did this just start happening suddenly? or is this a new printer just installed?

Is the issue with a particular program or everything you try printing? Is the print quality what you expect apart from size? Is it text, graphics or both?

My HP has a "Fit to page" feature which I use when some of my graphics show as too large for the page, have you tried that?

raven-haven't installed a printer. it just started happening.

owbist-it's strange but it is happening at different times. The print quality is alright, it's the size of the text. I checked what I could find of the settings on the printer. I went to control panel and pulled up "printer" and checked those settings but I couldn't get anything to change.

Another thing.......I did some testing and have three different size print text and did not change any setting.

#1...Printed 3/12, off the Lily Auction...normal size.

#2...Printed 3/12, off Incredimail,noticably smaller but not tiny.

#3...Printed 3/10, off a web site I looked up,IE browser..wee tiny.

any ideas? Thanks for your time.

Web printing is tricky because it's basically written to look nice on your display with little thought to printed appearance. Is there a link to a 'Printer Friendly' version on the site you are attempting to print from? Incredimail may have an option for printing preferences too.

Pam

When I want things off the net printed I usually copy and paste it into Word so I can remove all the garbage they might include. Then I can resize and shuffle to fit the minimum number of pages. If anyone does not Have Word or Wordperfect then all flavours of Windows has Wordpad included at Start/All programs/Accessories/Wordpad

I have not noticed about the "printer friendly" version on the different sites, I normally just go up to "file" on the google toolbar and use the printer from there. I just can't figure out why it is different now, I haven't added or changed anything that I can think of. Everything printed fine until a couple of days ago.

owbist, I have done printing the way you do it but usually only when I can't get the page to print like I want.

I usually just highlite what I want to print then go to "file', choose 'print', then choose 'print selection'.
I've done it that way a long time, can't figure out why it's different now.

I don't know if this is a separate issue altogether but I did notice that when AVG ran the last scan a box popped up and said I had 19 'warnings'. I don't know what that means
or what to do about it.

download Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware to your desktop.

* Double-click mbam-setup.exe and follow the prompts to install the program.
* At the end, be sure a checkmark is placed next to Update Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware and Launch Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware, then click Finish.
* If an update is found, it will download and install the latest version.
* Once the program has loaded, select Perform full scan, then click Scan.
* When the scan is complete, click OK, then Show Results to view the results.
* Be sure that everything is checked, and click Remove Selected.
* When completed, a log will open in Notepad. Please save it to a convenient location. The log can also be found here: C:\Documents and Settings\Username\Application Data\Malwarebytes\Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware\Logs\log-date.txt
* Please post contents of that file in your next reply.
Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware

please do that scan, if AVG is giving you warnings lets make sure you do not have malware on the pc doing something.

lotodig
If your using Firefox when you go to File click - Page Setup
Put a check mark in Shrink to Fit Page Width.
Next - Margin and Header/Footer Tab = Set the Left and Right
to 0.0 - Click OK
For your printer I have mine set to Preview before it prints.
See if this helps.
cg

RAVEN......did the malware full scan. I already have it on my machine so I didn't have to download.

I didn't see anything but then I don't know what I'm doing half the time

Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware 1.34
Database version: 1830
Windows 6.0.6001 Service Pack 1

03/10/2009 9:52:17 AM
mbam-log-2009-03-10 (09-52-17).txt

Scan type: Full Scan (C:\:D:\:J:\:)
Objects scanned: 230096
Time elapsed: 35 minute(s), 52 second(s)

Memory Processes Infected: 0
Memory Modules Infected: 0
Registry Keys Infected: 0
Registry Values Infected: 0
Registry Data Items Infected: 0
Folders Infected: 0
Files Infected: 0

Memory Processes Infected:
(No malicious items detected)

Memory Modules Infected:
(No malicious items detected)

Registry Keys Infected:
(No malicious items detected)

Registry Values Infected:
(No malicious items detected)

Registry Data Items Infected:
(No malicious items detected)

Folders Infected:
(No malicious items detected)

Files Infected:
(No malicious items detected)

CBOY..thanks for the suggesstion but I use IE. I did go back in the printer settings and found where it says "print to fit" and made sure that was checked, but there is no difference in the odd size text on the printing.

thanks again, all of you for your time.

Maybe I missed it but I didn't see where you tried Pam's suggestion in regards to Printer Friendly. If I am correct please go to a site that offers Printer Friendly. First print the way you historically would, and then try the same page through the Printer Friendly. Results?

Is this still IE 7 or did you upgrade to IE 8 RC 1?

Also, and this is a stretch, on the IE Toolbar>View>Encoding> on the appearing menu, what is selected?

DA

DAMCOY...Have to own up to my lack of computer skills....I don't know which sites have the Printer Friendly feature.

I don't know where to find the IE setup to see if it's 7 or 8 RC 1.

On the toolbar>View>Encoding, this is what is selected:
Western European (Windows)
Left to right Document

If you will provide the website addresses, I will look at them for a Print Friendly link. Websites change things in the background all the time (updates or new software) and webmasters work pretty hard to ensure that the finished product (webpage) is nicely laid out, but I doubt that much is done to ensure good printing.

