Stupid printing question

[lorbethm@adobeforums.com]

I have set my page margins at 1/2 inch. However, when my 8 1/2 x 11 inch document prints on my HP 940c, it doesn't print the margins...it prints the entire page even outside the margins. I'm using InDesign CS. What setting am I missing that will make it print just what is inside the margins?

Any help would be appreciated! I know this has to be easy and I'm just missing it, but I've been looking for 2 days!

Thanks!

Lorie

[Clay_Fowler@adobeforums.com]

Stupid printing question

Lorie,

The page margins in the document set-up window merely tell InDesign where to place the margin rulers. That way it knows where to place the automatic text box on the master page (if you are using one). It does not, however, control anything about what prints or does not print. In that respect, InDesign's margins are not the same thing as your printer margins. If you have an item on the page outside the ID document margins, it will print just like anything that appears inside the margins would.

Having said that, a trick to accomplish what you are looking for is to make a new layer on top and place white boxes on all four sides, effectively masking off the margin areas. You may show or hide this layer at your pleasure and it won't affect any of your elements that bleed into the margin area.

Hope that helps.
Clay

[lorbethm@adobeforums.com]

Thank you!! I appreciate your quick help. :-) That is a really screwy way to do something, but at least it will work now!

Thanks!

Lorie

[Lisa_Spike@adobeforums.com]

I haven't worked much with the bleed function in InDesign, and this would probably only work with a new document, but I think you could make your page size the print area you want, and add a bleed area around it, which you can choose to print or not print.

As clay said, the margins are really only guides.

[Jason Hughes]

I'm new to InDesign, so my apologies for the newbie question:

How do I make the margins appear?

It seems like it should be a simple task, but I can't get that magenta box to appear on the master pages (or regular pages) and without that box, I'm having a tough time getting the headings to line up in from one page to the next.

T.I.A.,
Jason

[Alan_Gold@adobeforums.com]

View > Show Guides

Or Ctrl-;

[Lisa_Spike@adobeforums.com]

Or you might be in preview mode. The buttons on the bottom of the tool palette toggle between "normal" and "preview" mode. (As does the keyboard shortcut which is "w", it's easy to hit this acidentally and not know what you've done.)

[Jason Hughes]

Yup. View > Show Guides worked. I knew it would be something simple like that. Thanks for your help.