How to Make Web Pages Printable
While all web pages are considered "printable," some web designs are more printer friendly than others. For example, if you have a web page with elements that scroll off the page horizontally, you may not be able to print all of those elements on one sheet of paper. There is a simple format that you can employ when creating your website that will allow your visitors to print them easily.
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Instructions
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Set up each of your web pages with the main content within a simple web table if you want it to be printable. Tables allow you to set your web page content within a defined area so that when you print the page it's more likely to stay on one sheet. See "Resources" for HTML information on how to create simple tables.
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Size the table width at no more than about 1000 pixels maximum. This will fit inside of a standard 8.5 by 11 inch sheet of paper at 100 percent when placed in landscape mode. For portrait mode, the table can't be more than 500 pixels wide.
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Choose standard white background with black text for the web site for a print-friendly web page.
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Insert Javascript code at the bottom or top of the page that will allow your viewer to quickly print the page. It is one simple line of code that reads "<a href="JavaScript:window.print();">Print this page</a>" (without the quotation marks). Replace "Print this page" with any text you'd like.
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Tips & Warnings
If you want, design your website in your normal format then create a duplicate page in printable format as described in these steps. Then create a link to a "pop-up" version of the printable copy of the page on your original (see the HTML code for a pop-up window under "Resources").
Instruct the user to click the "Print Preview" option on his browser before printing to assure that everything fits comfortably inside of each sheet. Advise her to change the "Scale" percentage if some elements don't fit.
Avoid setting your web page up with Flash if you want your users to print the content.
Avoid frames if you want to create a print-friendly website. It's awkward to print all the frames at once.
