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mgm_03 · Nov 2, 2009, 09:23

What techniques are there, other than printer Page Setup options, to ensure HTML styled with background colors and background images are printed as displayed on the screen?

AFAIK the printer dialog box has Page Setup options for this but they must be selected.

If there is any other advice for ensuring an accurate web page print-out, pls advise.

gary.turner · Nov 2, 2009, 10:59

Whether background images or colors are printed is strictly a user controlled decision.

cheers,

gary

C. Ankerstjerne · Nov 2, 2009, 17:35

...as it should be. Printing a full-colour page can be pretty expensive, and you'll seriously enrage people if you force them to do it.

AlexDawson · Nov 2, 2009, 23:02

Why would you want to override it anyway? In terms of accessibility the reader will be able to read the contents of the printed page easier if there was no background noise. It would be a seriously bad accessibility practice to force people with vision disorders to try and read from a page which had unnecessary stylistic junk bleeding into the text. Not to mention the cost and ecological impact of all that ink being wasted. Thank goodness you aren't going to be able to force an override of the printing defaults. If the info on the page is that important, it should be visible in the foreground, not loaded in the background (especially as images can be disabled)

mgm_03 · Nov 3, 2009, 06:00

this isn't a typical website. it's a web-based user interface designed for a small group of people who will want to print the pages containing tables and graphs for use in reports. we'll add a reminder to check their page setup printing options. i didn't know what forum was best for this post, probably CSS.

C. Ankerstjerne · Nov 3, 2009, 08:15

If the colours and images are important to understanding the contents, then you shouldn't use CSS and background images.

mgm_03 · Nov 3, 2009, 08:37

Yes, that's a good point that I considered. However, the only element that this issue applies to is a table that varies in width depending on the data sets it contains. We can't allow cell wrapping so the table must expand.

felgall · Nov 3, 2009, 14:07

Quote:

Originally Posted by mgm_03

the only element that this issue applies to is a table that varies in width depending on the data sets it contains.

If you use a border on the table cells for the print version then that should provide what you need for when backgrounds don't print. Besides which the table will have a fixed width when printed anyway as the paper it is printing on is fixed width.

Nov 2, 2009, 09:23	#1
mgm_03 SitePoint Evangelist Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Northern California Posts: 555	Circumventing printer control of background colors and images What techniques are there, other than printer Page Setup options, to ensure HTML styled with background colors and background images are printed as displayed on the screen? AFAIK the printer dialog box has Page Setup options for this but they must be selected. If there is any other advice for ensuring an accurate web page print-out, pls advise.

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Nov 2, 2009, 10:59	#2
gary.turner SitePoint Evangelist Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Dallas Posts: 446	Whether background images or colors are printed is strictly a user controlled decision. cheers, gary

Nov 2, 2009, 17:35	#3
C. Ankerstjerne SitePoint Wizard Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: The Kingdom of Denmark Posts: 2,178	...as it should be. Printing a full-colour page can be pretty expensive, and you'll seriously enrage people if you force them to do it.

Nov 2, 2009, 23:02	#4
AlexDawson SitePoint Mentor Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: England, UK Posts: 4,416	Why would you want to override it anyway? In terms of accessibility the reader will be able to read the contents of the printed page easier if there was no background noise. It would be a seriously bad accessibility practice to force people with vision disorders to try and read from a page which had unnecessary stylistic junk bleeding into the text. Not to mention the cost and ecological impact of all that ink being wasted. Thank goodness you aren't going to be able to force an override of the printing defaults. If the info on the page is that important, it should be visible in the foreground, not loaded in the background (especially as images can be disabled)

Nov 3, 2009, 06:00	#5
mgm_03 SitePoint Evangelist Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Northern California Posts: 555	this isn't a typical website. it's a web-based user interface designed for a small group of people who will want to print the pages containing tables and graphs for use in reports. we'll add a reminder to check their page setup printing options. i didn't know what forum was best for this post, probably CSS.

Nov 3, 2009, 08:15	#6
C. Ankerstjerne SitePoint Wizard Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: The Kingdom of Denmark Posts: 2,178	If the colours and images are important to understanding the contents, then you shouldn't use CSS and background images.

Nov 3, 2009, 08:37	#7
mgm_03 SitePoint Evangelist Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Northern California Posts: 555	Yes, that's a good point that I considered. However, the only element that this issue applies to is a table that varies in width depending on the data sets it contains. We can't allow cell wrapping so the table must expand.