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Big Fish
29-Jan-2009, 18:12
Greetings....

I am printing on an Epson 9880 using 44" roll paper. To use paper efficiently I would like to print two 20" x 24" on the Epson however, to my knowledge, does not allow this. In PS CS2, how do I place 2 landscape images to make one file so that it can be printed next to each other?

Many thanks.

Big Fish

aphexafx
29-Jan-2009, 18:43
Just create a 22" wide image at the same DPI (and same mode/colorspace) as your source image, copy your source (select all first) and paste it twice side by side aligned to the edges: this will give you two inches of space between each piece and one inch to paper edge. If you cut down the middle you will end up with a one inch border to work with for each piece. Your print file will be slightly larger than twice the size of the source file, should you choose to save it.

20 (source) x 2 (count) + 2 (space) + 2 (non-print remainder) = 44 (width of paper) and is well within any 44" printer's margin (if it even has one).

Ben Hopson
29-Jan-2009, 18:51
Perhaps start by opening a new blank document the size and resolution you need to contain the two image files, then open and drag the images onto the blank document. Rotate the images however necessary to fit. That should work. I use Image Print RIP and just select paper size and open, position images and print, but you should be able to set up the two images on one document in Photoshop.

Ben

IanMazursky
29-Jan-2009, 19:24
The best and easiest way is to use a rip or a product like ImageNest.
Not only do they help mitigate variables, they also have features you cant find in photoshop.
But you can also create a large document and manually palace the files.

Big Fish
29-Jan-2009, 20:29
Greetings and thanks to Aphexfx, Ben and Ian...

Thanks for your reply but none of the suggestions were applicable. I am using CS2 (not interested in purchasing other software) and would think that such a sophfiscated program, could place 2 images next to each other for printing would be easy but it's not. I would think the same for a $5000 printer but it's not true.

Thanks.

Big Fish

Joe Blaze
29-Jan-2009, 20:51
Go here http://www.ddisoftware.com/qimage/ to read about the Qimage product. It is a print layout tool. Its inexpensive, easy to use and well supported. With it you can define a page size and then layout multiple images within that 'page'. I have been using it for several years with Epson 7500 and 7880.

Or try in Photoshop CS3: File > Automate > Picture Package and create a custom page and layout.

aphexafx
29-Jan-2009, 21:32
Hi Big Fish - I'm just curious as to why creating a larger image and pasting your original into it twice, side-by-side won't work for you? Unless swap-space is an issue, CS2 is wholly capable of doing this and it will solve your problem quite quickly.

eric black
30-Jan-2009, 07:32
Go here http://www.ddisoftware.com/qimage/ to read about the Qimage product. It is a print layout tool. Its inexpensive, easy to use and well supported. With it you can define a page size and then layout multiple images within that 'page'. I have been using it for several years with Epson 7500 and 7880.

Or try in Photoshop CS3: File > Automate > Picture Package and create a custom page and layout.

This is the method that I use for my 9600 with great results-I keep a series of these on file and can pull up and print a variety of sizes at once, while maximizing the use of paper. I also include within the file compensation for the extra paper that Epson puts on the top and bottom of a print to save that paper as well- in my case with the 9600, Epson adds 7/16 of an inch to the top and bottom in my case so the print coordinates at the top of the print are decreased accordingly and the programmed final print size is 7/8 less than what I want. So if I want a 20 inch long print job with a 2 inch border on each size of the actual printed area (actual picture being 16 inches on the long side I use 1.438 (rounded up) as the setting for the upper corner and then set the final print size to 19.13.

mcfactor
30-Jan-2009, 08:20
Shouldnt this be in the digital hardware section?

Gene McCluney
31-Jan-2009, 04:09
You should have no problem creating a document in photoshop (any version) and pasting 2 images of appropriate size side-by-side into it. Each image is a separate layer. You will have to "flatten" the image and save it in order to print it. I don't think your difficulty is Photoshop related, but rather if you cannot do this, perhaps you do not have enough memory in your computer (ram) to allow for such a big file?

To create the printing file, open your first image in photoshop, select-all, copy, create and open your final document file, select "paste". The image will appear centered in the new document. Use the "move" tool to move the image to one side of the document. Repeat for image number 2. Once you have both images in your document arranged the way you like them, select "flatten image". Then save the image as a jpg or tiff. Once the image is flattened and saved, select print and Photoshop should bring up your printer driver and allow you to print. These are very general instructions which should work with the last 4 versions of Photoshop. There may be alternate ways to do this, also. You can either rotate each image before you select it, or you can rotate each image in the final document before you flatten it, if you need to rotate.

I use a RIP which makes this type of job easy as pie.

venchka
31-Jan-2009, 16:41
Are you positive that the Epson print driver doesn't have a paper saving mode that automatically stacks prints to conserve paper? HP plotters had that feature in the 90s.

Adobe Lightroom allows you to print multiple cells on a given paper size. That would solve your problem.

Big Fish
13-Feb-2009, 14:13
Greetings...

To all who have applied to this thread...many appreciations. I apologize for late response as I got the flu(first time in over 20 years) and then taxes just after the post. I am finally back and have tried all your suggestions most with considerable success. The File>automate>Picture Pakage seems like it could work but for me was limited as couldn't edit.

The other approach, I opened my first image in PS>Select>All>Edit>Copy then created a New file and Edit>Paste. I opend #2 image, Select>All>Edit>Copy> Paste with both images in the new File (Canvas)side by side. The Move tool only let me move one image. They were aligned but I could not adjust or lay out to show white space borders. When I went to print(Epson 9880) the preview image only showed one image.

I am about to start a printing series (16 images in one project) and more in another. I want the prints to be 20 w x 24 high with a one inch white boarder all the way around. I am printing Museo Silverag 305 ("44 roll)and I just hate wasting paper let alone the expense. The two image printing format is a tool that I will use quite a bit and currently investing in RIP now is "not in the picture" but is in the future.

Expertise, patience and willingness to assist is greatly appreciated.

Best...

Big Fish

Ben Hopson
13-Feb-2009, 14:40
Big Fish, In Photoshop after pasting the images on your blank, new canvas, you should be able to move both images wherever you want. You must first click on the layer containing the image to be moved in the layers palate. That will determine which image is active and thus enabled to be moved.

Ben

Big Fish
15-Feb-2009, 16:17
Thanks to all...

I figured it out thanks to your suggestions and the PS layout looks good. Having the rulers on was a big help. I have not completed a test print but will soon. It looks good in preview but I have a few questions on the printing side which I will post seperately.

Best...

Big Fish

Gene McCluney
15-Feb-2009, 19:07
After you get all your images within one canvas window, and have them moved around to suit you, be sure to "flatten" the image and save it. Then print it.

Big Fish
16-Feb-2009, 10:31
Thanks Gene....

On my printing workflow Flatten images is a primary activity. Again, many thanks. I am going to post a digitial printing question today to help clarify the printing workflow.

Best..

Big Fish