5.1.7 Unprintable-Region Dimensions

One common aspect in printing technology is that many printers do not have
the ability to print text and graphics on some portion of the page,
referred to as the unprintable region. The reasons for an unprintable
region vary according to the individual device. For example, most laser
printers have an unprintable region that varies with different page sizes.
Many narrow carriage dot matrix printers can only print 8 inches of text or
graphics. Additionally, the use of sheet feeders on many non-laser printers
can introduce an unprintable region on the top and/or bottom of the page.

In order to obtain correct output when using different combinations of
printer models, paper sizes, and paper sources, it is important that a
minidriver specify information about the size and placement of the
unprintable regions of a printer in the appropriate location in the
minidriver.

For more information about limitations imposed by a specific printer model,
see Chapter 8, Specifying Printer Model Data.

For more information about limitations imposed by a paper-feed method, see
Section 5.3, Specifying Paper Sources later in this chapter.

The Unprintable Regions control contains four boxes which specify the size
of the unprintable regions at the top, bottom, left, and right side of a
particular paper size. The unprintable region described for a paper size is
that region where output is clipped as a result of physical limitations
imposed by the printer's hardware.

In order to determine the unprintable region for a given paper size,
perform several trial-and-error tests. General values may be obtained by
following the steps listed below:

To determine the location of the printer's physical boundaries:

1.  Create an ASCII text file using a line width that exceeds the paper
    width and a page length that exceeds the paper height.

2.  Copy the file to the printer.

3.  Measure the distance from the left edge of the paper to the left edge
    of the text.

4.  Measure the distance from the right edge of the paper to the right edge
    of the text.

5.  Measure the distance from the top of the paper to the first line of
    text.

6.  Measure the distance from the bottom of the paper to the last line of
    text.

To determine the unprintable region:

1.  Convert the four values obtained above into master units.

2.  Enter these values in the unprintable-region controls.