Excel Cell's Are Not Lining Up Correctly

I have used the Excel program for a number of years to print out "Jukebox Title Strips" for my Jukebox. I have used the same "formula" for cell height, width, etc. during that time.

The outline of the title strips are preprinted and perforated on an 8.5" x 11" sheet. I recently tried to make some new strips and the printing does not line up correctly as it always had done in the past. Now, the titles are not high enough on the top portion of the sheet, and not low enough on the bottom portion of the sheet. So, it is not that I could just raise everything up or lower everything down to line up correctly... it now has to be changed in both directions. Of the 20 title strips on the sheet, the only ones that line up correctly are the two that are halfway down.

I thought that somehow the file had become corrupted, so I made a new template, but I still have the same problem.

Are there any suggestions of what I could do?

In the links below it shows an example of a Title Strip page.

http://home.gwi.net/~jbossie/Title%20Strip.jpg
http://home.gwi.net/~jbossie/Title%20Strip%202.jpg

Thanks,

Jim

I have gone through quite a few sheets of plain paper and holding them up to the light with a Title Sheet in front of it to see if it lines up when I have changed margin settings and cell heights, but nothing works satisfactorily.

Below are three examples of the Top & Bottom & Middle of one Title sheet...

Note how the last picture (Middle of Title sheet) is the only entry that is correctly placed.

http://home.gwi.net/~jbossie/Title%203.JPG

http://home.gwi.net/~jbossie/Title%204.JPG

http://home.gwi.net/~jbossie/Title%205.JPG

Thanks,

Jim

Originally Posted by JimB

I have gone through quite a few sheets of plain paper and holding them up to the light with a Title Sheet in front of it to see if it lines up when I have changed margin settings and cell heights, but nothing works satisfactorily.

Below are two examples of the Top & Bottom of one sheet...

http://home.gwi.net/~jbossie/Title%203.JPG

http://home.gwi.net/~jbossie/Title%204.JPG

Thanks,

Jim

Hi,

have you (accidentally) selected Fit to Page? (or 90% etc)

if not, in Print Preview, check the Margins etc

hth
---

Could it be your pre-printed labels have changed settings, rather than your spreadsheet?

Originally Posted by Bryan Hessey

Hi,

have you (accidentally) selected Fit to Page? (or 90% etc)

if not, in Print Preview, check the Margins etc

hth
---

I can't find where the check box for "Fit to Page" is at.... NEVER MIND...I found it..... everything is ok there.

CHIPPY..... these are the same title pages that I have been using for years

Thanks,

Jim

Originally Posted by JimB

I can't find where the check box for "Fit to Page" is at.... NEVER MIND...I found it..... everything is ok there.

CHIPPY..... these are the same title pages that I have been using for years

Thanks,

Jim

Is the Print set to 100%?

Do you have a new printer?

Do you have an old backup copy of your .xls file that you could test against?

Have you re-sized the row sizes in your worksheet.

There are a limited number of things that will give a scaleable difference such as you describe, Fit-to-Page, % print, row size, Auto-adjust Letter/A4 paper, Font / Fontsize perhaps. Any othes?

Are you using a different Font / Fontsize?

---

Any othes?

Have the guides moved slightly on the printer?

Originally Posted by Bryan Hessey

Is the Print set to 100%?



Yes, it is

Do you have a new printer?

No, it's the same one that I have had for years

Do you have an old backup copy of your .xls file that you could test against?

Yes, I tested a backup that I had made in 1999, and that is now wrong also

Have you re-sized the row sizes in your worksheet.

No, it is the same size cell that I have always used... the cell is "23" high, and "38" wide

There are a limited number of things that will give a scaleable difference such as you describe, Fit-to-Page, % print, row size, Auto-adjust Letter/A4 paper, Font / Fontsize perhaps. Any othes?

Are you using a different Font / Fontsize?

It is the same font and fontsize. it is so perplexing... I have been trying every conceivable thing and change that I can think of for the last two weeks, and nothing works

---

CHIPPY... the guides have been checked and are in the original position

Thank you,

Jim

Just two more, are there different margins on your pre-printed label form? Are you putting it in the printer the same way?

Originally Posted by oldchippy

Just two more, are there different margins on your pre-printed label form? Are you putting it in the printer the same way?

They are the same forms that I have used for the last 10 years......

Yes, they are going in the printer the same way... it is a HP Laserjet that I have been using for the last 10 years.

Thank you,

Jim

perforated on an 8.5" x 11" sheet is the printer set to Letter or A4 only this size is letter

Originally Posted by JimB

Yes, it is

Do you have a new printer?

