How To Re-Size Page To Suit Ad Specs?

[davec]

Hello.

I've just typed up a page (including some photos) that, eventually, is
going to be inserted as an advertisement in a newsletter. They want "a
camera ready ad as a PDF". It's supposed to be 3 1/2 inches wide and 5
inches high.

My problem is that I've just printed the ad and it comes out 6 1/2
inches wide and 7 1/4 inches high. I can't, for the life of me, figure
out how to re-size the thing to its proper dimensions. I'm working with
Word 2004 and a G4 PowerMac.Is Word able to handle that sort of thing?
How-To, please. Thanks.

Dave

 

[Daiya Mitchell]

Hi Dave,

It sounds like you want Word to scale down the entire thing--shrink photos,
type, etc to fit in a 3.5x5 box. As far as I know that is not a feature in
Word, as Word is designed to reflow text across pages, not to fit text into
pages. Word will scale pages when printing--you might mess with the Layout
options in the print dialog and see if 2pages per sheet helps you out.

Otherwise, you would need to shrink the photos and type yourself, after
either setting the margins to squeeze the useable space to 3.5x5, or setting
up a custom page size as 3.5x5.

Another approach--convert your entire ad (as it is now) into a single
graphic image. Use a graphics program to shrink the image, which should
scale it down. You might even be able to scale it down by editing the
picture in a new doc in Word, but a graphics program would be better. No
promises about the quality here--print to make sure you are happy with it.

To convert to a graphic image--Print to PDF should do it, so might Select
All, Edit | Paste Special as Picture (in Word itself).

However, even my limited graphics knowledge suggests that since 6.5x7.25
(squarish) does not have the same proportions as 3.5x5 (definite rectangle),
scaling is not going to give you great results. Either you'll have wasted
space, or you'll have to stretch and distort text and pictures. I recommend
redesigning the ad to fit 3.5x5, using margins to squeeze the useable space.

Hope that helps,

 

[davec]

Hi Dave,

It sounds like you want Word to scale down the entire thing--shrink photos,
type, etc to fit in a 3.5x5 box. As far as I know that is not a feature in
Word, as Word is designed to reflow text across pages, not to fit text into
pages.

Thanks for the rundown Daiya. Intuitively, among the options, simply
putting it into PDF form and "scaling" it down sounds about right. BUT,
I went so far and not much further. I saved the thing as PDF, then
turned on Graphic Converter (the graphics program I have), went to its
"Size" drop down menu ... and then things went kaflooey. I'm still
playing with the variuous options there, but, so far, it seems to want
to take a 3 1/2 X 5 chunk out of the ad rather than shrink the whole
thing.

I'm no great GC maven, so there still may be hope if I play around some
more. If I stumble on a solution I'll post back for any others who may
be interested.

Dave

 

[CyberTaz]

One approach - although I'd prefer to do this in a DTP app;

In a new Word doc, go to File>Page Setup where you'll probably have to
create a Custom Paper Size of 3.5 x 5 (Paper Size>Manage Custom sizes).

While there, set your margins to .125 all around. Then go to Format>Document
& set the margins there to .125 with Header & Footer margins of 0.

Copy the content from the other doc into the new one & save the file. Then
go to Print, click the PDF button & select Save As PDF.

Most likely, however, "they" don't need the PDF at 3.5 x 5, but want the
content restricted to those dimensions. If they want it "camera ready" they
intend to print it to photo-offset anyway, so whether they print it to a 3.5
x 5, 4 x 6 or 8.5 x 11 page really doesn't matter - they just don't want to
have to scale or refit the content.

HTH |:>)
Bob Jones
[MVP] Office:Mac

 

[davec]

Thanks CyberTaz,

I've played some more with GC, but (whatever the heck I press/click) I
get a print in the dimensions I mentioned or a cute little squarish 3 X
3 inch (approx.) print. The "Size" menu in GC has all these options.
But, they don't do much for me.

I'm going to get to your very clear directions after I get a bite to
eat and forget this damn thing for a few minutes. Thanks again.

Dave

 

[davec]

Did it all CyberTaz (I think). Didn't work; the final printed page was
a 6 1/2 inch square.

These were my exact steps:

1) opened New doc -> File -> Page Setup ... at Page Setup window ...

