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bmehh
bmehh
New Participant
March 29, 2016
Question

Forcing a PDF file to open using a certain paper size

  • March 29, 2016
  • 4 replies
  • 1487 views

Hello everyone,

I work on a service desk, and someone has asked if a PDF that they create can be forced to use a particular paper size.

Is this possible, and how can it be done please?

Sorry if this is not posted in the right place, new to the forums.

Thank you

This topic has been closed for replies.

4 replies

Dov Isaacs
Dov Isaacs
Brainiac
April 2, 2016

To directly answer your question, no, there is no way to force a PDF file to print on a particular paper size. There is no function within the PDF file format itself to provide for such a limitation on the ability of the recipient of the PDF file to print the file on any size paper that the print device and corresponding print driver support.

Clearly, if the recipients of your PDF files are in a “locked down” environment where you limit the available printer driver and device settings for all printing for all applications, you can clearly force all printing to a particular paper size.

Exactly what real world problem is your client trying to solve by forcing printing to a particular paper size?

Perhaps your client can simply put on the PDF file that for printing, that a particular paper size is to be used.

           - Dov

- Dov Isaacs, former Adobe Principal Scientist (April 30, 1990 - May 30, 2021)
bmehh
bmehhAuthor
New Participant
April 5, 2016

Hi Dov,

Thank you for your response.

My end user wishes to post the PDF file on a customer portal, and to stop any confusion, my end user wishes for the PDF file to default to a Legal size paper if being printed. At that point if the recipients do not have a printer connected with a Legal size tray / paper installed, then the recipient will then have the option to change the paper size accordingly.

The contents of the PDF in question are displayed correctly within using Legal size.

Does this change the outcome of my question here? I don't think it does, and I am happy to go back to my end user and state that it is not possible to do this.

Thank you for your help

Brian

Dov Isaacs
Dov Isaacs
Brainiac
April 5, 2016

The page size of a PDF file to be printed in Adobe Reader / Acrobat does show in the lower left of the document window when you move your cursor there and in the print dialog you do see how the page fits on the printer's currently selected paper size. A reasonable user might “get it” that unless the “fit to print” option is selected or a different paper size is selected via the printer properties button, portions of the page content may be lost.

If the recipients of your PDF files are in a legal environment, they are probably setup with printers to handle legal paper. Most other users probably don't even know what legal size paper is!

Unless your user has a real, pressing legal requirement for printing of the content on legal size paper by recipients of that PDF file, trying to enforce that might be a losing battle. Sorry! Again, you might be best off with something on the page that advises that printing be done on legal size paper.

                - Dov

- Dov Isaacs, former Adobe Principal Scientist (April 30, 1990 - May 30, 2021)
try67
try67
Community Expert
April 2, 2016

[Question moved to the Acrobat Printing & Prepress forum]

Y
Community Manager
YatharthSCommunity Manager
Community Manager
April 2, 2016

Hi ,

Would request you to please check for the same after connecting the printing locally with the system,

Regards,

Yatharth

Y
Community Manager
YatharthSCommunity Manager
Community Manager
March 29, 2016

Hi bmehh ,

Would like to inform that when once you have the Admin Rights on that system , you may set the default paper size .If its an office machine please check with your office IT .

For setting default paper size in Acrobat Program :-

In Acrobat , open Print set up window > then go to Properties > Then go to Advanced > using Paper size option set the paper size of your choice then OK .

Under 'Comments & Forms' set the option as 'Documents & Markups'

   

Regards,

Yatharth

bmehh
bmehhAuthor
New Participant
March 30, 2016

Hi Yatharth,

Thank you for your feedback. I will try this out with the user and let you know how it goes.

Thanks again!

Brian

bmehh
bmehhAuthor
New Participant
March 31, 2016

Hi Yatharth,

This does not seem to be working, as I don't see the menu's as I expected. I assume this is dependent on what type of printer driver the end user has installed. My end user is using a networked printer with Legal sized paper.

Also, my end user is using Adobe Acrobat Pro XI for reference also.

Would it be possible to provide some screenshots also, just to verify this?

The issue is when you go into Advanced, there does not seem to be a paper size option. Paper size options are not locked down within our environment, nor are they removed, so the user cannot see them, and they are fully available.

Thanks for your help, Yatharth

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