Custom sizes on mac -3800/3880 printer

[FrankG]

I am trying to print an image that is sized to 40cm x 60 cm (23.619 inches x 15.747 inches) on an epson 3880. Since the image is longer than the preset paper sizes (max 17x22), I am cutting off a paper roll and trying to use Custom Size Management.

Anyone have success printing longer than 22 inches on the 3800/3880 ?
I am getting the weirdest results with incorrect orientation and only segments of the image printing . If you google 'custom sizes 3800 mac' you see that I am not the only one, but there isn't a clear solution to be found. It seems that PS & the page setup aren't talking to each other nicely.
Preset sizes work OK.

Using Mac OSX 10.5.8 & CS4. I enter the correct width x height in the File>Page setup. It gives itself a name like 'untitled' which I can re-name. But in the PS>Print window it shows the orientation reversed. If I switch the width x height numbers in page setup (width as height etc) it shows it correctly in the PS>Print preview. Either way it doesn't print correctly, and not only is there incorrect orientation but it very weirdly only prints a segment of the image (like a 5.5 inch).

I read about and changed the unit measurement in my OS>System prefs> Intn'l formats> to be US which is how the PS pref is set (both in inches).
I have tried rotating the image.
Scaled is un-checked, centered is checked.
I'm using auto feeder (no roll paper support on this printer).
I've tried setting all the margins to 0 and also to 0.13 in and also to .25
I have not set anything on the printer's lcd menu.

Anyone have ideas of what may be the problem & solution?
Other than using a RIP.

Thanks

[Alan Goldhammer]

I responded to your earlier thread on this and have read all the responses.  To me this sounds like it might be a printer driver issue (since I don't see it happening on my system which is a Win7 machine).  Since you really want to print this weekend and Epson is closed, one thing to try is uninstall the printer and reinstall everything "with the latest Epson drivers."  I'm not a Mac person and there may be some idiosyncrasies about doing all this but give it a try and see if this resolves things.

[FrankG]

I'm no expert either hence my call for help. But since all the preset sizes work and everything else seems ok I doubt it's the driver. But I'm willing to try...where can I verify the version I installed (which came with the printer which was bought this week) and compare it to what is available on the epson site.

[Alan Goldhammer]

I'm no expert either hence my call for help. But since all the preset sizes work and everything else seems ok I doubt it's the driver. But I'm willing to try...where can I verify the version I installed (which came with the printer which was bought this week) and compare it to what is available on the epson site.

Drivers are here:  http://www.epson.com/cgi-bin/Store/support/supDetail.jsp?oid=141552&prodoid=63085147&BV_UseBVCookie=yes&infoType=Downloads&platform=Macintosh  I don't know how to find out what driver your Mac is using as I'm not familiar with it.  It also looks like you don't use OS 10.6 where there may be some issues.  You will need a Mac user to chime in.

[FrankG]

I found that I have the version 6.60 which is right for my OS 10.5
The next driver is for the next OS upgrade (10.6)

[FrankG]

I think I have it !
I decided to download the driver and re-install/overwrite it.
It is the exact same one - same version.
The original was installed off the CD that came with the printer.
My first custom size print worked - yay!

There is a bit of 'overspray' or maybe it's old ink on the rollers that is on the clean white border area - too bad ! But that is a different issue altogether.

Thanks all

[Alan Goldhammer]

Good to know.  It might be that there was something flaky about your printer installation.  Glad the suggestion worked and good luck with the printer it is a real workhorse.

[FrankG]

Thank you !