lyn@gunn.HP.COM ( Lyn Stewart ) (01/31/90)
> / gunn:comp.graphics / PNU@psuvm.psu.edu / 4:32 pm Jan 26, 1990 / > > We need a program to allow us to preview HPGL files before sending > them to our plotters. So far, my perusal of bulletin boards has yielded > a couple of programs which, universally, fail to work except with the > examples provided with the packages. Does anyone know of any commercial > software that actually works? Anyone have C, FORTRAN or BASIC language > programs that will do this task for me? If I have to write the program > from scratch, where can I get a succinct but definitive description of > HPGL file format? > > HP officially knows of no products which will do this relatively simple > task. Their attitude seems to be that we should just go out an buy another > plotter! > > Any help would be greatly appreciated. Please respond directly to me unless > this topic is of general interest to this newsgroup. Thanks, > > > Jon Peters > Research Assistant > Pennsylvania State University > Applied Research Laboratory > > Bitnet: PNU@PSUVM > ---------- There is a PD program called hpgl2pcl which would allow you to print it on a printer first. FrameMaker has a graphic filter which allows import into their product of hpgl files. ME10, ME30 from HP have input macros for hpgl. The hpgl language is extremely simple (like my spelling). Pick up a 7475,etc plotter manual and it lists the commands. I have written several hpgl-starbase, hpgl-postscript, etc. but they are property of my company. It should take you less then a day to do and cover most commands.