How to register the workstation’s pixel dimmensions?

I
Posted By
iceberg
Dec 17, 2004
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468
Replies
13
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Closed
Does anyone know how/where am I meant to register my monitor’s pixel dimmensions to support the render-sized preview (i.e. "Print Size")?

The advertised "Print Size" preview feature is very important to me as it (potentially) avoids a lot of surprises and wasted time. However, despite extensive searching I have not yet discovered anywhere to register my monitor’s (non-square) pixel dimensions.

I am currently working around this by setting the Screen Resolution in the Units & Rulers / New Document dialogue (!) to the nearest approximate size (96 ppi as it happens) and then jamming my display’s H & V controls hard over to force it to produce exactly 96 square pixels / inch! This is very unsatisfactory abuse of the monitor.
P.S. Anyone from adobe lurking here?
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I
iceberg
Dec 17, 2004

P.S. Logically the monitor’s resolution should presumably be grouped
with its colour profile but I couldn’t see where Adobe picks these up from either.
C
cb
Dec 17, 2004
Even with square-pixel monitors, View>Print View is not accurate. (Photoshop does not know your monitor’s resolution setting.) But in your case (using a monitor with non-square pixels) maybe try going Image>Pixel aspect Ratio and adjust the pixel ratio for that image. Then modify your monitor’s resolution and tweak Y and H geometry to get close to your print size.
C
cb
Dec 17, 2004
And…
The feature allowing adjustment of the Pixel Aspect Ratio is only in Photoshop CS (8.0), not earlier versions.
I
iceberg
Dec 17, 2004
To adobe: Why is it not accurate? It is a totally trivial matter to calibrate the physical resolution of any monitor- e.g. on the back of the color profiling.

I don’t have CS 8 to investigate – but it sounds very much like this is just another work around. I definitely do not wish to "fudge" my products nominal aspect ratio as this could cause big trouble downstream (the printer might comply!).

So, before I spend any more time or money on Adobe products – are we saying that as yet PS doesn’t even have the most basic device modelling ability?
C
cb
Dec 17, 2004
Have you posted this on the Adobe Photoshop Forum at Adobe.com? At least one Adobe Engineer participates regularly, and he (among others) may be more able to address your concerns.
W
WharfRat
Dec 18, 2004
in article ,
wrote on 12/17/04 8:15 AM:

Does anyone know how/where am I meant to register my monitor’s pixel dimmensions to support the render-sized preview (i.e. "Print Size")?
The advertised "Print Size" preview feature is very important to me as it (potentially) avoids a lot of surprises and wasted time. However, despite extensive searching I have not yet discovered anywhere to register my monitor’s (non-square) pixel dimensions.

I am currently working around this by setting the Screen Resolution in the Units & Rulers / New Document dialogue (!) to the nearest approximate size (96 ppi as it happens) and then jamming my display’s H & V controls hard over to force it to produce exactly 96 square pixels / inch! This is very unsatisfactory abuse of the monitor.
P.S. Anyone from adobe lurking here?
——-
File > New
Set width to 1 inch and resolution to 72 ppi
OK
Show rulers
Hold your ruler to the screen
and adjust the percentage setting in the lower left
until the onscreen ruler matches your real one.
(Say you end up with 173%)
–
Multiply your percentage by 72
(1.73×72=124.56)
— That is the resolution of your screen.
–
Double check it –
New document 1 inch wide at resolution of 124.56
Select Actual pixels
If it is not correct – do it again.
–
Go to Photoshop>Preferences>Units and Rulers
Set the screen resolution to what you figured out
—
Open an Image and choose Print Size
Measure it …
and …
it is still incorrect
—
Now
click on the zoom tool in the toolbox
and click on the Print size button that appears in the options button. –
It is correct now.
–
The Print size button in the "View" menu always assumes a 72ppi monitor. The Zoom Tools Option Bar uses the screen resolution set in Preferences.

The Zoom Tools Print size is the one to use.

