[comp.os.vms] looking for optimizer for HPGL output

dig@peritek.UUCP (Dave Gotwisner) (03/08/89)

	A while ago, someone posted a program which takes postscript files
and optimizes them for output to a postscript device (to speed up output).
What we need is a program which optimizes an HPGL file for output to an
HP DraftPro pen plotter.  We have a CAD package which generates plots
without (apparently) optimizing the graphical-data base prior to generating
the plot files, so the plotter ends up doing things like:

	display short line at one end of paper
	display short line at other end of paper
	go back to original end and display another line.

Needless to say, the pen motion and paper movement commands probably
greatly increase the size of the file (and plot).

	Does anyone have a program which will help me, or does anyone
know where I can go to find one?  We are not on FTP, so if there is a
version of this somewhere on Internet, would someone please mail it to me?

	We are running VMS 5.0, but also have a UNIX system.  I could convert
the program from UNIX to VMS if necessary (have C and FORTRAN).

	Thanks, in advance.  Please E-mail me your responses.

		Dave
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Dave Gotwisner					UUCP:  ...!unisoft!peritek!dig
Peritek Corporation				       ...!vsi1!peritek!dig
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fmr@cwi.nl (Frank Rahmani) (03/12/89)

> Xref: mcvax comp.sources.wanted:5732 comp.periphs:1354 comp.terminals:953 comp.graphics:4240 comp.os.vms:12107
> What we need is a program which optimizes an HPGL file for output to an
> HP DraftPro pen plotter.
I can't help you with a complete program, but there was a very
good article in ACM Transactions on Graphics, Vol.2 No.3, July 1983,
pages 197-212, titled:
"Techniques for Reducing Pen Plotting Time'
by David P.Anderson from the University of Wisconsin, Madison.
It's a pity but I never got around to implement his stuff into
a working program. There is some codefragment in the article.
Hope this helps .
> 	Thanks, in advance.  Please E-mail me your responses.
Please summarie what you learned, as I'm shure others are interested
too.
fmr@cwi.nl
-- 
It is better never to have been born. But who among us has such luck?
Maintainer's Motto:
	If we can't fix it, it ain't broke.
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