did not realize it as you probably do not need to print exaxt in scale 1:1.

I need to print EXACT the dimensions that I draw in LibreCAD.

Thank you!
190x270.dxfHarry

claus82

Re: AW: How can I calibrate a printer in LibreCAD

Well Harry... I tried to give a scale 1:1 and it seem to work... An A4 is 210x297, so it would be a border of 10(horizontal) and 13.5 (vertical), so I created A4 borders,then I checked and everything seems to work properly... well, it takes a bit out the border... but that is not the sense, because you need to delete the border I created and the dimensions, look at my picture!
Here the dxf try_this.dxf
Remember to NOT PRESS "FIT TO PAGE ICON" , BUT GIVE MANUALLY THE SCALE 1:1, then click FIXED near there!

Try to use that and let me know!
Cla

...the problem is not the problem, the problem is your aptitude about the problem...

umbauwfb

Re: AW: How can I calibrate a printer in LibreCAD

Sorry, but you tell me things that I know pretty good how to use.

I know how to print in scale!

!!!!!My printer does not print in scale!!!!!

Vertical lines YES, horizontal lines NO. Therefore the PRINTER must be calibrated! With autocad I can do that. With LibreCAD I do not know if it is possible!

I fear this problem is too deep for the two of us. This is a problem for one of the developers.

To check YOUR printer do not make the mistake to measure the borders. Too much tolerances! Measure the printed lines, and measure very accurate. I hope very much for you that you not get disappointed! Half a millimeter or more difference is BAD!!

But anyway - thanks for your help!

Harry

claus82

Re: AW: How can I calibrate a printer in LibreCAD

I tried a last once, nothing to do...
No problem anyway
See ya
Cla

...the problem is not the problem, the problem is your aptitude about the problem...

cantcode

Re: AW: How can I calibrate a printer in LibreCAD

In reply to this post by umbauwfb

@umbauwfb
Have you tried to save as pdf and then print that drawing?
Do you get the same result?
Maybe the PDF-viewer has such a calibrate feature, too??

umbauwfb

Re: AW: How can I calibrate a printer in LibreCAD

Thanks for your reply, but the calibrating has to be done before the print is done.
I can print the dxf-file as pdf. But then I have to print the pdf ..... and again I have to print it with my printer which is not calibrated.

I tried but had the same result as with an direct print.

Does somebody know if there exist an additional free software with which you can calibrate your printer/plotter?

Again: with autocad you can do that very easy in the printer settings!!!

Harry

cantcode

Re: AW: How can I calibrate a printer in LibreCAD

"My printer does not print in scale"

Did some googling and it sound like it's an printer issue.
Some people told me that scaling is normally done by the drawing software (like LibreCAD) and not by the driver.
So I think there is no software to calibrate the printer so the printer will print correctly in ALL drawing applications.

"Again: with autocad you can do that very easy in the printer settings!!!"

As far as I know atm LibreCAD does not have such a feature.

umbauwfb

Re: AW: How can I calibrate a printer in LibreCAD

I think Autocad adds this feature to the printer driver. In any case with autocad I can open settings of the printer and there follow a menu to calibrate the printed length of width and height. After have done this all future prints with Autocad are printed with correct line-lengths.

I am writing a manual for a Yahoo!-Group with 5000 members. We will control machines with optical sensors with the print. Therefore the line-lengths have to be very accurate.

Do you know how I can contact one of the developers of LibreCAD?

Thank you
Harry

Eugen F.

Re: How can I calibrate a printer in LibreCAD

In reply to this post by umbauwfb

I think that its need function in Print dialog:

"Horizontal scale: *.**"

"Vertical scale: *.**"

where *.** is calibration!
Thats all!

LordOfBikes

Re: AW: How can I calibrate a printer in LibreCAD

Administrator

In reply to this post by umbauwfb

Hi Harry,

you have contacted the developers already, they are present here in the forum.

