I've allowed generous margins so it should print to 2x 8.5x11 or 2xA4 sheets without trouble. The actual printed area is supposed to be 9.75"x14.29".
But if I print to a pdf, I don't get any inside margins; when I print from that pdf, the printer adds its own margins, and I get 9.25"x13.37". I think if I can print to a pdf with appropriate inside margins, then I should be able to print from that pdf without trouble.
Using Print - Microsoft Print to Pdf doesn't allow custom paper sizes such as 7.5x10, either.
Using Print Wizard - Microsoft Print to Pdf - 0.25" margins all around, I get a bunch of extra sheets, extra text around the edges, tile numbers, etc. that make the result unprintable.
Unfortunately, the Microsoft Print to PDF printer driver is pretty basic, so you can't control much when using that one.
But the general way to make thing the correct size for print is to rely on scaling, not margins. In the print dialog, switch to scale factor instead of fir to page, and make sure scaling is correctly set up. If your drawing is properly scaled from the outset, you should be able to calculate this rather easily, but if not, it may require some trial and error. You can also use the Distance command from the info menu to measure distances in your map, such as the width, to properly calculate the scale needed.
Obviously also set the tiling option to the desired value, adding overlap if desired.
This should ensure that your drawing end up the right size in the PDF, and you should then be able to print the document from the pdf using the the documents internal margins without the printer adding any more. You might need to print it with pdf software that allows more control over the printing process so that the scale of the document can be kept intact, like adobe reader to do that, I am not sure the built in pdf-viewer in windows handles that properly.
I drew the map with 3/4 inch hexes and 32 km per hex. I pick 0.75 printing units = 32 map units.
If I use File - Print... - Microsoft Print to Pdf, I don't get any inner margins, and if I print the result, then the printer adds its own margins, and breaks the scaling.
If I use File - Print Wizard - Microsoft Print to Pdf, I get inner margins, but I get a lot of text outside the margins, so I expect the printer would add its own margins, and break the scaling.
I can't use Adobe Reader, it gives me migraines. I have been using SumatraPdf, I don't know what other Windows pdf+epub readers might be better.
I need to create simple 1-page maps which can print to either L or A4 pages, with margins either way. If and when I get these working, then I can use 2x of these 1-page maps for this project, and I can avoid the inner margin issues. This would also give me more space than the current map.
I went with 24-unit hexes, i.e, 32 units per inch, to simplify the math, and to allow reasonably-thin lines for hex grids, single-track railroads, etc. But somehow 1. the scale factor is off; if I pick 32 units per inch, it exports something around 8 units per inch, perhaps 32 per 10 cm, and 2. it insists on printing the extras around the edges.
P.S. I was using the Modern Tactical [metric] for the generic hex map. Somehow I ended up with drawing units in feet (how???) and Campaign Cartographer used literal scales, inches per inch, instead of drawing units per hex. 384:1 solved the scaling and edge issues.
P.P.S. Still encountering too-wide margins, leading to too-small printouts.
I found a way to print at or near the intended size. 1. print with Windows Print to Pdf, 2. trim with k2pdfopt, and 3. print the output.
I can check pdf sizes by opening them in LibreOffice, but it's awkward. P.S. Also the Foxit Reader.
Both Windows Print to Pdf and k2pdfopt -mode trim rasterize the image, so neither are ideal. The Tome mentions other pdf software, but that's been turned into adware.
Comments
I've allowed generous margins so it should print to 2x 8.5x11 or 2xA4 sheets without trouble. The actual printed area is supposed to be 9.75"x14.29".
But if I print to a pdf, I don't get any inside margins; when I print from that pdf, the printer adds its own margins, and I get 9.25"x13.37". I think if I can print to a pdf with appropriate inside margins, then I should be able to print from that pdf without trouble.
Using Print - Microsoft Print to Pdf doesn't allow custom paper sizes such as 7.5x10, either.
Using Print Wizard - Microsoft Print to Pdf - 0.25" margins all around, I get a bunch of extra sheets, extra text around the edges, tile numbers, etc. that make the result unprintable.
Unfortunately, the Microsoft Print to PDF printer driver is pretty basic, so you can't control much when using that one.
But the general way to make thing the correct size for print is to rely on scaling, not margins. In the print dialog, switch to scale factor instead of fir to page, and make sure scaling is correctly set up. If your drawing is properly scaled from the outset, you should be able to calculate this rather easily, but if not, it may require some trial and error. You can also use the Distance command from the info menu to measure distances in your map, such as the width, to properly calculate the scale needed.
Obviously also set the tiling option to the desired value, adding overlap if desired.
This should ensure that your drawing end up the right size in the PDF, and you should then be able to print the document from the pdf using the the documents internal margins without the printer adding any more. You might need to print it with pdf software that allows more control over the printing process so that the scale of the document can be kept intact, like adobe reader to do that, I am not sure the built in pdf-viewer in windows handles that properly.
I did all that, *it doesn't work*.
I drew the map with 3/4 inch hexes and 32 km per hex. I pick 0.75 printing units = 32 map units.
If I use File - Print... - Microsoft Print to Pdf, I don't get any inner margins, and if I print the result, then the printer adds its own margins, and breaks the scaling.
If I use File - Print Wizard - Microsoft Print to Pdf, I get inner margins, but I get a lot of text outside the margins, so I expect the printer would add its own margins, and break the scaling.
I can't use Adobe Reader, it gives me migraines. I have been using SumatraPdf, I don't know what other Windows pdf+epub readers might be better.
I decided to start over.
I need to create simple 1-page maps which can print to either L or A4 pages, with margins either way. If and when I get these working, then I can use 2x of these 1-page maps for this project, and I can avoid the inner margin issues. This would also give me more space than the current map.
I went with 24-unit hexes, i.e, 32 units per inch, to simplify the math, and to allow reasonably-thin lines for hex grids, single-track railroads, etc. But somehow 1. the scale factor is off; if I pick 32 units per inch, it exports something around 8 units per inch, perhaps 32 per 10 cm, and 2. it insists on printing the extras around the edges.
P.S. I was using the Modern Tactical [metric] for the generic hex map. Somehow I ended up with drawing units in feet (how???) and Campaign Cartographer used literal scales, inches per inch, instead of drawing units per hex. 384:1 solved the scaling and edge issues.
P.P.S. Still encountering too-wide margins, leading to too-small printouts.
I found a way to print at or near the intended size. 1. print with Windows Print to Pdf, 2. trim with k2pdfopt, and 3. print the output.
I can check pdf sizes by opening them in LibreOffice, but it's awkward. P.S. Also the Foxit Reader.
Both Windows Print to Pdf and k2pdfopt -mode trim rasterize the image, so neither are ideal. The Tome mentions other pdf software, but that's been turned into adware.