"Settings" -> "Custom Paper Size" -> "Use Custom Paper Size" width
set to 3.5", height to 5" ... clicked "OK"

"Paper Size" -> selected "3.5 X 5" ... clicked "OK"

2) Format -> Document

set margins at "0.125" all round

set Header and Footer at "0" ... clicked "OK"

3) My original doc -> "Select All" -> "Copy"
In new doc -> placed insertion point -> "Paste"

And the resulting print size was the square thing I mentioned. Huh??
Something I did/didn't do?

Dave

 

[davec]

CyberTaz wrote:

I think this is where you're going astray. Leave the Settings: (top list) as
Page Attributes. Open the Paper Size: list & choose Manage Custom Sizes.
This is where you need to specify your 3.5 x 5 & .125 margins - also give it
a name - I called it QtrPageAd-Vertical.

Good morning. Apparently your printer software is a bit different. I've
got an Epson. On my machine opening "Paper Size" immediately produces a
drop down displaying custom size choices (including "3.5 X 5") and
there is no opportunity to name it.

In any case, the difference is probably cosmetic. I left "Page
Attributes" alone and followed thru on the remainder. Clicking "Paste"
(into the new document) produced the same earlier 6 X 6" thing. So, I
tried "Paste Special". There, things looked up a bit. My first attempt,
"Paste Special" -> "As ... Microsoft Word Document Object" transferred
only a chunk of the original doc's content to the new doc (which looked
properly sized).

I next chose "Paste Special" -> "As ... "Picture" and, semi-voila!
There it was, all of the original doc fitted into the proper size
working area. BUT ...

Two things happened. The doc's borders did not transfer along with the
rest. And, the original text and pictures were crunched into the new
page in their earlier proportional dimensions; that is, all of the
original doc occupied about the top two-thirds and left the bottom
one-third of the page empty. Not surprising, after a few minutes
thinking about it. After all, Word is not about to alter font size,
line length, space-between-paragraphs ... in short, will not "spread
out" the original doc to fill the new space.

And, of course, the doc was pasted as an unbroken "picture". I've no
way (given my not having expensive PDF manipulation software) to
manually alter the PDF's layout.

That's where it rests. Anywhere to go from here?

Dave

 

[CyberTaz]

CyberTaz wrote:



Good morning. Apparently your printer software is a bit different. I've
got an Epson. On my machine opening "Paper Size" immediately produces a
drop down displaying custom size choices (including "3.5 X 5") and
there is no opportunity to name it.

The choice you made should still work ok, but it is intended primarily for
photo paper. The listing I'm referring to is at the very bottom of that list
& reads as "Manage Custom Sizes..." - I have an Epson as well.

In any case, the difference is probably cosmetic. I left "Page
Attributes" alone and followed thru on the remainder. Clicking "Paste"
(into the new document) produced the same earlier 6 X 6" thing. So, I
tried "Paste Special". There, things looked up a bit. My first attempt,
"Paste Special" -> "As ... Microsoft Word Document Object" transferred
only a chunk of the original doc's content to the new doc (which looked
properly sized).

....because the whole thing wouldn't fit within the confines of the new
[smaller] doc. Keep in mind that the area surrounding the 'page' is *not*
workspace, so the remainder will not be allowed to overlap.

I think you're trying to select everything at once & as a result you are
getting the last para mark in the doc you're copying from. That marker
contains all the doc's specs, including margin settings, dimensions, etc.,
which would explain why the new doc is "exploding" when you paste. If you do
the copy & paste bit-by-bit, text & each graphic separately, I think you'll
have better luck... And avoid copying that last para mark.

Resize each graphic & reformat the text as necessary... It may help to do
that before copying from the original.

I next chose "Paste Special" -> "As ... "Picture" and, semi-voila!
There it was, all of the original doc fitted into the proper size
working area. BUT ...

Two things happened. The doc's borders did not transfer along with the
rest. And, the original text and pictures were crunched into the new
page in their earlier proportional dimensions; that is, all of the
original doc occupied about the top two-thirds and left the bottom
one-third of the page empty. Not surprising, after a few minutes
thinking about it. After all, Word is not about to alter font size,
line length, space-between-paragraphs ... in short, will not "spread
out" the original doc to fill the new space.

