[mod.computers.laser-printers] Debugging PostScripty

cosell@PROPHET.BBN.COM.UUCP (01/27/87)

I'm trying to do some PostScript hacking and it is really pretty hard
to debug (you pump your file down to the laserprinter, wait while the
thing chews on your program for 20 minutes... and it spews out a blank
page).  I vaguely recall maybe two years ago (more, maybe?) there was
some kind of a debugging package for PostScript posted.  Does anyone
remember anything about such a beast?  The most I can dredge up from
my tattered neurons was something about a package that redefined 
"moveto", "show", etc so taht instead of doing their normal graphics
function they printed out a running log of what was going on,
so when you run your PostScript program, you get an execution trace
rather than the actual printing.

I'd appreciate any info about the debugging package (if it actually
exists) or any other tricks/pointers for debugging a pile of PostScript
gone awry.

In a related vein, is there a UNIX PostScript emulator?  For debugging
this thing it'd be an AWFUL lot nicer to be able to run PostScript
right here on my VAX instead of having to go to the pain of pumping
the stuff down to the printer in the comp center (not to mention the
black hat I get to wear when my 7K file looks short enough to go to
the head of the queue and then ties up the printer for twenty minutes).

Thanks.
  /Bernie\

Bernie Cosell                       Internet:  cosell@bbn.com
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