Re: Opinion Sought

[Michael Loßin <phallobst@xxxxxx>]

On 14-Jan-02 Russell L. Harris wrote:
> At 11:07 PM 1/14/02 +0100, you wrote:
>>This method is called a "bounce queue" in the apsfilter FAQ,
>>and it also works if you have other 3rd-party printing
>>systems like xwtools or turboprint instead of CUPS.
> 
>          Interesting, if a bit complicated.  I'll make this approach
> plan 
> "B", in case plan "A" doesn't work for me.

I must admit it *is* a bit more complicated with CUPS, since
you have a name conflict with the LPRng "lpr" command vs.
CUPS "lpr" -- so there's some PATH juggling ahead (or some
advanced apsfilter hacking). But it is possible in theory.

>          No.  I expect to use dvips filename.dvi and then lp 
> filename.ps.  If I recall correctly, the last time I tried this with
> LPRng, 
> however, I got a third of a page of good output, followed by twenty
> pages 
> of garbage.

I don't think LPRng was the cause of this, rather ifhp.
On my machine, "lpr file.dvi" prints beautifully.

>          I read the LPRng documentation (which covers installation)
> and 
> became lost in the detail.  I'm not sure what Debian already does by
> way of 
> default configuration and what I still need to do.  I'll try tonight
> or in 
> the morning to install LPRng, apsfilter, ghostscript, etc., and see
> what 
> happens.

Debian usually has a rather good default configuration set,
as I am told.

>>Do it step by step, and get one part working before you
>>proceed to the next.
>>
>>1) ghostscript (plus any driver package you need for your
>>    printer): The single most important program. This must
>>    be ready to run, no excuses :)
>>    Make sure you can convert some PostScript file to the
>>    printer language you need.
> 
>          No one told me this before.  Is ghostscript needed, even
> with a 
> Postscript printer?

It is possible to use a PostScript printer without ghostscript,
but you will probably need it anyway. (And some people have
reported that output rendered by gs is better than that of the
internal PostScript interpreters, so try it if your printer is
supported by ghostscript.)

Plus you get all the external fonts (TrueType, Type1) that your
printer can't process, or that the applications can't even
embed in the PS output.

Plus you don't have to care about printer memory trouble,
since there will be no rendering done in the printer if you
use gs.

Also, if you want to preview stuff before you print it, you'll
normally use gv/ghostview/kghostview, and they all depend on
ghostscript.

And you'll get a nice PS->PDF distiller for free :)

>>2) LPRng: Set up a basic queue (with no filter) first, then
>>    try to print the printer language file from 1). If that
>>    doesn't work, apsfilter won't work, either.
> 
>          And I shouldn't install ifhp, right?

*shudder* Not really... ;^)

Filters will give you more traps to fall into, so try the basic
stuff first.


Michael