[Gimp-user] labels (was: Change ruler to inches)

[Carusoswi]

>Carusoswi writes:
>> Also, although I was meticulous in measuring for and laying out the
template,
>> my cards did not line up with the pre-cut forms that we had purchased.
>
>Martin already answered your questions about units, so I'll just
>address this part. I've done business cards and labels in gimp
>(http://shallowsky.com/software/gimplabels/) and they can line up
>if you get the distances right.
>
>You have to make sure you have an image that matches the size of
>your paper, and get the offsets right, of course.  I've tried to do 
>labels where I made the image size match up to the outer edges of
>the outer labels, then set the offsets in gutenprint, and it was
>frustrating and never worked right.
>
>I've only printed with gutenprint, where it's easy to see when
>you're printing a full page with zero margins on any corner. I
>couldn't get the same amount of control through gtkprint, though
>it's gotten a *lot* better in the last few releases and maybe
>it would work now. Another option, if you have trouble with gtkprint
>not lining up, is to print to postscript or PDF, preview it to
>make sure the page size and margins are what you expect, then
>print that from another app.
>
>Also, my inkjet printer (YMMV) varies quite a lot from page to page,
>so even if I create a perfect template at the perfect size, printed
>labels may not register exactly with the label sheet. So you
>need to make sure any text doesn't go all the way out to the edges
>of the label, and that any background is wide enough to spill over
>the edges quite a bit. Drawing a neat box just inside the edges is
>right out, unfortunately. Maybe some printers are better at that.
>
>> That is not to knock Gimp.  I knew from the start that Gimping the
project
>> was the long way around - but I wanted the experience.  I feel I was
almost
>
>That's exactly the right attitude. There are lots of apps designed
>for printing labels and business cards, but I like having the option
>of making them in GIMP because it gives me the option of printing at
>high quality and high resolution. I always keep in mind that this
>isn't really what gimp is for, so if I have to do a little extra
>fiddling compared to glabels, it's my choice.
>
>	...Akkana
>

-- 
Carusoswi

Is this the same Akkana who writes for Apress?  If so, thank you for a
wonderful tome, Beginning Gimp from Novice to Professional.  Absent having
purchased that book, I would be singing in that chorus of naysayers claiming
that Gimp was a piece of junk.

Your explanations are very lucid.  A very helpful volume that I would highly
recommend to anyone new to the Gimp.

Many of the procedures you describe can also be applied to that other
software from Adobe.

I am honored to meet your acquaintance.

Caruso