How do you print the image actual size?

[PJ Noxon]

If you make an image, and check the properties to see that the

image is 4.7cm by 6.6cm, but then the print is always a full page.

How do you print the image actual size?

 

I am using a HP Envy 4520 printer.

 

If I open the same image in Windows Paint, it is easy to do this.

[kreemoweet]

There is no "actual size". Digital images do not have physical sizes. The "size" attribute you see in properties just

tells you how large the image would be IF it was displayed at the (arbitrary) DPI attribute also in properties.

The DPI number can be anything. The Windows Paint program has a print dialog that can be used to adjust

the image print size. The one used by Paint.net has much more limited options, but you can certainly use it

to choose more than full-page sizes.

Edited March 3, 2022 by kreemoweet

[ardneh]

Create a file with canvas size equal to the paper size used by your printer.

Paste your smaller image onto the canvas and print.
 

[HyReZ]

The problem is not the image size, but the functionality built into the print utility settings options.
I can print a HD 1920 x 1080 px image onto a business card or onto a billboard.

The printer utility that is used in the Microsoft Paint program is designed for use within MS Paint.
The printer utility that is the default for Paint.NET is the Windows Print Pictures program.

The Microsoft Paint program's print utility is more refined and has features that are more useful to

those who are not just making a quick series of snap shot prints.

Paint.NET use to support a great plugin called "Print It' but it was removed because it violated PDN plugin development rules.

There is a similar print utility within a freeware called IrfanView that you may want to check out:
IrfanView - Official Homepage - One of the Most Popular Viewers Worldwide

 

Here is a screen shot of my use of IrfanView's print utility:

Below is an example of using the MS Paint program within Windows to print an image that I created to PJ Noxon's dimensions of 4.7 x 6.6 cm.

I used the Page Setup option of the app before printing:

Edited March 5, 2022 by HyReZ

[goonigoogoo]

On 3/4/2022 at 12:28 AM, kreemoweet said:

There is no "actual size". Digital images do not have physical sizes. The "size" attribute you see in properties just

tells you how large the image would be IF it was displayed at the (arbitrary) DPI attribute also in properties.

The DPI number can be anything. The Windows Paint program has a print dialog that can be used to adjust

the image print size. The one used by Paint.net has much more limited options, but you can certainly use it

to choose more than full-page sizes.

 

If the software lets you resize an image with measurements in cm/inches, then yes, the image does have physical size.  Ridiculous that it doesn't just let you print the size it lets you set it to!

[Jefrey]

This is insane: this is a standard feature in every paint program I've ever used.

 

The program lets you set an image size but the print part of the program is simply SHODDY. It does not do the most simple, basic thing.

 

This is a gaping failure of design and has been this way FOREVER.

 

Devs need to get on the ball: this is really awful.

[victorbrodt]

This is somewhat silly in that there's a simple solution. Very easy. Put your item on an 8 1/2 by 11 background (or the same size paper that you are set up with). When you have the item printed out that way, the printers software fills the whole screen in the manner that you've made the entire image, even with white. It does not really matter if it's 600 dpi or 96. If you fit the item to the page of your background to the page you print out it will work. Many Printer softwares have a little box to check which is "fit to page" uncheck that "fit to page" and it will stay the size that you want. (In my experience and you set it up right- if you check or uncheck it it stays the same size but I seem to remember one case where it is slightly less, so it could put a border of white around the page so as to look like a typical  photograph.)

To explain a little more-use a simple example of a one inch artwork item output of 100 dpi, put it on the full sized background just as you want for the paper size. You can use the software ruler to measure the size and it comes in handy and exact. But if you print the item with no background, then the item will expand to fill the area with a 100 x100 dots and you will use a 100 x 100 dots= 10,000 that will fill your entire page. That number of dots will look grainy and waste a lot of ink. When you go to print it, the pre print visual will look as if it fills the entire page (or almost an entire page with a dog gone boarder around it to make it look like a giant photograph.) The output will look terrible too because it is too few dots to make an entire page look acceptable. Then the final print will be useless on top of it.

So whatever the story, set up your entire digital page to be the same as your paper when you start your  artwork. If you want to just use the artwork for websites, 96 dpi works well, if for print 320 would probably be acceptable. And if you want to use artwork for a book print and website, start w the large and then size down when needed.
**If this helps please upvote so that people don't need to go through everything to get a practical answer.