"Photoshop User"
PR
Phil Rose
Dec 19, 2004
WharfRat wrote:

——-
File > New
Set width to 1 inch and resolution to 72 ppi
OK
Show rulers
Hold your ruler to the screen
and adjust the percentage setting in the lower left
until the onscreen ruler matches your real one.
(Say you end up with 173%)
–
Multiply your percentage by 72
(1.73×72=124.56)
— That is the resolution of your screen.
–
Double check it –
New document 1 inch wide at resolution of 124.56
Select Actual pixels
If it is not correct – do it again.
–
Go to Photoshop>Preferences>Units and Rulers
Set the screen resolution to what you figured out
—
Open an Image and choose Print Size
Measure it …
and …
it is still incorrect
—
Now
click on the zoom tool in the toolbox
and click on the Print size button that appears in the options button. –
It is correct now.
–
The Print size button in the "View" menu always assumes a 72ppi monitor. The Zoom Tools Option Bar uses the screen resolution set in Preferences.
The Zoom Tools Print size is the one to use.
Nice to see enlightenment (for me, at least) on something that basic, after using Photoshop for 10 years! That’s the "Tip of the Day" for me (and more than worth the price of admission). 🙂

Phil
I
iceberg
Dec 20, 2004
Did I miss something? This appears to be the exact same workaround I have used – except it doesn’t appear to address the non-square pixel issue at all.

If this workaround is infact good enough for you, then I also recommend:-

1. Use a larger reference image (at least 10 x 10 cm) if accuracy matters.

2. If you have CRT monitor then you can avoid the "measure, calculate & re-enter" iteration by setting the "Screen resolution" property to the nominal resolution of your monitor (e.g. 96ppi) and using the monitor’s analogue H&V controls and ruler to tweak the measured image size to agree with its nominal size (e.g. 10x10cm) .

From my perspective it is still highly unsatisfactory to "fudge" the
properties of the product image in order to preview it accurately!

This particular fudge may be just about acceptable for print products, but how would I preview images for a very non-square pixel screen on a hi-res almost-square (by comparison) workstation screen?

My concern (prior to making large investment in an e2e production path) is that there does not appear to be any coherent, let alone explicit, model of the production and preview devices – This is an area that even a half-serious imageing product must MAJOR in.
I
iceberg
Dec 20, 2004

P.s. Astonishing! – as WharfRat pointed out – the product isnt even
consistent about its "Print preview" scaleing. This product is definitely a pup – I shan’t waste any more time with it.
C
cb
Dec 20, 2004
Otto
New features in Photoshop CS specifically address your problem working in a non-square pixel environment. Why do you insist on whining about Photoshop’s shortfalls when Adobe has improved the program expressly to meet the needs of video and film graphic professionals working with rectangular pixels? I can see reason to bitch if Adobe kept ignoring the needs of Photoshop users. But, in this case, they have not. Upgrade Otto.
I
iceberg
Jan 5, 2005
I insist on "whining" cos I require and was sold a product that would give me accurate previews within the limits of CRT device (color *and dimmension*).

In any case, following your advice I have spent considerable resources upgrading to CS and looking for some place to register my monitor’s pixel dimmensions – to no avail. So if you can back up your assertion with reference to the specific menu where the monitor’s pixel dimmensions can be registered I would be very grateful.

( It is certainly true that you can set rectangular pixels on the images – however I still can not preview them accurately! )
C
cb
Jan 14, 2005
Never said it could "register…monitor pixel dimension". (Re-read my posts.)

PSCS allows you to manually adjust the Pixel Aspect Ratio, which, I hope, is your biggest problem. You had two issues: working on files with non-square pixels and wanting the actual print size to be displayed on your monitor. One of them is now solved:
Go Image>Pixel Aspect Ratio and choose a default ratio setting or create your own.

The idea of having a PS file show exactly "print size" on your monitor (and every other device the file is viewed on) is rife with problems. Use info from Image Size, Document Dimensions and/or Rulers to get exact print dimensions.
C
cb
Jan 14, 2005
Once you have your pixel ratio adjusted, follow WharfRat’s suggested method to get a very close to accurate View>Print Size on your monitor.

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