If you try the method described above you shouldn't have to do more than
rearrange things a little, although it depends on what you mean by "border".
If you've used a Page Border you most likely will have to re-apply it in the
new doc - I'm not sure how it will come over, if at all.

And you're right - Word will not automatically scale anything to fit the new
location. Whatever size it is when you copy is what you will paste. If you
use the As Picture option you can resize the picture, but it may not be
proportional to the new doc & might also lose sharpness.

And, of course, the doc was pasted as an unbroken "picture". I've no
way (given my not having expensive PDF manipulation software) to
manually alter the PDF's layout.

If the content is handled right in the Word doc there should not be any need
to modify the PDF. When you print to PDF the dimensions et al will just 'be
right'.

That's where it rests. Anywhere to go from here?

Dave

Good Luck |:>)
Bob Jones
[MVP] Office:Mac

 

[davec]

CyberTaz wrote:

The listing I'm referring to is at the very bottom of that list

& reads as "Manage Custom Sizes..." - I have an Epson as well.

I'm afraid we're stuck in some Epsonian trick. They do that. Just to
keep users on their toes. Mine doesn't show "Manage Custom Sizes", as I
said. I'd be happy to email a screen shot if you want.

...because the whole thing wouldn't fit within the confines of the new
[smaller] doc.

I assume you're referring to my getting a "chunk" portion of the
original doc when I selected simple "Print" (rather than "Print
Special"). Yes, it "wouldn't fit".

I think you're trying to select everything at once & as a result you are
getting the last para mark in the doc you're copying from. That marker
contains all the doc's specs, including margin settings, dimensions, etc.,
which would explain why the new doc is "exploding" when you paste. If you do
the copy & paste bit-by-bit, text & each graphic separately, I think you'll
have better luck... And avoid copying that last para mark.

You betcha! I'll certainly give it a try. The piecemeal approach.

Resize each graphic & reformat the text as necessary... It may help to do
that before copying from the original.

Problem is, I'd have no way of telling how much damn space I'm
reformatting into. If you know what I mean. I can't see a way of
working with the original doc and, say, placing a dotted-line template
over it (to represent the new, smaller, doc dimensions) ...just wishful
thinking ...in order to see what I'm doing. Get it?

If you try the method described above you shouldn't have to do more than
rearrange things a little, although it depends on what you mean by "border".
If you've used a Page Border ...

Yep, that's what I mean. You know, "Format" -> "Borders and Shading" ->
etc.

you most likely will have to re-apply it in the

new doc - I'm not sure how it will come over, if at all.

That, I've already discovered: it doesn't come over.

And you're right - Word will not automatically scale anything to fit the new
location. Whatever size it is when you copy is what you will paste.

I know. I was just engaging in wishful thinking, again.

If you use the As Picture option you can resize the picture, but it may not be
proportional to the new doc & might also lose sharpness.

For sure, about not being proportional. That's what I'd already
discovered.

I'm going to try the piecemeal approach, somehow. But, it's not at all
obvious to me that when it comes to re-sizing those pieces to fit the
new doc's dimensions (working in the original doc's space), how I'd
tell how much/little to resize each piece. But, thanks for the time
you've given to my measely problem.

Dave

 

[davec]

Hello All.

As promised, this is my Guide To The Perplexed, to anyone thinking of
converting a Word document to one in different proportions. Don't try
it!

I've tried using Word 2004 for the task, and with the help of some List
members. After a fair amount of messing about, it seems that Word
simply doesn't have such capability. Keep in mind, I'm not talking
about what's usually termed "resizing". "Resizing" simply shrinks or
expands what you've got, keeps the top and side proportions intact.
(There are also a slew of separate software packages ... I've looked at
two of the cheaper ones, ImageWell and EasyBatch ... which advertise
"resizing" as among their features. The same holds true there; not made
for re-proportioning.)

In short, the only reasonably workable solution is to forget
re-proportioning entirely. If you need this capability, *start again*.
Yes, make a new doc in the dimensions you require. Word, of course, is
extremely versatile in setting a new doc's outside dimensions. First
set the outside shape, then fill it in. (Daiya suggested as much
earlier on.)

Dave