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A4 default is the wrong size

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Kerryn_H...@adobeforums.com

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Apr 7, 2008, 10:35:32 AM4/7/08
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When I print from Word to PDF the page settings are lost, I've tried all the various suggestions on the FAQ's on both Adobe and Microsoft as well as on this forum but no joy, the pages are over running. However, I have discovered that the default page size for A4 in Acrobat is different from everything else. Acrobat has it sized at 21.59 x 27.94 whilst everywhere else it's sized at 21 x 29.7. I have created a custom size (both page size and distiller settings) for the correct dimensions but it's still printing short and narrow. Any suggestions most welcome.
We're using Adobe Acrobat Standard Version 7.0.9, MS Office 2003 & windows XP Pro if that helps.

Aandi_...@adobeforums.com

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Apr 7, 2008, 11:52:51 AM4/7/08
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The size you quote, 21.59 x 27.94 cm, is not a4 at all, but exactly US
letter size (8.5 x 11 inches). Where in Acrobat does this seem to be
A4?

Aandi Inston

de_...@adobeforums.com

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Apr 7, 2008, 11:56:03 AM4/7/08
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21.59 x 27.94

That's letter size. Change the default by going to start>printers right-click the pdf printer and select printing prefs.

under the pdf settings tab ensure A4 is selected instead of letter.

Or use the pdfmaker from Word instead of printing to the pdf printer.

Kerryn_H...@adobeforums.com

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Apr 7, 2008, 12:18:39 PM4/7/08
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Thanks.
We've already changed every possible setting from letter to A4 but Adobe still insists that the default page is letter sized. Even creating custom pages larger than A4 and then printing still gives us letter size. We've tried both printing to PDF from word and in acrobat converting to PDF - both give the same result.
Have we missed a setting somewhere?
I've put a couple of screenshots on our website: <http://www.countryside-jobs.com/CJS_Stuff/Images/adobe1.jpg> & <http://www.countryside-jobs.com/CJS_Stuff/Images/adobe2.jpg>
Adobe2 shows the preferences as A4 but adobe1 shows the default size - which is you've guessed it letter!

de_...@adobeforums.com

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Apr 7, 2008, 12:31:22 PM4/7/08
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screenshot Adobe 1 shows the distiller settings, which have nothing to do when creating pdf from most application. The page size setting there is only applicable when distilling eps files which contain no page size info.

Screenshot 2 show the option I referred to. If you create a pdf from Word either via the print option or the pdfmaker option, check the resulting page size in Acrobat. (hover the mouse near the bottom left corner of the document to see.)

Kerryn_H...@adobeforums.com

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Apr 7, 2008, 12:45:58 PM4/7/08
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It's showing 20.988 x 29.7 cm, however the copy is still identical to printing onto letter (which shows 21.588 x 27.939), just more white space. over a thirteen page A4 document we're running nearly half way down page fourteen.

Kerryn_H...@adobeforums.com

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Apr 7, 2008, 12:47:23 PM4/7/08
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To Aandi - Yep, done that too. Still end up with the same short pages and lots of white space. We've checked the scaling too!

Aandi_...@adobeforums.com

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Apr 7, 2008, 12:43:09 PM4/7/08
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Make sure that BOTH you create a Word document with page size A4 -and-
you select A4 in printer setup when printing to PDF.

Aandi Inston

Aandi_...@adobeforums.com

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Apr 7, 2008, 1:33:04 PM4/7/08
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Are you printing to PDF or using the Acrobat button in Word? If one,
what happens when you do the other?

Aandi Inston

Kerryn_H...@adobeforums.com

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Apr 8, 2008, 4:51:08 AM4/8/08
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We're printing to PDF and have also tried convert to PDF in Acrobat. We don't have an acrobat button in Word.

de_...@adobeforums.com

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Apr 8, 2008, 11:39:45 AM4/8/08
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It's showing 20.988 x 29.7 cm

So the PDF is in A4.

Are you comparing the printout of the PDF to the printout of the Word file by any chance?

Kerryn_H...@adobeforums.com

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Apr 8, 2008, 11:52:47 AM4/8/08
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Comparing the PDF on screen side by side with the word print preview or the main document. Actual paper print outs are different yet again but that's not a problem.

The line and page breaks are the same regardless of whether the PDF is A4 or letter (by checking bottom left for dimensions). They are in the same places as when Word is set to letter size. It's this that leads us to suppose that the A4 default is the wrong size.

Kerryn_H...@adobeforums.com

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Apr 8, 2008, 11:53:26 AM4/8/08
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Bill
Thanks for joining in.
Yes, we've done that too but it made no difference.

Bill@VT

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Apr 8, 2008, 11:48:47 AM4/8/08
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One other place to try is the Adobe PDF document properties (should be the printer properties) and select Advanced on the Layout tab. That should bring up a selection in the Paper/Output that shows Paper Size. I am not sure about all the interactions, but I usually make the changes there. It seems like the settings tab and this one are related. I just made the change to A4 in that place and printed from Acrobat (a letter size file) and got one that is 8.27X11.69 in (I think that is A4).

de_...@adobeforums.com

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Apr 8, 2008, 12:27:46 PM4/8/08
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I think you're running into the issue described here:
<http://www.adobeforums.com/webx/.3bbad444/0>

I assume your default printer is not the Adobe PDF printer?

Joost_Van...@adobeforums.com

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Oct 9, 2008, 4:21:01 AM10/9/08
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Deselect in Word/Excel "Allow A4/letter paper resizing". In Office 2003 you will find this under Tools - Options - International.

Joost

Kevi...@adobeforums.com

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Jan 19, 2009, 11:42:57 PM1/19/09
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had a problem in Excel 2003 printing or converting to PDF - Acrobat settings were set to A4, but the resulting PDF was not A4, it was shorter and wider (i don't think it was even Letter).

Basically the output paper size was wrong.

I disabled (uncheck) the "Allow A4/Letter paper resizing" option under Tools - Options - International

When i printed the spreadsheet again it was OK :)

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