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Topic: Print Preview Screen Size (Read 18547 times) previous topic - next topic

Print Preview Screen Size

The Print Preview box only fills about 1/2 the width of my screen (600 x 800 pixels). This is fine when you first get into it. However if you Left-click your mouse to zoom in 1 level, the printing is now too wide for the preview box and you have to use scroll bars to see the right side of the score.

Is there any way to make the preview box wider to at least the first level of scrolling? Even if there were "handles" on it so that you could drag to a larger size (as with any normal window).

If this is not possible. maybe I should make it a "wish".

Does anyone else share this (minor) beef with me?

Re: Print Preview Screen Size

Reply #1 –
A minor wish for me would be an interface similar to Word's print preview -- zoom percent, page-up and page-down, etc. keys navigate.

Another printing wish for me would be for "non-printing staff" -- mark one or more not to be printed. If that were available, I could print out a single staff (or just the vocal staves, or whatever) without having to copy and paste to another window temporarily to do it.

Re: Print Preview Screen Size

Reply #2 –
Sue,

To print a single staff or only a few staves all you have to do turn off all others in the display using File - Page Setup - Contents then print normally.

Re: Print Preview Screen Size

Reply #3 –
I like Sue's idea of a percentage zoom. NWC must be capable of this because this is in essence what they already have on the working screen. It permits you to ZOOM IN or ZOOM OUT in 2 pixel increments. I usually work at at a zoom level of 8 pixels.

On my screen (a 15" monitor) the Print Preview box measures about 6" wide x 8" high. I find that it gives an image which is essentially unreadable. It is smaller than a Zoom Level of 4 on the working screen (which I find to be marginally readable).

My entire screen is 11" wide of which the upper right 1" is used for 5 command buttons ("Done","Start", "Next", "Back" and "Copy"). This leaves potentially 10" for the width of a zoom window. The paper we print on is usually 8-1/2" wide, so presumably if we could zoom to FULL SIZE (in width) it would (1) be easily readable, and (2) would still fit the horizontal dimensions of the screen. Admittedly the vertical dimension of the screen would require scroll bars, but that is not a serious problem as we would at least be able to see the full width of the staff.

So to sum up I would like to see:

1. As a minimum the option of a "Full Size" zoom without horizontal scroll bars.
2. Preferably the option of variable zoom in say 10% increments (or smaller)
3. A zoom window which uses nearly the full available width of the monitor screen.

Should I submit this to the "Wish List"?

Re: Print Preview Screen Size

Reply #4 –
I've already added to the wish list a "Fit to screen" option, with the further suggestion that the control buttons be moved to a toolbar to allow the use of the full width of the screen (less the vertical scrollbar). The percentage zoom option would be nice, please do add it to the wishlist if you're so inclined.
F

Re: Print Preview Screen Size

Reply #5 –
Remember that Eric has stated (I can't point to the exact place) that zoom can only work in increments of 2 pixels. I'm not sure how this translates into percentages, but it could be related to the limitations on sizes under discussion here.

Cyril

Re: Print Preview Screen Size

Reply #6 –
Are there any reason to stay with fixed width previews even at the different zooming levels?
Have a try: setup your printout in landscape (printer setup)and you'll see a nice unzoomed landscape view.
Would it be possible, in portrait mode, to have the preview increase its width till reaching the display width?

Re: Print Preview Screen Size

Reply #7 –
Thanks Barry, I had forgotten about the choices regarding printing of which staves on the Page Setup... and I have really missed using this feature! Duh...

Re: Print Preview Screen Size

Reply #8 –
It permits you to ZOOM IN or ZOOM OUT in 2 pixel increments.

When I am working with a score containing many staves, I would like to see all of them at once.  The 2-pixel size lets me see all of the staves, but thay are too small to read.  The 4-pixel size is large enough to read, but I can't see all of the staves.  I keep trying to use a 3-pixel size, but it skips over it.  Now I know why.

Is there any way to force it to 3-pixel size?
How about in future versions?

Re: Print Preview Screen Size

Reply #9 –
Well, I think it won't be possible.
Because it would lead a line to be 2 thirds on a pixel line, 1 third on another. A major aliasing results in grey staves at this size...

Do you really need to see ALL the staves?
Usually one is working on groups of instruments (say, the woods and the strings families), and Alt+F,G,Alt+G is quick enough to show/hide groups whenever you want.
You just need to specify a group name to your staves, instead of letting all of them grouped in "standard" group.

