Web page doesn't fit properly when printed?

  • by Dennis Faas on 20040706 @ 05:52PM EST | google it | send to friends
  • Filed under Internet | (related terms: print, landscape mode, print preview, margins, orientation)
Have you ever wanted to print a web page, only to find out that part of the page is cut off at the right margin? Infopackets Gazette Reader Frank C. writes:

" Dear Dennis,

I enjoy reading your newsletter very much. Whenever I find a particularly interesting topic, I like to make a hardcopy for later reference. Unfortunately, some of the information on the web page gets cut off when my printer goes to print the page (this also happens to me with other web sites). Is there a way I get around this problem?"

My response:

There are 2 options I can think of off the top of my head (using Internet Explorer).

Option #1: adjust margins and print in Portrait mode

  • Go to a web site and view a page you wish to print.
     
  • From Internet Explorer, Click File -> Page Setup from the menu.
     
  • Under the Orientation -> Portrait heading, change all the margins to 0. The margins will default to a slightly larger value. When finished, click OK.
     
  • Click File -> Print Preview from the menu. You should now get an idea as to how the page layout will look when you print the page on your printer. If the page is still cut off, you can try printing in Landscape mode (Option #2 below).
     
  • If you are satisfied with the page layout, click the Print button at the top left of the "Print Preview" window.

    • Option #2: print in Landscape mode

    Landscape mode will print the page "sideways" and should give you plenty of room for left and right margins, however, the overall page length will be smaller, resulting in more pages to be printed. To print in Landscape mode:

  • Follow steps (a) through (c) in Option #1 above, except this time, modify the Orientation for Landscape.
     
  • Adjust your printing preference to Landscape mode. Click File -> Print, and then go to the Preferences button. Next, select the Landscape setting under the Orientation heading and then click OK.
     
  • Click the Print button.

    • Side note: The "Print Preview" window does not work for Landscape mode.

    Option #3: help from Gazette Readers -- a better solution?

    I'm sure there is a freeware utility floating around the 'net that can manipulate web pages so that they fit on a page perfectly. If you know of such a utility, please send me your suggestion and I'll include an update in a future issue of our newsletter.

    Update 2004/07/08: This article has been updated. Click here to read!

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