To find your IE version, just click Help and About Internet Explorer.

Pam

Thanks Pam, One of the websites is this one, GardenWeb Forum, I get different text printing from different pages that I print out.

Another example is this one:
http://allrecipes.com/Recipe-Tools/Print/Recipe.aspx?RecipeID=17515&servings=6

Another example:
http://daylily.com/cgi-bin/auction.cgi
This is one that printed out in regular size print

OWBIST...The IE version is 7.0

good your malwarebytes was totally clean.
{{gwi:1466096}}

there is a thumbnail pic of your all recipes site, if you click on the picture it will enlarge, you will see there are print options on the left you have small selected, try picking a larger option.

If you go to this link you will see right above the recipe it says printer friendly version if you click that it puts it in a plain format that is easier to print
TATER TOT CASSEROLE

by the way we LOVE that casserole! I add diced ham to mine and diced onion and use more cheese.

Thank RC,
A sinus infection sent me to bed early.

Pam

Again this is a shot in the dark. Change the encoding to Unicode (UTF-8).

DA

When printing a website. (I have IE 6)
At the top go to View - Text Size - Set to Largest.
This will make the text print out larger.
I tested this before posting.
cg

Here's something else to try. I had this happen to me on a financial site. When I printed, the print was so small I needed a magnifying glass to read it. I use this site all the time and it has always printed ok, so I don't know why it changed. Anyway, I clicked on File, then on Print Preview. When that screen came up, in the magnifying section it said 75%. I changed it to 100% and it then printed out fine. On another site it said Print to Fit, and printed too small so I changed to 100%. I'm unsophisticated in this computer stuff, so this may be all wrong. Just thought I'd mention it. HTH

DAMCOY....I changed the encoding as you suggested but there was no change in the text printing size.

JANETTE...thanks for the info and how you got around the problem. As I've said, I can't figure out why the change, I could get the correct size text by changing the %, but I just don't want to have to print something 2 or 3 times to get the results I want. I just wish I could fix it to be like it was before.

COBOY...I tried your suggestion and printed out a page and it looked great!!..right size text. I hope it has an effect on all the other sites. I'll test it out and see...let you know

THANKS everyone for your help and suggestions.

I too just noticed that the Print Function is suddenly defaulting to 'Shrink to Fit' every time I print. I guess I am in the same boat as you, lotodig. Now the only way to print something correctly everytime is to click the Print Preview and from there, set 'Shrink To Fit' to '100%'. What a pain in the posterior! Geeeez, I may change to Apple one of these days. Very irritating.

luis_pr...yes i know the irritation. The problem with doing the print preview thing every time is that a lot of time I just want to print a part of the page 'as highlited'.
When I do that it will not show up in print preview. I have not found a real solution for printing just the portion that I have highlited. But I do like you do and go to print preview and change the setting for a full page. if you discover where to go to correct the settings for this problem please let me know. I have Vista....what is your op.

luis_pr.......try this...when you do the print preview (or print)and when box comes up click on "preference'> click on 'effects' tab. > under "print task quick sets" make sure the line showing says "default print setting" and the black dot is filled in where is says "actual size'......I just happened to run up on this tonight and my setting were something else.... I'm not sure this is the fix we are looking for but I did a few test pages and got a normal size print on each try....I'll keep my fingers crossed...

The Op is XP Pro. The preferences did not have anything labeled like or labeled similar to your Vista's ('effects', 'print task quick sets', 'default print setting', etc). But I did look around...

Thanks for moving things around Microsoft.

Lotodig... RE: "I just want to print a part of the page as highlited"

Absolutely the best way that I have found to do any type of screen capture is to use FastStone Capture - selections, scrolling pages, windows, etc. Loads of options and you can choose printer, file, editor, etc. Click Settings Tab then Settings on the drop down menu (it is so obvious that you don't realise at first that there are 2 menus).

It is a small programme that can run all the time without affecting the computer's performance, or just start it when you need it.

My link is to the last free version that will do everything ever needed although there is a newer paid version that does even more! (Also have a look at FastStone Image Viewer - another of my all time favourites.)

FastStone home page

Colin

Here is a link that might be useful: Last freeware version FastStone Capture

bee4mee....that program looks very interesting but I can't get it to download. Do you have any suggestions. I have Vista ultima. Did you have a problem when you downloaded it??

bee4mee, please disregard the previous post,I did get it downloaded just fine. It looks like this is gonna be a great tool....thanks for telling me about it.

Lotodig, Thanks for letting me know it downloaded o.k. in the end. I am sure you will find the programme useful.

Colin

I have xp pro,ie7, same thing happened to me. It printed normal, then so tiny I couldn't see it.
On the L side of internet explorer, clicked "tools",scrolled to "toolbars", there will be a last word on the list,change to customize. CHANGE NOTHING BUT THE WORD TO "customize". Keep "status" & "toolbar" locked...printed fine again after that