Plotter Rotation - Getting it Right     
           
          •  Have you ever spent hours trying to figure out why - just why - you can't get your 
               plot job to come out of the plotter with the right orientation? 
          •  Have your prints been cropped oddly? 
          •  Do you just want to save paper, and not waste the entire side edge of a wide but 
               short print that just came out the wrong direction? 
           
             incorrect rotation           correct rotation 
                                                                  
                                      
          Here is the proper process for getting the plot rotation right. 
          There are usually two main problems that you'll encounter, or a combination of both. 
          This process applies mostly to Adobe Acrobat (Pro or Reader), but it generally also 
          applies to any software. 
           
          1 the wrong page size setup (width and height), or just the wrong order of these. 
          2 too many things telling the plotter to rotate the print, so in the end you can't predict 
               which way it will go. 
           
          So here is how to fix it. 
          Steps: (Windows and Macintosh screen shots included) 
           
          First, select File > Print and chose the plotter you want to use. These instructions 
          work for all of the plotters (and printers) in the building. 
           
          1. Setup the proper Page Size - the paper itself coming out of the plotter. 
          You need to set the paper size to match your print and orientation. 
           
          From the Print dialog, choose to set your page size through the  
          Properties button (Windows) or the Page Setup button (Mac). 
       Set your custom page size to match the image / page you're actually printing. If the 
       image is wide and short, like the cityscape pictured above, then set: 
          Width: 40" 
          Height: 12" 
       to match the actual width and height of the image as you would look at it normally. 
        
       The Width is the width of the plotter, standing in front of it looking straight at 
       it. 
The Height is the length of the roll that will roll out. 
This is always the case. 
       If your image is wider than 42", you will need to setup the paper to run the other 
       direction: 
          Width: 12" 
          Height: 48" 
       and then use the Landscape orientation to turn your image sideways (see below). 
        
       In Windows, after selecting File > Print, and the plotter you want to use, click the 
       Properties button right next to this. 
        
                                        
       In the dialog that comes up, find the Advanced tab, and choose Postscript Custom 
       Page Size / Edit Custom Page Size under the Page Size: selection. 
        
       Set your page size to the appropriate width and height. Make sure you also set the 
       Paper Feed Direction so the proper edge - long or short - of the size is the leading 
       edge. In this case, the Long Edge is to come out first, keeping the 40" direction at the 
       top of the page. 
        
       Click OK as needed to finalize. and get back to the main print screen. 
        
                                     
                                 
       In Mac, select File > Print, then choose the plotter you want to use. 
       Now choose Page Setup from the bottom-left. 
        
                             
       Find the Paper Size drop-down, and choose Manage Custom Sizes from this list. 
       Add or edit the proper size. Remember which direction is width and which is height. 
       Click OK as needed to finalize. and get back to the main print screen. 
        
                                               
       2. Setup your print Orientation - Portrait or Landscape - turning your image to fit 
       the physical paper. 
        
       Now, back at the main print screen, find the Orientation section at the bottom-left, to 
       set Portrait or Landscape. 
        
       NEVER leave the Orientation selection to "Auto Portrait/Landscape". This fools the 
       printer, and will often rotate it unexpectedly. 
        
       Manually choose either Portrait or Landscape, and view the result on the right. The 
       proper result should be clear at this point, since you set the proper page size and 
       physical orientation just a moment ago. 
        
       In this example, the page is properly in Portrait mode, because that's the way you 
       would look at it normally on your screen, and the way you want it to come out of the 
       printer (the leading edge of the paper roll is "top"). 
        
       If your image / print is wider than 42", this is where you will need to use Landscape 
       mode, since the plotter is only 42" wide. Your image will turn sideways to fit the paper.