fmonaldo@aplcomm.JHUAPL.EDU (Monaldo Francis M. S1R x8648) (01/15/91)
To HP world,
I have a newtork of HP workstations connected to two
HP LaserJet (II and III) printers. Some of the applications
we have output PostScript files. Although we are ordering a
PostScript cartridge for the LaserJet III, it would be convenient
to have a program that converted a PostScript file to the
HP Printer Control Language (PCL). We already have a program that
converts HPGL plotter commands to PCL. Perhaps a similar program
is available for PostScript to PCL conversion.
Thanks
Frank Monaldo
fmonaldo@aplcomm.jhuapl.edu
(301) 953-5000 ext 8648tml@tik.vtt.fi (Tor Lillqvist) (01/16/91)
In article <348@aplcomm.JHUAPL.EDU> fmonaldo@aplcomm.JHUAPL.EDU (Monaldo Francis M. S1R x8648) writes:
it would be convenient
to have a program that converted a PostScript file to the
HP Printer Control Language (PCL). We already have a program that
converts HPGL plotter commands to PCL. Perhaps a similar program
is available for PostScript to PCL conversion.
Sure it would be convenient...
\begin{flame}
Do you know PostScript at all? It is a programming language. It's
side effect is to put ink spots on paper, or turn on pixels on a
display. PS printers interpret PS programs. The only way to
"convert" PS to something is to interpret it. So what you need is
much more complex than a HPGL to PCL converter.
\end{flame}
It would be possible to write a PS interpreter than outputs the
generated bitmap in PCL form, but I don't know if such a beast has been
written. You could start with GNU GhostScript.
--
Tor Lillqvist,
working, but not speaking, for the Technical Research Centre of Finlandsimon@snake.cs.uidaho.edu (Mike Simon) (01/17/91)
In article <TML.91Jan15235552@hemuli.tik.vtt.fi>, tml@tik.vtt.fi (Tor Lillqvist) writes: |> In article <348@aplcomm.JHUAPL.EDU> fmonaldo@aplcomm.JHUAPL.EDU (Monaldo Francis M. S1R x8648) writes: |> it would be convenient |> to have a program that converted a PostScript file to the |> HP Printer Control Language (PCL). We already have a program that |> Sure it would be convenient... |> |> \begin{flame} |> |> Do you know PostScript at all? It is a programming language. It's |> side effect is to put ink spots on paper, or turn on pixels on a |> display. PS printers interpret PS programs. The only way to |> "convert" PS to something is to interpret it. So what you need is |> much more complex than a HPGL to PCL converter. |> |> \end{flame} Tor - investigate a bit before flaming. There are two or three PC products that do exactly what he wants. It's not a difficult interpreter to write, and PostScript as a programming language is no more a "programming language than HPGL (HP Graphics Language) or PCL (Printer Control Language). PostScripts FORTH origins make it suitable for nothing but device control, specificly "to put ink spots on paper". Francis - Its not available for UNIX, but a product that does exactly what you ask is available in downtown Moscow Idaho (Read "Just about anywhere") the the quite inventive name of -GoScript-. (I wonder if one can enforce copyleft against sound-alikes :) Mike Simon Systems Manager Computer Science Dept. University of Idaho Moscow, ID 83843 simon@ted.cs.uidaho.edu
tml@tik.vtt.fi (Tor Lillqvist) (01/17/91)
In article <1991Jan16.165436.8636@groucho> simon@snake.cs.uidaho.edu (Mike Simon) writes:
Tor - investigate a bit before flaming.
Well, then it wouldn't be a flame, would it :-).
PostScript as a programming language is no more a "programming language than
HPGL (HP Graphics Language) or PCL (Printer Control Language).
Come on. Are HPGL and PCL Turing equivalent? Aren't they just
escape sequence collections (PCL at least)?
Actually my flame was caused by the casual use of the "convert" word.
You must agree than interpreting PostScript (including fonts,
coordinate transforms, halftoning etc) is a bit more complex than
interpreting HPGL.
--
Tor Lillqvist,
working, but not speaking, for the Technical Research Centre of Finland