1/2" grid

[japeflakes]

I am trying to print off an A4 piece of paper divided into exactly half inches squares, say 16x22 Have tried in Word and Excel but not dead accurate. Is it me or what am I doing wrong? To repeat I want them at exact 0.5 inch spacing over the whole sheet

Any suggestions please? Thank you

[julia_pse]

Do you have Publisher?  I use that if I want to do an accurately measured box, because you can add layout lines and move them about using the rulers at the top and side to guide you.

Not sure how to get exactly what you want in Word, but I'll go and have a quick play and see if I can manage anything.

[ITBookworm]

I don't image it is you   If the grid looks correct on the screen but doesn't print correctly the problem will probably be with the printer or the printer software.

I haven't tried what you are wanting so I can't be sure.... I do know that if I print a complete page of addresses onto a page of sticky labels, supposed to be spaced correctly, the last few seem to have crept up the page and aren't centred on the bottom line of the labels where as the top row is. I could never work out what to change to make any difference.

I assume the printer doesn't pull the paper through at a totally fixed rate and the very very slight variation means the results aren't 100% accurate. The other thing that I do know is that most printers will not print on the very edge of the paper which might also cause you a problem.

Good luck with getting something that will work for you.

[julia_pse]

OK, you probably won't be able to go right to the edges of the page, because of the printer margins - the printer has to leave a blank bit round the edge to hold on to while it is printing.

But, if I insert a table, say 12 rows by 8 columns, and then take the mouse up to just outside the top left corner an icon appears of 4 arrows in a cross-hair.  Click that to select the whole table, and then go to the centre of the table and right click to bring up the menu and then choose 'table properties'.  You've got 2 tabs there called Row and Column, and in those you can set fixed sizes for the rows and columns.  Mine will only let me swap between cm and percent, but 1/2" will be 1.27cm.

Is that any help?

[japeflakes]

Thanks for the replies so far.
I don't mind if there is a printer margin round the edge. That is why I said 16 x 22 squares

Have set tables to 0.5" but not accurate when printed

Using a Canon P4700 printer.

Can use an Apple if any better, but had no luck there either (same printer)

Tried with a Canon 4200 printer and a Laser but not right yet.

Keep sending the suggestions please...Thank you

[julia_pse]

Maybe it's to do with the paper size.  Make sure you have the page layout set to the right paper, and I don't know whether Word (or your printer) has any options to scale the document to fit the page - if it does then turn it off!

How inaccurate are your boxes?  Are they OK one way but not the other, or are both dimensions wrong?

[japeflakes]

Tried the scale factor in and out

Out both ways. I am only talking a fraction but still not correct

Does line thickness have an effect? although have tried various thicknesses.

though it would be easy....sure it is if......

[julia_pse]

Oh dear.  Sorry, but you've got me stumped then!  I can't think of anything else that it could be.

Good Luck with finding the answer!

[Gadget]

Hi japeflakes 

I've not used these sites,  so can't guarantee anything  - but it's free


http://www.printfreegraphpaper.com/


and

http://www.paperprintout.com/freePrintouts.php?paperCategory=Graph_Paper


and


http://incompetech.com/graphpaper/plain/



gnu