Printing
Diagrammix3 provides comprehensive printing options with a custom settings panel for scaling, margins, and page selection.
Print Dialog
To print your diagram:
- Go to File → Print or press Cmd+P
- Configure your print settings in the Diagrammix accessory panel
- Preview the result in the built-in print preview
- Click Print
Page Setup
Before printing, you may want to configure page settings:
- Go to File → Page Setup or press Cmd+Shift+P
- Select your paper size and orientation
Paper Size
Common paper sizes:
- Letter (8.5 × 11 in) — US standard
- A4 (210 × 297 mm) — International standard
- Legal (8.5 × 14 in)
- Tabloid (11 × 17 in)
- Custom sizes
Orientation
- Portrait: Taller than wide
- Landscape: Wider than tall
Choose based on your diagram's aspect ratio.
Print Settings
The print dialog includes a custom Diagrammix accessory panel with three sections: Scaling, Margins, and Pages.
Scaling
Controls how the diagram is sized relative to the paper. Choose one of four modes:
| Mode | Description |
|---|---|
| Fit to Page | Scales the entire diagram to fit on a single page (default) |
| Fit to Width | Scales to fit the page width; may span multiple pages vertically |
| Actual Size | No scaling — prints at 1:1 canvas size; may require multiple pages |
| Custom | Specify a custom percentage from 10% to 400% via a slider |
When Custom is selected, a slider appears allowing you to set the exact scale percentage.
Margins
Controls the white space around the printed content. Choose a preset or enter custom values:
| Preset | Size |
|---|---|
| None | 0 (no margins) |
| Narrow | 0.5 inch (36 pt) |
| Normal | 1 inch (72 pt) — default |
| Wide | 1.5 inch (108 pt) |
| Custom | Set each margin individually |
When Custom is selected, you can set Top, Bottom, Left, and Right margins independently. Use the unit toggle to switch between inches and centimeters.
Pages
This section appears only when the diagram spans multiple pages (e.g., when using Actual Size or Custom scaling).
- Page count: Shows "X of Y pages selected"
- Select All / Deselect All: Quickly toggle all pages
- Page grid: A visual grid of numbered page thumbnails matching the actual page layout. Click any thumbnail to toggle whether that page is included in the print job.
Selected pages are highlighted with a blue border. Unselected pages appear dimmed.
Show Page Layout
You can preview exactly where page breaks will fall directly on the canvas, before opening the print dialog. Toggle the overlay:
- Click the Show Page Layout button (page icon) in the toolbar, or
- Go to View → Show Page Layout
When enabled, Diagrammix overlays the canvas with:
- Dashed page boundaries showing how the diagram tiles across printed sheets
- Alternating shading on neighboring pages, so they're easy to tell apart
- A Page N label in each tile
The overlay reflects your current Scaling and Margins, so it updates live as you adjust them — making it easy to nudge content so nothing is split awkwardly across a break. (Because Fit to Page always lands everything on a single sheet, the overlay previews actual-size tiling instead.)
The toggle is remembered across sessions; turn it off the same way to hide the overlay.
Multi-Page Printing
When your diagram is too large to fit on a single page (using Actual Size, Fit to Width, or Custom scaling), Diagrammix automatically divides it into a grid of pages:
- Choose a scaling mode other than Fit to Page
- The Pages section appears showing the page grid
- Click individual page thumbnails to include or exclude them
- Print only the pages you need
This is useful for:
- Printing large diagrams for assembly on a wall
- Printing only a specific section of a large diagram
- Poster-sized output from a standard printer
Print to PDF
You can save your diagram as a PDF through the print dialog:
- Open Print dialog (Cmd+P)
- Click the PDF dropdown in the bottom-left
- Select Save as PDF
- Choose a save location
This creates a high-quality PDF that preserves vector graphics.
Tips for Better Prints
- Start with Fit to Page: Use this default to see how your diagram looks on paper, then adjust if needed
- Use high contrast: Light colors may not print well on paper
- Consider line weights: Very thin lines may not be visible when printed
- Use Normal margins: Provides comfortable spacing; switch to Narrow if you need more content area
- Preview before printing: The print preview updates live as you change settings
- Preview page breaks on the canvas: Turn on Show Page Layout (toolbar or View menu) to see where pages will split before you open the print dialog
- Use PDF for sharing: PDFs are more portable than printer output