Vertical lines are slightly misaligned when printing PDF

[Wigwag]

Hello,

I've created several test PDFs (with various PDF settings) in Designer and Publisher (v1), but whenever I go to print, the lines are slightly misaligned. This mostly seems to happen with the vertical lines. PDFs that have been created in Illustrator and InDesign seem to print without any problems so I don't think it's a printer issue.  

Attached is a close up of one of the printed test PDFs. Am hoping someone might know how to solve this.

Thanks so much for your time. 

[NotMyFault]

Does this happen on page 1 or on later pages?
Can you upload the afpub file showing the issue? And a screenshot of export settings incl more UI used to create PDF.

[nickbatz]

My guess is that the paper slipped in the printer.

The print driver's media handling settings might be different, i.e. that could account for it working in some programs but not others.

[Wigwag]

Hi @NotMyFault, thanks so much for your quick reply. Appreciate it.

48 minutes ago, NotMyFault said:

Does this happen on page 1 or on later pages?

I only created one page. 

-------------------------------

Here's a screenshot of one of the PDF settings I used:

 

 

I've also attached the afpub file. The misalignment is only visible once it's been printed (mainly on the outer box borders).  

LineTest.afpub

Edited March 4, 2023 by Wigwag

[Wigwag]

6 minutes ago, nickbatz said:

My guess is that the paper slipped in the printer.

I hope that's all it is. It's happened with several different ADesigner files now. So you reckon it might not be anything to worry about?

 

2 minutes ago, nickbatz said:

The print driver's media handling settings might be different, i.e. that could account for it working in some programs but not others.

Aaah true. Thank you!

 

[Alfred]

31 minutes ago, nickbatz said:

My guess is that the paper slipped in the printer.

 

10 minutes ago, Wigwag said:

I hope that's all it is.

It seems rather unlikely.

11 minutes ago, Wigwag said:

It's happened with several different ADesigner files now.

 

2 hours ago, Wigwag said:

PDFs that have been created in Illustrator and InDesign seem to print without any problems so I don't think it's a printer issue.

 

[henryanthony]

@Wigwag If you post the PDF, I would be happy to print it out on my black and white laser printer. Maybe others would try it too.

[NotMyFault]

3 hours ago, Wigwag said:

Hello,

I've created several test PDFs (with various PDF settings) in Designer and Publisher (v1), but whenever I go to print, the lines are slightly misaligned. This mostly seems to happen with the vertical lines. PDFs that have been created in Illustrator and InDesign seem to print without any problems so I don't think it's a printer issue.  

Attached is a close up of one of the printed test PDFs. Am hoping someone might know how to solve this.

Thanks so much for your time. 

It seems the glitch is happening in the middle point of the line. The line has a stroke width which is anti-aliased across 3px when viewed in pixel persona, with partial alpha. On the printout, the line seems no anti-aliasing happens, and the line width gets exactly 1px of printer resolution. So I assume this is a print driver issue. You may try a test document using px as units, and line width of integer px multiples, positioned at integer positions.

[NotMyFault]

It seems the image of the printout does not match the afpub file you uploaded later. It would help to get matching files.

[nickbatz]

2 hours ago, Alfred said:

 

It seems rather unlikely.

 

 

Why? I'd say a misaligned printhead, but if the file looks right on the screen and prints fine from other programs, where else in the chain could it be?

 

[Alfred]

14 minutes ago, nickbatz said:

Why? I'd say a misaligned printhead, but if the file looks right on the screen and prints fine from other programs, where else in the chain could it be?

 

I don’t know, but I can’t see why the paper would slip in the printer exclusively for AD files.

[nickbatz]

Just now, Alfred said:

I don’t know, but I can’t see why the paper would slip in the printer exclusively for AD files.

If the printer thinks it's printing on 40lb paper and you feed it extra heavy fine art paper...

 

[firstdefence]

I printed the afpub doc out on an Epson WF-C5210 series laser printer.

All of the vertical lines are staggered, I changed the 1PT rectangle to integer values with the stroke at 4px integer and dimension and location as...
 

Transform

The result was...

I also converted to curves to check the nodes X and Y locations, I had the pixels set to 6 places in Preferences.

[Hilltop]

10 hours ago, NotMyFault said:

It seems the image of the printout does not match the afpub file you uploaded later. It would help to get matching files.

Yes, the posted file is different from the one shown above. 

