Printing large trees on a single roll of paper

Rob Welbourn · Post by **Rob Welbourn** » Sun Dec 18, 2005 10:42 am

I have access to an HP plotter which could potentially do trees 24 inches high by upto 150 feet long. What's the best way of achieving this -- using a custom paper size?

Any way of having TreeDraw use an indefinite length of paper, and stopping printing when the plot is done?

Rob

Nick Hunter · Post by **Nick Hunter** » Sun Dec 18, 2005 10:43 am

Yes. TreeDraw will accept paper sizes up to 200" x 200".

TreeDraw has no concept of infinite-sized paper. However, on most printers, setting the page margins to zero gives the same effect.

Graham Hadfield · Post by **Graham Hadfield** » Sun Dec 18, 2005 10:43 am

Rob,

You will find that whilst you are able to use the full depth of your paper you will be limited to a width of about 26 to 27 feet. The reason is that the HP plotters are designed to print a single (user defined size) page and there is a maximum width allowable within Windows.

In order to print a chart up to 150 feet long you need a printer such as the Epson Stylus Color 1520 (which we have) or the Epson Stylus Color 3000. That type of printer is the successor to the old dot matrix printers which were designed for continuous (fan fold or banner) paper. As Nick says, setting left and right margins to zero results in the pages following one another without gaps, giving a continuous print out. The print depth, though, is limited to about 13.5 inches on the 1520 and about 15 or 16 inches on the 3000.

Regards,
Graham

Rob Welbourn · Post by **Rob Welbourn** » Sun Dec 18, 2005 10:44 am

Graham,

So the limitation is actually in Windows rather than HP's printer driver?

Regards,

Rob

Graham Hadfield · Post by **Graham Hadfield** » Sun Dec 18, 2005 10:44 am

Hello Rob,

Sorry for the delay in replying.

Yes, I believe it is a Windows restriction rather than HP.

Regards,
Graham

Bob Chalmers · Post by **Bob Chalmers** » Mon Mar 27, 2006 7:50 pm

Rob
Graham is quite right about windows however if you are using an HP plotter it is possible to set the page length to 120" wind the chart back into the plotter and carry on printing which if you are carefull allows you to print a series of pages looking as though it is one continuous sheet.

Regards Bob Chalmers

Graham Hadfield · Post by **Graham Hadfield** » Tue Mar 28, 2006 3:52 pm

Bob Chalmers wrote:if you are carefull allows you to print a series of pages looking as though it is one continuous sheet.

Scary - I think I'll stick to the Epson for long charts.

Regards,
Graham

Bob Chalmers · Post by **Bob Chalmers** » Wed Mar 29, 2006 10:57 am

It is not as difficult as it sounds Graham

Graham Hadfield · Post by **Graham Hadfield** » Wed Mar 29, 2006 8:16 pm

I'll take your word for it Bob - but I'll leave the workaround to you and stick to a machine designed for multi-page prints

Regards,
Graham