Posted by Nina Garrido on 11/24/13 1:20pm
Msg #493920

Mac Users: Software/Printers to print mixed pdf page sizes?

I've been a Mac user since the 80s and have been printing my docs via the Windows version of Adobe Acrobat through bootcamp and accessed through VM Ware. I have a 10 year old HP 2430n dual tray printer that I'm looking to upgrade which has been bullet proof all this time. The rollers are starting to make a popping/binding noise and I'm contemplating if I should spend the $300-$400 for the maintenance / repair or just buy a newer faster printer.

I know the Mac version of Adobe Acrobat does not have the coveted "Choose Paper Source by PDF Page Size" feature and so is there any PDF software out there for the Mac that will automatically print mixed pages sizes if one has a dual tray printer? I've been searching for the past few years with no luck.

After having a technical conversation with another notary this week, he informed me that Xerox and Brother printers can print mixed pdf page sizes automatically where this feature is built into their firmware and not software reliant- doesn't matter if you use Adobe Acrobat or Mac's Preview. I read that the Brother 5370 and 5470 printers can print mixed page sizes as well as the new Xerox 3610 / 3615.

Due to their reliability and my experience with HP printers, I'm considering the HP Laserjet 602n that prints a blazing 52 ppm but unfortunately the firmware is not as smart as the Brother and Xerox printers from what I'm told.

I appreciate any comments or feedback that anyone can provide when it comes to Mac software or opinions / reliabilty of Brother and Xerox printers. Also, please let me know what your toner costs are and where you buy. I've been buying my OEM HP 11x cartridges (high volume 10k pages) from a specific seller on ebay (open box toners with sealed bags) for years with 0 issues for $80 - $100 a cartridge.

Reply by Barb25 on 11/24/13 2:30pm
Msg #493932

Ar you sure about Adobe Acrobat. My friend has adobe reader I think (bear with me I have only talked with her on the phone/ she has the <MAC). "we" were looking for it. Under custom it has choose paper by pdf page size (I believe)

Sorry for being so vague. But it was there. She is outputting to a 4250N refurbished from a MAC (dual paper size)

Reply by The Notary Company on 11/24/13 3:17pm
Msg #493934

Are you sure your friend was running the Mac version of Reader? The "Choose paper source by PDF page size" option ONLY exists in the Windows version of Adobe Acrobat. If they were running it on a Mac, they must have been running a copy of Reader through Windows via a bootcamp partition.

I've been using the Mac version of Adobe Acrobat for several years (currently on version XI) and it has never been an option. Currently, the only way the Mac version of Reader will deal with mixed page sizes in a PDF file is that it will shrink the "Legal" size pages to "Letter". See the following Adobe article:

http://helpx.adobe.com/acrobat/kb/print-mixed-page-sizes-acrobat.html

Reply by Barb25 on 11/24/13 3:27pm
Msg #493936

I really don't know. Where would she have gotten it, I wonder? She just got the 4250 though. How do you out put dual sizes to the printer from the Mac?

It seems so strange because in her version of Reader (again I am working blind with her) I kept telling her go under this drop down, go under that, etc. And finally under customize she found the one I speak of.

On my out put to 4250 from windows 7 Reader/Acrobat there is just a check box in the output print menu. I wish I could see what she is seeing.

Now she did have a problem the other day. It printed some pages down further and others it clipped about an inch on the bottom. I don't know.

But again how do you print legal/letter automatically. You would think the mac version would be better than the windows version. I don't understand

Reply by The Notary Company on 11/24/13 4:23pm
Msg #493940

First off, the options in the print dialog boxes for each version are somewhat different and so I'm not sure how you were able to guide her through with selecting printing options. The Windows version has the "Choose paper source by PDF page size" option which allows for automatic tray selection of mixed Legal and Letter sizes pages if one is printing to a dual tray printer. The Mac version DOES NOT have this option. You can manually print all docs on letter or all docs on legal, or spend the time manually selecting the proper tray to print from for each page which is a pain. Or, you have the option to print mixed sizes on letter where it will shrink legal pages to letter. See the following link on how to accomplish this and screenshots of the different print dialogs:

http://helpx.adobe.com/acrobat/kb/print-mixed-page-sizes-acrobat.html

If she was able to print mixed page sizes using the Mac version where it was pulling from both trays automatically, I'd be VERY interested on how she was able to accomplish this. Screen shots and detailed instructions on what options she selected would be much appreciated. From what I gather, the 4250 that she is printing to is an HP printer which eliminates the probability that the printer is smart enough to pull from whatever tray automatically. I know the Xerox and Brother printers have this capability in their firmware.

Reply by Barb25 on 11/25/13 7:42am
Msg #493959

I have a feeling the 4250 has a lot to do with it. But your explanation if most helpful. I am going up to NY where she is soon and I will look at this. While I am far from a guru, I have more experience that she does with printers and docs, etc. The seller is not really Mac experienced and for now your info will be helpful and if she can just get her docs out correctly on legal, it will be perfect for now.

