PLEASE help me print the thing: Custom Paper Size Edition

April 24, 2019 3:33 PM

I have a stack of blank 5x8 index cards. I need to print a thing on them. I did not expect custom paper sizes to be this difficult. HALP.

I have designed a thing in Adobe InDesign. I am using a PC running Windows 10, trying to print on a networked Brother HL-L2360D. I have tried to print the thing from InDesign and from PDF, but nowhere can I set a custom paper size of 5x8. All the custom paper sizes are greyed out. I have also investigated the paper sizes via the Brother driver, and am currently looking at the printer using BRAdmin. Still no custom paper sizes.

You'll be shocked (SHOCKED) to know that time is short. Printing on letter paper and cutting in half is not an option (I need 200 of these). I really just want to print my thing on my cards.

Help me, hive. You're my only hope.

posted by telepanda to Technology (4 answers total)

In Acrobat you can choose a 5 x 8 index card as a paper size. Go to the Print interface and choose Page Setup at the bottom left. In that window you can choose the 5 x 8 index card, which tray to print from, and the orientation. I am using an HP printer but I don't think that makes any difference.
posted by XtineHutch at 4:23 PM on April 24, 2019

Response by poster: It is definitely not a preset option for my printer, but it looks like “find another printer” could be an avenue to look into if all else fails. That is good to know.

I would still appreciate answers from anyone who’s successfully added a custom size to a Brother printer (I did google that and nothing I found worked.)
posted by telepanda at 5:32 PM on April 24, 2019

You’re printing using the manual load slot, correct? Looking through the online manual, it seems that all you need to do is adjust the feed gate to fit the paper stock and simply send the job to the printer.
posted by Thorzdad at 5:43 PM on April 24, 2019

This is a weird Windows-ism. The custom paper size settings aren't associated with the printer; they are global to the whole PC and thus associated with the printing subsystem instead.

Open Control Panel, go to Devices and Printers, and click *once* on the printer to highlight (but not open) it. You should then have a link for "Print Server Properties" appear on the top bar where the "add new devices" etc. options are. The resulting window should have a "Forms" tab that will let you create and save custom paper sizes / margins.

After you create what you need, you should then be able to go back to the individual printer driver settings and select the new form.
posted by CyberSlug Labs at 8:19 AM on April 25, 2019 [2 favorites]