I’m trying to plot a square with 20 cm by 20 cm sides, but the left and right sides keep getting cut off.
When I convert it to a PDF and print, it doesn’t get cut off, but the line thickness isn’t how I want it, so I’m not happy with that option.
Is there a way to plot directly in QCAD so that the left and right sides don’t get cut off?
My QCAD version is 3.32.0.0.
Please help!
Thank you!
How do I fix the issue of the left and right sides getting cut off when printing?
Moderator: andrew
Forum rules
Always indicate your operating system and QCAD version.
Attach drawing files and screenshots.
Post one question per topic.
Always indicate your operating system and QCAD version.
Attach drawing files and screenshots.
Post one question per topic.
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JayPark
- Junior Member
- Posts: 10
- Joined: Sun Feb 02, 2025 10:35 am
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andrew
- Site Admin
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- Joined: Fri Mar 30, 2007 6:07 am
Re: How do I fix the issue of the left and right sides getting cut off when printing?
Could it be that your PDF viewer simply scales down your drawing to make sure that the whole drawing is within the printable area of your printer (fit to page)? You can verify this by measuring the square width with a ruler. If it is smaller than 20cm, your PDF viewer scaled it down.
You can see your physical printer margins under
Edit > Drawing Preferences > Printing > Page > Margins
Click Set to Printer Margins
If your printer has for example a 1cm print margin on each side, you won't be able to print a 20cm x 20cm square on an A4 paper which is 21cm wide.
You can see your physical printer margins under
Edit > Drawing Preferences > Printing > Page > Margins
Click Set to Printer Margins
If your printer has for example a 1cm print margin on each side, you won't be able to print a 20cm x 20cm square on an A4 paper which is 21cm wide.
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JayPark
- Junior Member
- Posts: 10
- Joined: Sun Feb 02, 2025 10:35 am
Re: How do I fix the issue of the left and right sides getting cut off when printing?
The size of the printout is correct, measuring exactly 20x20, which fits perfectly on an A4 sheet.
I've already tried adjusting the margin settings you mentioned, but it hasn't fixed the issue.
I've already tried adjusting the margin settings you mentioned, but it hasn't fixed the issue.
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CVH
- Premier Member
- Posts: 4919
- Joined: Wed Sep 27, 2017 4:17 pm
Re: How do I fix the issue of the left and right sides getting cut off when printing?
Hi,
As in the above forum rules in red ...
Please attach a drawing file example and the export in PDF with the wrong line thickness in this case.
When the used Lineweight is 'Default', please specify your user defined default Lineweight (Application Preferences)
There are two ways to export a PDF with the QCAD GUI, specify your method:
- Menu File .. PDF Export (XD) with the page Layout already configured.
- Menu File .. Print Preview (Ctrl+Shift+P) followed by clicking on the option button 'Export to PDF ...'
Where you can modify the page Layout before exporting in the second method.
A third method not using the QCAD GUI would use the Command Line tool dwg2pdf.
Presumed at scale 1:1 but the paper scale won't affect the Lineweight at all, pen sizes don't scale with paper scale.
In model-view using Screen-based Linetypes (and weights) (NL) by default that may be presented differently.
Screen-based is a hybrid system based on pixels, the screen dpi is typically much less than what a printer is capable of.
It will never be printed/exported in this way.
Toggle NL off to see the actual pen size in the curret drawing unit but note that in Model_Space there is no paper scale.
Although my printer is capable of printing border-less, the Printer Margins are reported as 4.23mm left and 4.28mm right.
There should be 1.49mm room left to include all of the pen thickness for a 200 by 200 mm square in scale 1:1.
Fine for 2 times half the pen size up to 1.40mm (ISO).
The vector art is the center path of the pen.
But it prints in pen 2.00mm (ISO) a square with an exterior size of 202 by 202 mm just the same.
Exported to PDF that may differ depending the PDF application and settings used to actually print the page:
At 100%, cropped to or scaled to the printable area, ...
Regards,
CVH
As in the above forum rules in red ...
Please attach a drawing file example and the export in PDF with the wrong line thickness in this case.
When the used Lineweight is 'Default', please specify your user defined default Lineweight (Application Preferences)
There are two ways to export a PDF with the QCAD GUI, specify your method:
- Menu File .. PDF Export (XD) with the page Layout already configured.
- Menu File .. Print Preview (Ctrl+Shift+P) followed by clicking on the option button 'Export to PDF ...'
Where you can modify the page Layout before exporting in the second method.
A third method not using the QCAD GUI would use the Command Line tool dwg2pdf.
Presumed at scale 1:1 but the paper scale won't affect the Lineweight at all, pen sizes don't scale with paper scale.
In model-view using Screen-based Linetypes (and weights) (NL) by default that may be presented differently.
Screen-based is a hybrid system based on pixels, the screen dpi is typically much less than what a printer is capable of.
It will never be printed/exported in this way.
Toggle NL off to see the actual pen size in the curret drawing unit but note that in Model_Space there is no paper scale.
Although my printer is capable of printing border-less, the Printer Margins are reported as 4.23mm left and 4.28mm right.
There should be 1.49mm room left to include all of the pen thickness for a 200 by 200 mm square in scale 1:1.
Fine for 2 times half the pen size up to 1.40mm (ISO).
The vector art is the center path of the pen.
But it prints in pen 2.00mm (ISO) a square with an exterior size of 202 by 202 mm just the same.
Exported to PDF that may differ depending the PDF application and settings used to actually print the page:
At 100%, cropped to or scaled to the printable area, ...
Regards,
CVH