Hope this helps!
    an NWC user

Re: Print Preview Screen Size

Reply #10 –
>>Do you really need to see ALL the staves?

Well, yes, I do.
When the score is complete (or near completion), I really do need to see all of the staves.  Imagine reading an orchestral score with the strings and precussion unseen.
Also, I do have all of the staves grouped, and none are in "standard" (I eliminate that label in favor of more specific ones, such as "visual brass," "aural sax," and the like.).
Speaking of groupings, is there a way to select/deselect groups (or visible parts) from Page Setup|Contents without using the mouse?

Re: Print Preview Screen Size

Reply #11 –
The only thing that I can think of in NWC that requires the mouse is the Quick Entry (aka Insert) toolbar (which is, by its nature, a mouse driven feature). Everything else can be done from the keyboard. The Page Setup Contents can be adjusted using the arrow keys, the tab key, and the space bar for selection/deselection.

Re: Print Preview Screen Size

Reply #12 –
Oh, man!  The SPACEBAR!  Whoda thunk it!  I couldn't find this anywhere!  I may never touch that mouse again!
Many thanks, NWO!

Re: Print Preview Screen Size

Reply #13 –
I can't see how to do double sharps and flats from the keyboard, but doubtless you can.

Peter

Re: Print Preview Screen Size

Reply #14 –
Mick, the spacebar can be used in many cases, in particular with checkboxes, selections, or preselected button (when they have a dotted line on it, which means they are the "active" button, which can then be activated by SpaceBar or Enter). The Enter key activates the default button (which has a stronger border than the others) if the active cursor is not in a text item that would accept it as a newline.
And yes, NWC is really useful/efficient when one doesn't want to use the mouse!

Peter, double flats is reachable with Alt+N, F, F, Enter.
For double sharps, the quickest way is Alt+N, F, F, Up, Enter. (just think of "double" as Alt+N, F, F, and going up if sharp ;))

For people who cannot do Alt+something, use F10, N, F, F, (plus Up for sharps), Enter. But I think that Alt alone may work as F10 (since Win95 I think)

Hope this helps!

Re: Print Preview Screen Size

Reply #15 –
Have you tried increasing the resolution (if you can)? That way you get more on the screen

Re: Print Preview Screen Size

Reply #16 –
Yah, that was me on that last reply, I meant to address it to Mick, not take his name :(

Re: Print Preview Screen Size

Reply #17 –
By "increasing the resolution," do you mean changing from 800x600?  I might try that, but most of my other programs seem not to like other sizes...weird, huh?
(Yeah, it's Mick.  I couldn't put my name up there because Francis took it...)

Re: Print Preview Screen Size

Reply #18 –
LOL! Good one.

Yeah, if your monitor supports it, 1024x768 seems to be pretty much a necessity if you're working on more than just a few staves at a time. I even bump up to 1280x1024 on occasion, even though my monitor (not to mention my eyesight) can't quite handle a lot of fine editing at that resolution.

Fred Nachbaur

Re: Print Preview Screen Size

Reply #19 –
Dear blank, Mick and others ;)
When changing resolution, try not to change the font size. Some windows applications don't do it well.

Moreover, depending on your video card's memory amount, you *may* have to change the number of colors. Which may not be handled correctly either (but this is *rare*). In this case, don't forget to switch back to the correct color depth when going back to 800x600 (it's not automatic in that direction) :-)

1024x768x256 colors should be ok, even with a 14" (real) screen (usually 15" of cathodic tube).

NWC supports all resolutions and depth color I've ever tried.

Re: Print Preview Screen Size

Reply #20 –
Class, everyone, back to your real names at once! ;-)

Re: Print Preview Screen Size

Reply #21 –
Why did that give me a flashback of Cheech and Chong?

Claaass! ..... Claaass! ..... Claaass! .....
S.H.U.T...U.P.!!!

Re: Print Preview Screen Size

Reply #22 –
Why does it now say "blank" instead of actually being blank?  That's what was so funny!  That's why Fred was LOL!

Re: Print Preview Screen Size

Reply #23 –
Pro'lly because that non-breaking space or whatever you used gave NW Support a fit in trying to archive it. Now, why they'd want to archive this nonsense is anyone's guess. :-P

Re: Print Preview Screen Size

Reply #24 –
It was real space, which was incorrectly permitted. As you guys keep findin' the holes, we keep plugin' em up.

