Unable to change paper size and orientation

[Devuan]

Hello:

I am having the same/similar problem as the one posted here:

Unable to change print paper size to print labels

I’m trying to create and print labels, but I am unable to print them due to a paper size conflict between LibreOffice and the Brother QL-710W label printer. LibreOffice version 5.2.5.1 LibreOffice → create new document → page settings → page → Paper Format: User, Width: 3.3" (total 3.5" with margins), Height: 0.9" (total 1.1" with margins), Landscape, 0.1" margins all around. Also tried using File → New → Labels and setting [User] height and width. Same problem. Go to print with printer selec…

and here:

Printer Options: Paper Size, Orientation Are Grayed Out

Until recently I had the option to change paper size and orientation in the LibreOffice Print Dialog > General Tab, Properties Button. Now those options are disabled. And this is true for all 3 of my printers. It is also true on multiple computers. [image description] In the last few days I have been trying to solve some (other) printing challenges. Based on various support suggestions, I have upgraded a number things. For example, I recently upgraded to LO 5.0. I am not sure when I lost the a…

I run an up-to-date Devuan ASCII rig Linux devuan 4.9.0-8-amd64 #1 SMP Debian 4.9.110-3+deb9u6 (2018-10-08) x86_64 GNU/Linux and LibreOffice 5.2.7.2 20m0(Build:2).

My printer is a Samsung M2020W with the CUPS 2.2.1 server.

Problem:

In LibreOffice, I am not able to change the orientation and/or size of the page I want to print.

ie: File → Print → General Tab → Printer → Printer Properties → Paper Size => option is greyed out and inaccessible.

File → Print → General Tab → Printer → Printer Properties → Orientation => option is greyed out and inaccessible.

The only way out of this situation is checking the ‘Use only paper size from printer preferences’ box in the Options tab.

ie: File → Print → Options Tab → Options → Use only paper size from printer preferences.

This works well as once checked, the ‘Paper Size’ and ‘Orientation’ options are no longer greyed out and can be set as needed.

But the problem is that this setting does not hold / is not saved in the LibreOffice configuration.

ie: The next time I start LibreOffice, the ‘Use only paper size from printer preferences’ box is unchecked again.

Save for LibreOffice, this does not happen with any one of my other installed applications:

eg: Firefox - Master PDF Editor - Wine 1.8.7-2 and installed applications - Gimp 2.8.18

That being the case, I seems that we can rule out this being a CUPS 2.2.1 configuration issue.

Please advise.

Thanks in advance,

D.

Edited 14:13 -03:00 = fixed a terrible confusion/lapsus =-/
Edited 20181023 = added link with same issue

[mikekaganski]

Please note that this site is about LibreOffice, not “OpenOffice”. Though what is true for one, might happen to be also true for the other.

[Devuan]

Hello: quite so. I posted in an absolute rush, sorry - It’s fixed now. Thanks. =-)

[Devuan]

Hello: I see the post was closed for reason: not relevant or outdated. I’d appreciate if you’d take a minute to explain. Thanks in advance.

[ajlittoz]

@Hrbrgr: question related to LO; should be reopened? With +1 to “neutralize” it at 0?

[school]

Thank you for all the alternatives listed; I tried the last one which allowed me to go through the process, but when I tried to print it still printed in portrait instead of landscape. In the end I became so tired of trying that I have printed my documents in portrait; not really satisfactory but they will have to do until I have more time to try again.

[ajlittoz]

If you really can’t change page orientation, attach your file (or a sample of it with the problem) to your original question and we’ll have a look at it. You can’t attach files to comments.

[Devuan]

Hello:

While the question was closed (thank you for reopening it but still don’t know why it was closed) I found this tidbit in Google’s bowels: link text

It refers to a bug that affects LO from as far back as the 4.1.0.4 release, to this day unassigned.
I believe it is closely/directly related to the issue in my post.

A fellow by the name of ‘seacape’ link text, briefly and clearly summed up the problem:

“The current UI is a recipe for user frustration. Please change it. The default should be that LO automatically honors any settings the user specifies in print Properties. That is the behavior users expect.”

Can’t contribute much else for the time being. If at this stage the bug is still unassigned it may not ever be.

Any ideas?

Thnaks in advance.

D.

[SethG]

For me, the solution was to change the orientation via Format - Page… - Page - Orientation.

[MHBurton]

This was an old post but I still encountered the same problem today.
I’m using Libre Office 6.4.7.2 (20.04.11) on Linux Mint.
After several attempts to get it to work, I found a not very elegant solution, I downloaded the newer 24.2.5.2 which seems to be a version of v7. Since my version of Mint (v 20) does not have this newer version on its software distribution (yes, an upgrade should be made available - why hasn’t it been?) I installed the Snap version so have both running on the machine.
Anyway, the new version allowed me to create a label with the dimensions I wanted.

[Wanderer]

@MHBurton

my version of Mint (v 20) does not have this newer version on its software distribution (yes, an upgrade should be made available - why hasn’t it been?)

Mint is based on Ubuntu and Ubuntu does only “minor” updates of installed software. So I guess your version may never leave 7.
.
On the other hand Ubuntu itself uses Snap, so will have the newer Updates…
.
The “why?” you have to ask at your distributions maintainer, as this decisions are not done by TDF/LibreOffice.