how to make a scaled test print?

[howardm]

I've got a couple of panoramas that I've been working on and it's time to make a test print or two.

Obviously I dont want to burn up full 38" sheets but I do want to print out selected sections of the image
at the final pano resolution on 5x7 or 8.5x11 sheets to see if I've nailed it before going to 38" paper.

Can some kind soul post the steps as to how I'd do that?

TIA

[digitaldog]

So you want to see a small snippet at the full rez? Easy to do in Photoshop. Setup the page size (lets say its 8x11). Assuming you have the image properly sized (12x40), that smaller paper size in Print will show you a small area at the output size fitting within that smaller 8x11. You should be able to move the larger image around within that smaller page to see what part will print after you turn off Center Print. To move the image around the page, alter the Top and Left fields. Then print.

[howardm]

thanks Andrew.

I had tried that originally but the image display in the print dialog was HEAVILY pixelated (like 3 PPI).  After fussing
around, and closing/reopening the dialog, it was correct.

[artobest]

Qimage makes it even easier with its test-print cropping function (once you've figured out how it works, that is).

[Craig Murphy]

Yeah.  With Qimage but highlight the 'once you figure it out' part.  Pretty damn confusing.

[louoates]

Why not just crop the image in PS down to whatever test size you want?

[louoates]

On just cropping in PS  ...make sure you don't put any numbers in the crop boxes or resolution box. Leave them blank. Just use the cropping tool to cut what you want and save that file as test strip 1, etc. For an exact crop dimension watch the sizes in the info palate. Those numbers change as you change the crop size. That way the resolution will remain the same no matter what size you crop.

[digitaldog]

Why not just crop the image in PS down to whatever test size you want?

Because you can do this in the Print dialog without having to undo afterwards. Crop and print on the fly, to the paper size you configure.