PDFCREAT.PPD (Changing A4 Default)

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1

How can I change the default paper size from A4 to Letter?

I tried changing the following lines in the PDFCREAT.PPD:

*DefaultPageSize: Letter
*DefaultPageRegion: Letter
*DefaultImageableArea: Letter
*DefaultPaperDimension: Letter

However, printing still defaults to A4, and I have to change it each time in the printer properties.

 

 

2

Anyone figure this out? I often use PDFCreator to collect multiple documents into a single PDF, and it's incredibly frustrating to find that I've forgotten to change the paper size on just one of them. It can ruin an entire print job, wasting hundreds of sheets of paper. Would really like to find a fix for this, which seems like it should be a very simple problem.

3

I am trying to figure out how to add a new page size to the list. Editing the PDFCREAT.PDD file in {Windows}\\System32\\spool\\drivers\\x64\\3 did not seem to help. I was able to remove page sizes, but not add page sizes.

Anyway, for the topic at hand... I don't know if this affects the default, but I found a setting in the Windows registry at

HKCU\\Software\\PDFCreator\\Printing\\Papersize

 

Now that I'm looking a the the settings dialog, it seems like the way I've forced it to default to Letter before was this:

1. Open the PDFCreator print monitor (the PDFCreator item in your Start menu)

2. Open the printer options (Printer > Options)

3. Set to use fixed paper size (select the Document settings item in the Program box, then select the Document properties 2 tab)

4

Thanks for the suggestion.  However, the paper size selection on Document properties 2 tab does not help my problem.  It still defaults to A4.

5

 I was able to get PDFCreator to use a default paper size other than A4. Here's how.

1. Start the PDFCreator main program as Administrator (right click on the icon and select Run as administrator).
2. Open the options (Printer > Options)
3. Add a new profile.
4. Set the fixed paper size (Document settings > General Settings 2 tab)
5. Save the profile and close the options window.
6. Add a printer linked to the profile you created (Printer > Printers, then type in the new printer name and click Add).
 
Now when you print, use the PDFCreator printer that is linked to the profile you set up.
 
There are some caveats to this method because the printer profiles seems to be buggy. See comments #19 and #20 on this thread and also my post #25:
http://www.pdfforge.org/forum/open-discussion/4746-pdfcreator-099-released#comment-1135
6

I often use PDFCreator to collect multiple documents into a single PDF, and it's incredibly frustrating to find that I've forgotten to change the paper size on just one of them.

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ccna

7

The settings are hidden away in a different part of the Control Panel -> Printers & Faxes.

  • Right click on the PDFCreator printer in the Control Panel.
  • Go to General tab -> Printing Preferences button -> Advanced button
  • Change Paper Size from A4 to Letter.
  • These are Windows-based settings. You may need to follow previous posts' advice about setting the page size within PDFCreator's options.

Note: Confusingly there is an Advanced tab of the printer properties with a similar screen called Printing Defaults. Letter is already the default page size, but obviously that doesn't work!

 

8

tibbar,

Thanks for reminding me of this.  What I’ve discovered is that when you get an update of PDFCreator it does an uninstall of the existing printer and an install of the new version.  This removes the Letter paper size and it is reset to A4.  I’m going to start a new thread on this.  I’ve been burned by this and will probably switch to a different pdf solution as a result.