Abstract: Disclosed are a method and apparatus for pre-setting the register in photogravure printing machines. According to the invention, the angular position of a first printing cylinder is determined relative to a scanning device when the cylinder adjusting mark passes the scanning device. The first cylinder is held stationary and its angular position is stored upon detection of the adjusting mark. An upstream cylinder is rotated and a pulse is generated when the angular position of the upstream cylinder is rotated past the stored angular position of the first cylinder. The web distance traveled between the generation of said pulse and the detection by the scanning device of the adjusting mark of the upstream cylinder is proportional to the angular offset of the two cylinders. A signal proportion to this web distance can be used as a register positioning command.