No, it's the same one that I have had for years

Do you have an old backup copy of your .xls file that you could test against?

Yes, I tested a backup that I had made in 1999, and that is now wrong also

Have you re-sized the row sizes in your worksheet.

No, it is the same size cell that I have always used... the cell is "23" high, and "38" wide

There are a limited number of things that will give a scaleable difference such as you describe, Fit-to-Page, % print, row size, Auto-adjust Letter/A4 paper, Font / Fontsize perhaps. Any othes?

Are you using a different Font / Fontsize?

It is the same font and fontsize. it is so perplexing... I have been trying every conceivable thing and change that I can think of for the last two weeks, and nothing works


CHIPPY... the guides have been checked and are in the original position

Thank you,

Jim

the logical thought if you feed the same paper from the same program (1999 edition) into the same printer and get a different result that a 'default' has changed.

Select from:

With Excel closed,
Start, Run and enter
EXCEL /Unregserver
then
Start, Run
Excel /regserver

With Excel closed, Locate the .xlb file (something like)
C:\Documents and Settings\HomeUser\Application Data\Microsoft\Excel\Excel10.xlb
and delete it

With Excel closed, locate any Personal.xls file and rename / delete it.

Check any updates to the Printer driver.
Restore any updates to test, or include a new Printer definition using the old driver, to test.

Check some old Word document (or non-Excel) for Print size, is it the same size it always was? (in relation to the 'full page squeeze')


Any other thoughts?

---
added,

next option. upload a page of your .xls, I will print and send measurements from top / bottom.
---

Originally Posted by Bryan Hessey

the logical thought if you feed the same paper from the same program (1999 edition) into the same printer and get a different result that a 'default' has changed.

Select from:

With Excel closed,
Start, Run and enter
EXCEL /Unregserver
then
Start, Run
Excel /regserver

With Excel closed, Locate the .xlb file (something like)
C:\Documents and Settings\HomeUser\Application Data\Microsoft\Excel\Excel10.xlb
and delete it

With Excel closed, locate any Personal.xls file and rename / delete it.

Check any updates to the Printer driver.
Restore any updates to test, or include a new Printer definition using the old driver, to test.

Check some old Word document (or non-Excel) for Print size, is it the same size it always was? (in relation to the 'full page squeeze')


Any other thoughts?

---
added,

next option. upload a page of your .xls, I will print and send measurements from top / bottom.
---

I tried uploading the .xls but the listing of accepted uploads in this window does not have that extension..... I have to leave, and will be back later this evening, and will try the solution which you described in your post.

Thanks for everything,

Jim

Originally Posted by JimB

I tried uploading the .xls but the listing of accepted uploads in this window does not have that extension..... I have to leave, and will be back later this evening, and will try the solution which you described in your post.

Thanks for everything,

Jim

If you have XP - then in Explore (My Computer) rightmouse the file and Add to Archive, as a .zip file

that will upload, and as it's 2:10am I will be back later also.
---

Originally Posted by Bryan Hessey

If you have XP - then in Explore (My Computer) rightmouse the file and Add to Archive, as a .zip file

that will upload, and as it's 2:10am I will be back later also.
---

I have attached the .zip file of the title strip.... hopefully I have inserted it the correct way so you can open it....the titles have to be "stretched out" from the top to the bottom... the top titles have to go up .25" and the bottom titles have to come down .25".

Thanks,

Jim

If you go to File Print Preview, click on Margins and drag the inner top and bottom margins out. This looks like it should sort out the problem. You may have to do a bit of "trial & error" a few times to get it spot on.

Here are some attachments of pictures of my Jukebox to show you what I am doing...

Jim

Originally Posted by oldchippy

If you go to File Print Preview, click on Margins and drag the inner top and bottom margins out. This looks like it should sort out the problem. You may have to do a bit of "trial & error" a few times to get it spot on.

I have dragged the margins on top and bottom as you suggested, and it only makes it worse. I am ready to just give up on the darn thing.

Thanks,

Jim

Sorry I can't be any more help, other than what I and other's have suggested. If you can't update your records, you'll just have to keep playing the one's in the Jukebox where the titles look OK.

Maybe when Bryan wakes up he may have further suggestions.

Good luck

Originally Posted by oldchippy

Sorry I can't be any more help, other than what I and other's have suggested. If you can't update your records, you'll just have to keep playing the one's in the Jukebox where the titles look OK.

Maybe when Bryan wakes up he may have further suggestions.

