[mod.computers.laser-printers] UNIX and laserwriters

cetron@UTAH-CS.ARPA.UUCP (02/18/87)

	After seeing some of the Unix -> lw ideas, I thought I'd
throw in this request:

I currently am running alisatalk on my appletalk network.  This allows me
to use my VMS (no unix vs. vms flames ) vax as a laser spooler as well as
a file server.  I am very happy with it except for one small problem, seems
I can send postscript files from the mac to a spooler and the vax, and from
there through a printer deamon out to the lw's.  This works just fine.  I can
also use a program on the vax to print listings (text -> postscript -> lw) out
to the lw's.  This also works.....

	But now comes the hard part.  I also have a vms vaxstation II/GPX which
generates postscript and a Unix vax with also generates TransScript style postscript.
Both of these machines will generate perfect output WHEN RUN IN THROUGH THE SERIAL
PORT.  And therein lies the rub.  I would rather like to ftp these files the the vms
server, and have it output the files direct via appletalk. (no cable switching)....

	Ok, I try this and nothing happens, the laserwriter lights flash as per normal
and then nothing.  Seems it has just flushed the job totally.  So I  capture a mac
document going through and pull off its prolog, munge it down to a few lines and 
prepend it to the other types of files..... well, if I remove the %!  first line from
the GPX output, and add this prolog, the gpx files start to work.  If I prepend the
prolog to the GPX output WITH the %!, it flushes.... hmmmm.  If i send the prolog and
just a showpage it works...... ok, I figure the extra %! blows away the laserwriter, fine
I can live with that (can't figure why, but so what? I'm a computer engineer not a 
computer scientist :-))...

	Now I try the same thing with the output from TranScript....Nothing, I fiddle
with the prolog, nothing.....I try to download via appletalk the ehandler.ps from the
transcript kit....nothing.....I'm stumped.....

I have lots of example files which I will gladly send (but are too much to post).

If anyone has any ideas, I'd like to hear from you.

thankx
ed cetron
center for engineering design
univ of utah

cetron@utah-cs.arpa
cetron@utahcca.bitnet