HELP!!.... Illustrator has scaled everything!

[GrangerMorton]

Hi all....

never had this before.
I use illustrator to cut sign graphics so it's linked to a plotter.

I have a file I'm working on that has clearly been scaled. Artboard says it's 3800mm x 400mm but when I print it's 380mm x 40mm. There is nothing to show that it has been scaled.
the only workoround is to create a new file and cut/paste everything in.

I'm sure this is a 'clever' feature meant to help and not result in £££'s worth of wasted material. Any ideas how can I turn this ridiculous feature off?

thanks

[GrangerMorton]

[Monika Gause · Accepted solution]

Did you work in a Large Canvas file?

[GrangerMorton]

My original artboard sizes were 3800 x 400mm so ok to be in 'normal' mode. Maybe somehow it's decided to do a "large canvas" thing. I did try the Adobe "Help phoneline" .... yeah, won't do that again.... over an hour of the chap telling me it's down to how it's viewed on screen, never mentioning "Large Canvas" at all......
.... I love this forum!!

[GrangerMorton]

Do you know if there's a way to revert to a 'normal'  canvas?, or if there's anything to say it's in 'Large canvas" mode?

[Monika Gause · Accepted solution]

You cannot revert. You can only copy the artwork, create a new normal file and then paste.

[GrangerMorton]

Thanks to all for all the info..... I shall copy/paste and just delete the old file. Certainly an accident waiting to happen if I were to send something to my laser cutter chap in 1/10 scale!!...(anyone else thinking Spinal Tap?)

[Ton Frederiks]

Large canvas files were introduced in 24.2. I

Which version are you using?

[GrangerMorton]

Hi thanks... this is 24.3. "Large canvas File"... that sounds like a thing that may cause this...

[Ton Frederiks]

Here is some info:

https://helpx.adobe.com/illustrator/using/large-sized-artwork.html

[Jacob Bugge]

GrangerMorton,

I believe the issue may lie somewhere in something between Ai and the plotter or in the settings of the plotter.

Which changes have been made recently (if you know)?

[GrangerMorton]

Hi, no the plotter is the same .... if I cut and paste into a new doc, the sizes are all good