Print margins not printing correctly, why?

[Scotishmariner]

I am using Linux Mint 20.3 Cinnamon, a HP Deskjet 2652 and recently upgraded to LO version 7.3. I’m still having the same issue with the 6.4 version of LO that came with my distro. My problem is the printing of margins which is driving me nuts.

Even though the document says the margins are 1" in LO and the printer preview looks like the margins are thus, when it prints out, the top margin is 5/8" If I try to print out labels using the installed Avery template 5160 - the labels print out higher than they should and the last label only prints the first 2 lines.

I’ve tried to ensure that the paper size in my document is the same as in the printer properties and still have the same problem.

I’m at my wits end.

[EarnestAl]

You could try some of the ideas in the Linux Mint forum link below. Even though it is an older thread, the second to last comment seems promising, What is wrong with Printing and Linux? - Linux Mint Forums

[Scotishmariner]

Well, the 2nd to the last comment on that thread fixed one thing but not the whole problem. Under job options to select print to scale worked in that the bottom label did print fully. But the margins on the left and in between the labels (both side to side and top to bottom) do not print correctly. I have the paper size as being 8.5 x 11. There are other options in the job section for the printer - lines per inch, etc… I may have to play around with that.

If anyone has any other suggestions, I would be grateful!

[Hrbrgr]

And what page format is the template Avery template 5160?

[Scotishmariner]

US Letter - 8.5 x 11

[Grantler]

@Scotishmariner Be so kind and upload an anonymized sample file (including some lines of text and/or graphic object(s)). BTW: Are you using the label assistant and synchronizing your labels or are you using the original Avery template which surely is based on a simple table?
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As a workaround you could export your Writer file into a PDF file and check this first on screen and later on a printout (print as a pdf and printout on paper).
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Cheers
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EDIT
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I have downloaded a Avery conform label page from: Download WL-875 Word Template which reads that it is

Same size as:** Avery® 5160®, 5260™, 5520™, 5660®, 5810™, 5960™, 5970™, 5971™ , 5972™, 5979™, 5980™, 8160™, 8460™, 8660™, 8810™

I’ll try to make it conform to OpenOffice

Here you are! Both templates could be excellently exported to PDF file format.
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Avery5160_SimilarBasedOnTable.odt (38.2 KB)
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Avery5160_SimilarBasedOnFrames.odt (40.2 KB)

[Scotishmariner]

I tried both of your files - cuts off the last portion of the 10th row, cuts off the right hand side label, and everything that prints after the first row of labels inches up so from row 2 on down, it prints off the label. I am using the label assistant but not synchronizing the labels. I am selecting the Avery template listed in the label assistant.
My address return.odt (35.5 KB)

[EarnestAl]

Sorry, scale to fit wasn’t ever going to work for labels.

If you export/print to pdf are the page margins correct?

If they are and you print the pdf, are the margins still correct?

I suspect an issue with the print driver. Is there an alternative print driver you could use?

The link I gave earlier mentioned hp-doctor, is that available still in Linux Mint?

[Grantler]

@Scotishmariner

I tried both of your files - cuts off the last portion of the 10th row, cuts off the right hand side label, and everything that prints after the first row of labels inches up so from row 2 on down, it prints off the label.

May be problems with the printer driver, as @EarnestAl has stated.

@Grantler

As a workaround you could export your Writer file into a PDF file and check this first on screen and later on a printout (print as a pdf and printout on paper).

Have you checked my tip and can you tell us about the result?!
Cheers

EDIT

@Scotishmariner

recently upgraded to LO version 7.3. I’m still having the same issue with the 6.4 version

If the printer environment is confused also other apps could suffer from that. As I told you in my tips try out other apps; surely you have a PDF reader and surely you can print a printer test page (printer properties → settings (?) → tests and maintenance (?)) - question mark meane rough translation.

[Scotishmariner]

I’ve tried exporting to pdf. For some reason, it thinks it’s printing on 8 x 10 paper and so it starts out well but doesn’t stay that way. I’m sorry, I’m an idiot. I don’t know what to do. There’s several places where I have to change the paper size and even if I make it 8,5 x 11 the default, it keeps changing back. And if I get it to 8.5 x 11 - it cuts off the 3rd column altogether. I’ve used hp doctor and it tells me this:

[ajlittoz]

It looks like the printer description file for your printer could not be loaded. What is your version of CUPS?
You can have tons of information by going to http://localhost:631 in a web browser.

[Scotishmariner]

it says 2.3.1 - I deleted the one printer and then reinstalled it. I’ll try to print again and see what happens!

[Scotishmariner]

I can’t get it to print right at all! When I select to print and in the print window it says it’s 8 x 10. If I change it in the printer settings (within the print window) to 8.5 x 11, the last column of labels are totally cut off and it only prints 8 rows. Here’s what the printer looks like in localhost:

[Scotishmariner]

Well, I went into HPLIP and it says there are no HP installed devices found. Though in the Printer tray, there is a printer installed, the HP Deskjet 2600. When I try to install via HPLIP, I usually get an error message saying that some port is blocked. I used to be a computer tech (hardware) a very very long time ago, but I’m still getting used to Linux after kicking Windows to the curb a few months ago. This is the error message I get: HP Developers Portal | Troubleshoot Network Issues

[Scotishmariner]

Well, after a bunch of nonsense, I finally got it to print correctly. First I had to go through localhost and add the printer per the website listed above. It finally shows up in HPLIP. When I go into LO, I have to select HP Deskjet 2600 series e6b144 as the printer. I had to adjust the left margins to .23 instead of .19 and the width of the labels to 2.75". Finally!! I have printed labels. Gotta tell you HPLIP and Linux really don’t play well together. Thank you all for listening to me whine and helping!

[ajlittoz]

My CUPS is 2.4.2 (under Fedora 36). Printer descriptions are provided by package gutenprint-cups (version 5.3.4). It offers a PPD for HP series 2600 (apparently all models are managed by the same PPD).
I’m not sure about the compatibility between HPLIP and CUPS. You should check that. HPLIP is a kind of all-in-one app, handling printing, scanning and copying. CUPS is specialised in printing. Scanning is handled by SANE.
You should try CUPS+SANE (HPLIP unisnstalled) if the PPD can be enabled. Otherwise, go for HPLIP without CUPS.