greid@adobe.UUCP.UUCP (07/13/86)
In response to a message from "CHRISTOPHER E. SHULL" <shull@wharton-10.ARPA> Subject: Re: Documentation on DIA/DCA and PostScript for developers > I am looking for documentation that describes Adobe Systems' PostScript > and IBM's DIA/DCA standards from the professional software developer's > perspective. I would like to know specific titles, authors, publishers, > prices, and addresses to which I (or a company) can send a purchase order. We (Adobe Systems) have written two books on PostScript that are available from Addison-Wesley: "PostScript Language Tutorial and Cookbook", ISBN# 1-201-10174-2 "PostScript Language Reference Manual", ISBN# 1-201-10179-3 > 3. If I want to write a driver for an Apple LaserWriter, do I need > any documents from Apple? If so, what, and where can I get one? Not in the sense that you would be writing a PostScript driver. There are some LaserWriter-dependent features that you might want to exploit (like manualfeed, for instance). Apple has a document entitled "Inside LaserWriter" that you might want to look at. > 4. Is a PostScript printer a PostScript printer a PostScript printer? > Or, in other words, will a driver for an Apple LaserWriter drive > a QMS printer, a DataProducts printer and a Allied Lynotype > typesetter without modification, or are the modifications merely > minimized? Yes, a PostScript printer is a PostScript printer, in the spirit of your question. There are certain differences among them, of course, but they differ only in terms of "features". For instance, the DataProducts has more than one paper tray, the Linotype does not have manualfeed, but it does have a hard disk and a filesystem accessible from PostScript, and so on. If you stick to the standard PostScript language, you need not make any modifications. If you attempt to take advantage of the features of the different printers from your application, be careful to check for their existence first (in statusdict, typically; use "known" or "where") to avoid problems. Glenn Reid Technical Staff Adobe Systems Incorporated (415)852-0271