Page Setup on Mac vs. Windows

[RobinDC]

I build some large forms in FM 10, some 3 pages, some 10 pages. Everything looks good on my Mac, both PDF and print have good page breaks. Now a Windows user clicks the button, the script takes the user to the layout, sets page setup and prints, but the page break on page one is off and gets worse with every page after.

Scripting the page setup on one platform seems to mess it up for the other. Does anyone know of a page setup setting that would maintain page breaks when printed on both Mac and Windows?

Thank you in advance.

Edited November 4, 2009 by Guest

[bcooney]

I don't think you have much control with this. It's really a font rendering issue, isn't it? Even the same font (Tahoma, Verdana, Arial), really isn't cross-platform exact.

[Vaughan]

Usually designing the form to fit the Windows platform works OK for the Mac, except if the layout has elements that have to match up perfoctly like a pre-printed for or something.

In that case, create separate MAc and PC layouts and use a script to select the correct one. The Get( SystemPlatform ) function is useful here.

[RobinDC]

Thank you bcooney. Font differences between the platforms are an age old issue I've grown accustom to with every program (Word, Powerpoint, InDesign...). My concern is the shape of the page. I've attached a screen shot demonstrating the different page setups on each machine.

Vaughan - Setting up different layouts is certainly a possibility. Currently, I have an IWP layout, printable layout, import layout and data entry layout. When a request comes in to change the form, all 4 layouts need to be updated. Since I'm not the only developer, it is hard for me to train others given the increasing complexity. I'm still hopeful it can work on one printable layout.

I have found if I point both Mac & Win to the same printer, I can save the page setup and get the bottom edge of the page pretty close on both.

[grumbachr]

You'll want to make sure you're using the same printer description file. There are difference is post script and PCL5/6 drivers for the same printers. I noticed in your picture that the Mac is setup to Any printer while windows is setup for an HP. What happens if you change the default on the mac to be specific to the same HP printer or for that matter an Adobe PDF.

I've gotten very close on many occasions but it never exactly the same.