To your problem, this is certainly caused by the printer driver. I've tested your issue with two HP Laser printer and both results was OK.

When AutoCAD has this calibration feature, there must be some printer and plotter out there which have the same problem.

LibreCAD uses Qt's printing capabilities, so it is platform independent. When printing LibreCAD or more precisely the Qt library requests the printer driver for information about its physical resolution. With this resolution the drawing is generated in memory and shifted to the printer driver. In your case the information from the printer driver seems to be wrong.

AutoCAD's calibration feature I think uses the calibration data to generate an incorrect memory drawing to compensate the printer drivers malfunction. This could be done for LibreCAD too, but I could not say when.

I will create a feature request for your issue, that a developer who is familiar with printing can do this.

Armin

^{investing less than half an hour into Search function can save hours or days of waiting for a solution}

umbauwfb

AW: AW: How can I calibrate a printer in LibreCAD

Hi Armin,

„AutoCAD's calibration feature I think uses the calibration data to generate an incorrect memory drawing to compensate the printer drivers malfunction”

I think same. But even if it is a malfunction of the driver and not of LibreCAD, the feature is good to have!

I do not know if you now the complete way how Autocad does the “repair”. If you want I can give you print-screens

Thanks for answer and for your help in this issue.

My printer is a Brother HL-5250DN.

Harry

Von: LordOfBikes [via LibreCAD] [mailto:[hidden email]]
Gesendet: Dienstag, 18. Juni 2013 22:25
An: umbauwfb
Betreff: Re: AW: How can I calibrate a printer in LibreCAD

If you reply to this email, your message will be added to the discussion below:

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cantcode

Re: AW: How can I calibrate a printer in LibreCAD

In reply to this post by LordOfBikes

"To your problem, this is certainly caused by the printer driver."

Well I'm not sure but after some googling I think it's a printer problem and not a driver problem. I mean it's a hardware issue.

umbauwfb

Re: AW: How can I calibrate a printer in LibreCAD

Thanks for your help, I have contact with a developer meanwhile. He put it on his list. Its in fact a printer problem!
Harry

"cantcode [via LibreCAD]" schrieb:

> > > "To your problem, this is certainly caused by the printer driver." >

Well I'm not sure but after some googling I think it's a printer problem and not a driver problem. I mean it's a hardware issue. >
> > > > >
>
>

If you reply to this email, your message will be added to the discussion below:

> http://forum.librecad.org/How-can-I-calibrate-a-printer-in-LibreCAD-tp5708361p5708394.html >

> > To unsubscribe from How can I calibrate a printer in LibreCAD, click here.
> NAML >

LordOfBikes

Re: AW: How can I calibrate a printer in LibreCAD

Administrator

Hi Harry,

thanks for the detailed AutoCAD workflow documentation. I've added it to the feature request #147 on SourceForge.net.

Armin

^{investing less than half an hour into Search function can save hours or days of waiting for a solution}

cantcode

Re: AW: How can I calibrate a printer in LibreCAD

In reply to this post by umbauwfb

actually tried to understand the issue.
so if
"...1.5mm in width for a line that should have 190mm."
this would mean, that the printer always misses 0.7894737% of the X value (1.5/190=0.007894737) right?
If so, adding 0.7894737% of the X value of all points of lines may fix this for lines??
But what about circles/arcs? Wouldn't that mean that the length from the center of the circle to the left border/line of the circle have to be a different value than the lenght from the center to the right border/line of the circle???

umbauwfb

AW: AW: How can I calibrate a printer in LibreCAD

Please see the attached file

Von: cantcode [via LibreCAD] [mailto:[hidden email]]
Gesendet: Mittwoch, 19. Juni 2013 23:02
An: umbauwfb
Betreff: Re: AW: How can I calibrate a printer in LibreCAD

If you reply to this email, your message will be added to the discussion below:

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calibrate a printer with Autocad circle.pdf (80K) Download Attachment