Good luck

Thank you very much for your help OldChippy....

Jim

Originally Posted by JimB

Thank you very much for your help OldChippy....

Jim

Hi,

'wakes up' oldchippy?

it's almost time to retire for the night.

The 'squishing up' of the page is a worry, it suggests that the margins etc are not in question, but that a system or printer setting that adjusts Letter to A4 is operating (the paper is set to Letter, if the printer is set to A4 this level of compression will occur, except that it's the wrong way)

The 1999 version now no longer works, so the system or the printer has changed.

System possibilities (to produce this error) Excel - are Fit to Page (not set) % reduction (at 100%) - and System - Printer - set to adjust A4 to Letter

My Kyocera FS-3600 has no such setting, but my Epson Stylus CX4700 has, obviously my use would be Letter to A4 as we do not possess the Letter size.

If the printer is set to receive A4 and print on Letter this result will occur.

Check the printer settings, and locate any A4 - Letter settings (re-measured the paper, the difference is not enough to worry over)

Another thing to try is set the % to 110%, and slightly widen the margins to reset two sets wide per page. This will expand the height correctly, but watch the width.

On the Kyo, the printing starts after a gap of 1+11/16ths inches at the top, and leaves 1+1/8th inches at the bottom.

hth
---

Originally Posted by Bryan Hessey

Hi,

'wakes up' oldchippy?

it's almost time to retire for the night.

The 'squishing up' of the page is a worry, it suggests that the margins etc are not in question, but that a system or printer setting that adjusts Letter to A4 is operating (the paper is set to Letter, if the printer is set to A4 this level of compression will occur, except that it's the wrong way)

The 1999 version now no longer works, so the system or the printer has changed.

System possibilities (to produce this error) Excel - are Fit to Page (not set) % reduction (at 100%) - and System - Printer - set to adjust A4 to Letter

My Kyocera FS-3600 has no such setting, but my Epson Stylus CX4700 has, obviously my use would be Letter to A4 as we do not possess the Letter size.

If the printer is set to receive A4 and print on Letter this result will occur.

Check the printer settings, and locate any A4 - Letter settings (re-measured the paper, the difference is not enough to worry over)

Another thing to try is set the % to 110%, and slightly widen the margins to reset two sets wide per page. This will expand the height correctly, but watch the width.

On the Kyo, the printing starts after a gap of 1+11/16ths inches at the top, and leaves 1+1/8th inches at the bottom.

hth
---

Thanks for the in-depth info.... I checked every item that you had suggested.... everything was ok there.... I also increased the ...%... to 110, and adjusted the side margins in order to get all the cells on the page.... the result.... the first row was good, but the following lines started creeping down with each row.

The thing that strikes me as so odd is that I made some strips about 3 months ago using the 1999 version and the lining up was perfect.... I haven't made any changes to the system, the page settings or printer since then.

By the way.... in your last post you said that you were almost ready to retire for the night.... where in heaven's name are you... here in Maine it is now about 10:30 AM .

Jim

Originally Posted by JimB

Thanks for the in-depth info.... I checked every item that you had suggested.... everything was ok there.... I also increased the ...%... to 110, and adjusted the side margins in order to get all the cells on the page.... the result.... the first row was good, but the following lines started creeping down with each row.

The thing that strikes me as so odd is that I made some strips about 3 months ago using the 1999 version and the lining up was perfect.... I haven't made any changes to the system, the page settings or printer since then.

By the way.... in your last post you said that you were almost ready to retire for the night.... where in heaven's name are you... here in Maine it is now about 10:30 AM .

Jim

If the width on the 110% was within limits, then try 108% (type it in) or 107%
You should be able to set a 'creep' that is zero, and will then print correctly.

Originally from Mansfield, UK currently at GMT+10 in Brisbane.

Let me know how the setting goes.

---

Originally Posted by Bryan Hessey

If the width on the 110% was within limits, then try 108% (type it in) or 107%
You should be able to set a 'creep' that is zero, and will then print correctly.

Originally from Mansfield, UK currently at GMT+10 in Brisbane.

Let me know how the setting goes.

---

We finally got it.... I tried the % suggestion that you had advised..... 108... then 107... and then 106 is right on.... perfect alignment

Thank you so much Bryan....

Regards,

Jim

Originally Posted by JimB

We finally got it.... I tried the % suggestion that you had advised..... 108... then 107... and then 106 is right on.... perfect alignment

Thank you so much Bryan....

Regards,

Jim

good to see a successful result, and thanke for the response.

---

Well done Bryan! He can now change the record - phew!