Re: Print Preview Screen Size

Reply #25 –
 
Noteworthy Online wrote in https://forum.noteworthycomposer.com/?topic=932.msg13098#msg13098:

> The only thing that I can think of in NWC that requires the mouse is the Quick Entry...

Let me point one more: zooming at the Print Preview window. I couldn't get Alt + +/- to work. Is there any other non-mouse way I'm unaware of?

FWIW,
Ertugrul
 

Re: Print Preview Screen Size

Reply #27 –
In regard to zooming in the Print Preview window:
When I click once, text items are aligned a certain way.
When I click again, text items are aligned a slightly different way.
When I click yet again, text items are aligned still another way.
Which alignment should I believe?
(Anyone else have this problem?)
 

Re: Print Preview Screen Size

Reply #28 –
Yes. The Print Preview is only truly accurate at the maximum magnification (easiest way to get there is right-click once from the default magnification).

I don't know the fine points, but I understand it has to do with how Windows manages screenfonts. I observe the same anomalies in other applications, notable Word, Publisher and other apps that (one would think) would work "perfectly" with Windows. (Not!)

When I'm doing the finishing touches on the visual aspect of a piece, I use GSview as a "print preview" mechanism. "Print" the NWC file to a virtual Applewriter (Postscript) printer on "File", then use GSview to comb through it. Make changes and reprint as necessary, GSview senses if changes have been made to the .prn file and reloads as necessary. You can do the same with Acrobat Reader if you have a PDF "virtual printer" such as PDF995 on your system.

Re: Print Preview Screen Size

Reply #29 –
Text mis-alignment is a windows problem. You get the same with many "wysiwy(should)g" programs.

Alt+- is normally the sub-window system menu, as Alt+Space is the window menu.

(Strange, the "right click key" (just on the left of the right ctrl key) doesn't act as a right click, but I think its purpose is the contextual menu.)

And finally, Windows (since '95, maybe before too) allows you to use some keyboard keys to move the mouse pointer. Go and check the Congig Panel, "accessibility option" (the one with a disabled person on a rolling chair); then "mouse" tab. Don't forget to "configure". You may use the Alt+LeftShift+NumLock to de/activate it (you hear a descending sound when switching off, ascending when on); I prefer "when numlock is disabled", because in that case you can still use the numpad as a numpad when NumLock is on.
When it is off, then 2,6,4,8 move the pointer around (1,3,7,9 work also, and with Alt or Ctrl (I don't remember) it goes quicker); 5 is to click, and /,*,- switch the click-mode to be left-click, left+right click, right click.
So a first right click is "/" then "5", subsequent right clicks are "5"; I think that "+" is always a double click (same mode).

If someone knows how to perform a drag'n'drop or selection with this method, I'd like to hear about it...

Of course you can still use your mouse normally :)

Hope this helps!

Re: Print Preview Screen Size

Reply #30 –
Yes, the preview is another place where the mouse is needed.

The preview simply cannot be totally trusted for text alignment. As far as I can tell, this is because the text actually gets kerned by the display device when in preview. When you print, the text gets kerned by the print driver. Without literally "rolling our own" kerning routines, there seems to be no way around this in the NWC preview.

The PDF/PostScript preview approach, however, does yield better results in this area.

Re: Print Preview Screen Size

Reply #31 –
It is important to select your printer before using print preview. As was noted, different drivers kern (or digitize) the symbols differently.

For example, suppose that your default printer is the XYZ Inkjet model 3. You look at print preview and all is OK. But then you decide to print to the ABC model 4 laser printer. You may find that the systems breaks are now in different locations than when you previewed them.

This is not peculiar to NWC. The effect can also be seen in common document programs.

Re: Print Preview Screen Size

Reply #32 –
>>The Print Preview is only truly accurate at the maximum magnification.
I find things don't always print according to what I see in the preview at this magnification either.

What is "wysiwy(should)g"?

>>It is important to select your printer before using print preview.
I have only one printer.  No choice for me!

Re: Print Preview Screen Size

Reply #33 –
WYSIWIG = What You See Is What You Get

Re: Print Preview Screen Size

Reply #34 –
Thanks, Fred.  That one wasn't in the MFUAs.