I should add that although she is printing mixed media by pdf page size they are not all coming out correctly. While according to her (all I have to go by), some are printing several inches down the page and I don't even know if they can be adjusted or how it would affect other pages. Some are clipped at the bottom, i.e., the signatures the 1003. Some of fine. Some are reduced. So all is not good. I don't know what version she is using. So I will keep in touch on all of this after I look at this myself.

Thanks for all the info.

Reply by The Notary Company on 11/25/13 5:09pm
Msg #494034

No problem. Sounds like her print settings in Adobe Acrobat are not set up properly if content is being cut off at the bottom. With the Mac, you can only print to one tray at a time where it's either legal or letter. The link I provided earlier explains in detail on how to print mixed sized PDFs for the Mac. Just remember, if you print everything to letter, the legal size pages will shrink to letter. If you choose the legal size tray, everything will print to legal size including the letter size pages in the pdf file - it's as simple as that.

Reply by Barb25 on 11/26/13 8:38am
Msg #494094

Thanks. But I must say that it is incredible that a program that came from people that came from a group of forward thinkers that revoluionized the graphic arts industry today and put industries such as the one as I came all but out of business from would not think that the Mac if it were to have worldwide appeal might need mixed media output.

Reply by The Notary Company on 12/2/13 8:22pm
Msg #494749

The lack of printing mixed pages sizes where the software chooses the appropriate tray to pull from automatically is an Adobe problem. Adobe just chose to leave this capability out of the Mac version of Acrobat.

From my research, Xerox and Brother printers are smart enough to print mixed pages sizes due to their more advanced firmware and print drivers. Therefore, you wouldn't need Windows under bootcamp to accomplish this coveted mixed size printing task.

I'm currently looking into buying a Xerox for my next printer.

Reply by Stoli on 11/24/13 4:21pm
Msg #493939

Glenn Strickler was the Mac expert. He recommends Boot Camp

Re: Mac computers
Posted by Glenn Strickler of CA on 1/11/11 11:39am Msg #368002

"....The problem with not being able to choose your tray by paper size is not likely to be solved anytime soon. Steve Jobs and Adobe are at war over the use of Flash in their products. Adobe reader has a reader that is compatible with the Mac O/S, but it is lacking many other features that the PC version has in addition to being able choose paper size.

I was going to bore you with a little history on why Apple is only 5% of the operating systems in use now, but I didn't want to put you to sleep. I will try to sum it up in one statement: Apple wanted to tell business what they needed rather than listening to their concerns.

There is one thing you can do if you must buy an Apple and still use it in business, or for those with Apples that use Intel chips. You can go to the Apple store and either have a tech tell you or pay him to partition your hard drive so you can run a dual boot system. You will have to buy a full install copy of Windows 7 for about 100 bucks or so. The Intel chips will allow Windows to run the same as on a PC. But be aware, since the change to Intel chips, they use the same motherboards, the same internal parts as a pc, with an Apple design. Apple is not putting much money into their computers, choosing instead to put most of their R&D money into phones, iPads, iPods etc.
So you have that choice or you could just get a pc for 1/2 the money already loaded with everything you need ......

Reply by Nina Garrido on 11/24/13 4:55pm
Msg #493944

Re: Glenn Strickler was the Mac expert. He recommends Boot Camp

Thanks for posting. I read that post before posting my original message. The info is a bit dated but still has some validity today comparing Mac vs Windows. For Apple products, HTML5 is definitely more popular now than it was a few years ago. My sister was working for Adobe at the time where she told me that a number of projects that were flash based were effected or scrapped when Apple released the iPhone 4 in 2010 that didn't support flash.

Reply by Barb25 on 11/25/13 7:53am
Msg #493962

Nina: Looking for a sollution myself

for a friend I see that Bootcamp is still available on CNET free. Why wouldn't you use this again. I have a 4250. It is a workhorse of a printer (4350 faster) cheap that works with windows perfectly. Lots of control.

You say Bootcamp works great. It may be a solution for my friend who already has 4250N dual tray. Would love to know more about bootcamp and how to use it.

Reply by The Notary Company on 11/27/13 6:07pm
Msg #494314

Re: Nina: Looking for a sollution myself

Ever since OS X Leopard 10.5, Bootcamp has been built-in to every Mac as long as you have version 10.5 or above. Whatever you saw on CNET for free, I doubt it's the same thing. I remember Apple had a downloadable unsupported beta version for Tiger 10.4 several years back. See the following links for detailed info on how bootcamp works and how you can install Windows on a Mac:

http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1461?viewlocale=en_US&locale=en_US

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QFIWtXTl4d0

If you or your friend needs more help, the Genius bar at a nearby Apple store would be glad to help for free. Browse here to schedule an appointment:

http://www.apple.com/retail/storelist/

Reply by shawna on 11/25/13 11:07am
Msg #493987

My solution to this was to buy a cheap $300 laptop. The only thing I use it for is to print docs. I have been using this method for 3 years and I have been stress free. I love my Mac!

Reply by Saul Leibowitz on 11/25/13 11:09am
Msg #493989

I did the same and it is a wonderful solution.

Reply by Barb25 on 11/26/13 8:41am
Msg #494097

I agree. I think that is a great solution for our business.