But I printed it out on an Epson ET-8550 and it looks perfect.

[Wigwag]

Good morning,

Thank you all so much for your replies. I really appreciate it.

 

On 3/5/2023 at 12:04 AM, NotMyFault said:

It seems the image of the printout does not match the afpub file you uploaded later. It would help to get matching files.

You're absolutely right, the file was slightly different to the original photo. My mistake, sorry. I believe I've now attached the correct file. 

 

Also, thank you, thank you @firstdefence and @Hilltop  for test printing! So weird how different the outcomes are. I only get misalignments on the outer borders.
@firstdefence Do you sometimes see staggered lines with your printer? 

 

On 3/4/2023 at 10:25 PM, henryanthony said:

@Wigwag If you post the PDF, I would be happy to print it out on my black and white laser printer. Maybe others would try it too.

Thank you! The pdf doesn't seem to want to attach..... 

 

On 3/5/2023 at 12:34 AM, Alfred said:

I don’t know, but I can’t see why the paper would slip in the printer exclusively for AD files.

This is my feeling too at the moment.

 

LineTest2.afpub

[firstdefence]

26 minutes ago, Wigwag said:

Do you sometimes see staggered lines with your printer? 

No, that doesn't normally happen.

just for funs, I copied the paths from LineTest2.afpub into Illustrator and printed from illustrator, the result was a single step line on the right side of each rectangle approx mid way down the right edge, I didn't get the stepped lines on the internal vertical lines. I then printed from Affinity Publisher and got the same result.

So, illustrator produced the same result with the paths in the same way as Affinity Publisher. So same paths/curves, same print driver software. I also did an alignment check and printed again with the same result above.

[NotMyFault]

I found similar issue reports from other apps

https://forums.autodesk.com/t5/autocad-forum/help-lines-printing-jagged-from-pdf/td-p/9728983

 

[Hilltop]

1 hour ago, Wigwag said:

Do you sometimes see staggered lines with your printer? 

No, haven't seen anything like that (yet).

[Wigwag]

2 hours ago, firstdefence said:

No, that doesn't normally happen.

just for funs, I copied the paths from LineTest2.afpub into Illustrator and printed from illustrator, the result was a single step line on the right side of each rectangle approx mid way down the right edge, I didn't get the stepped lines on the internal vertical lines. I then printed from Affinity Publisher and got the same result.

So, illustrator produced the same result with the paths in the same way as Affinity Publisher. So same paths/curves, same print driver software. I also did an alignment check and printed again with the same result above.

Wooow thank you for the thorough check. So strange.

 

1 hour ago, NotMyFault said:

I found similar issue reports from other apps

https://forums.autodesk.com/t5/autocad-forum/help-lines-printing-jagged-from-pdf/td-p/9728983

 

Thanks! Will have a deeper dig into this.

 

1 hour ago, Hilltop said:

No, haven't seen anything like that (yet).

Weird..... But also somewhat comforting that it printed fine for you. 

[Lee D]

I've done a couple of test prints from Designer V2 as it's the current version. I've also exported out using the same PDF settings and then printed from Adobe Acrobat. So far all exports and print outs are fine, no issues with the lines.

[Wigwag]

19 hours ago, Lee D said:

I've done a couple of test prints from Designer V2 as it's the current version. I've also exported out using the same PDF settings and then printed from Adobe Acrobat. So far all exports and print outs are fine, no issues with the lines.

Hey @Lee D, thanks so much for taking the time to check. I'm relieved to hear you didn't have any issues.

I'll have access to the printer again on Friday (it's at work) so will give it another try then. I still find it strange, though, that @firstdefence also had problems with the file.

Thanks again.

[firstdefence]

I Also tried V2 but got the same issue, I ran another vertical alignment check and I did change the settings on the printer and got the same step but the other way so the step is now on the left side, so that was obbvious but I got my Inspector Clouseau magnifying glass out and the right side is also out of alignment but doesn't look as obvious as the left side.

I do think this is a printer issue and the alignment needs tweaking, so now I know that I need to get somewhere in-between the previous setting and the last setting I now have to nudge the alignment back to the right a shade.

[Wigwag]

1 hour ago, firstdefence said:

I got my Inspector Clouseau magnifying glass out

Haha, wow. I'm touched by all this effort. 

 

1 hour ago, firstdefence said:

I do think this is a printer issue and the alignment needs tweaking

Aaaaah okay. Thank you!