jgotobed@lpl.arizona.edu (Joe Gotobed x4549) (10/25/90)
I'm looking for a program that will convert a Postscript file to a raster file, either bitmapped, greyscale or rgb tuples. We have a Matrix QRZ film writer attached to a Sun and drive it with our own software that reads in raster files. I want to be able to send files to it from our PC applications like Micro- Grafix Designer & Apple's Mac-Draw. Postscript is a format all of these applications can write so the idea at this point is to use a package that reads Postscript files and generates a raster file for the QRZ. Naturally we'll have to scale it appropriately for the resolution of the Filmwriter and such. I was hoping I could find a display postscript program and change the part that writes to the frame buffer to write to a file in- stead. Could anyone suggest some source code to start with, or even a commercial product? I just hauled in a copy of ghostscript-2.0 is that a good start or am I way off the nut? In the long run want the sun to provide a "print queue" to the network that the PCs can send their postscript files to. This queue will then run the PS files through the filter to generate a raster file for the QRZ and call the driver to load it & expose the film. Any comments and suggestions on this approach or an alternate method would be greatly appreciated. I'll be happy to summarize to the net later. Thanks Joe ------------------------------------------------- Joe Gotobed (joe@arizona.edu) Network & Systems Manager Lunar and Planetary Laboratory University of Arizona Tucson, AZ 85721 (602) 621-4549
cch0241@smarine.UUCP (Chris Hapgood) (10/25/90)
Check out the program Hijaak. I'm not sure who it's from, but I'm pretty sure they "do" Postscript. Their program is a many-to-many translation. Formats supported INCLUDE: Postscript, GIF, PCX, TIFF, compressed TIFF, ASCII and .PIC. Chris Hapgood <@Virginia.EDU,@smarine.uucp:cch0241@medusa> 2111 Michie Drive #100 ...!uucp!virginia!smarine!medusa!cch0241 Charlottesville, VA 22901 H:(804) 977-8345 W:(804) 974-2584
ksp@maxwell.nde.swri.edu (Keith S. Pickens) (10/25/90)
We use a product called "Freedom of Press" to drive a Matrix PCR. It has worked with Mac output, color postscript, etc. We also use it to drive a thermal-xfer color printer. It runs on a Sun and can produce bitmaps, greyscale, and rgb tuples. It is put out by CAI - Custom Applications Inc. (800) 873-8821 -keith ksp@maxwell.nde.swri.edu
ksp@maxwell.nde.swri.edu (Keith S. Pickens) (10/25/90)
Sorry people. It looks like I managled the phone number for Custom Applications Inc. The correct numbers are: (800) 873-4367 (508) 667-8585 -keith ksp@maxwell.nde.swri.edu
msc@ramoth.esd.sgi.com (Mark Callow) (10/31/90)
In article <326@organpipe.UUCP>, jgotobed@lpl.arizona.edu (Joe Gotobed x4549) writes: |> |> I'm looking for a program that will convert a Postscript file to |> a raster file, either bitmapped, greyscale or rgb tuples. |> You don't say what kind of machine you want this for which makes it a bit difficult to answer your question. If it's for a Sun, just get Open Window. It comes with NeWS and NeWS comes with NeWSPrint which does exactly what you want. There is a company called Custom Applications Inc. that makes PostScript drivers for a variety of printers and film recorders and host machines. They are in Massachusetts somewhere. -- From the TARDIS of Mark Callow msc@ramoth.sgi.com, ...{ames,decwrl}!sgi!msc "There is much virtue in a window. It is to a human being as a frame is to a painting, as a proscenium to a play. It strongly defines its content."