[comp.lang.postscript] Mac to pic/troff Conversion

ag@moss.ATT.COM (03/24/88)

I'm trying to find out if there is a method for converting either MacDraw/
MacDraft files or postscript files to a format that can be easily included
in documents prepared in the Unix environment.  The conversion that I
think would be most workable is from one of the above-mentioned formats
to a "pic" format.  (By the way, "pic" is a graphics preprocessor for
"troff", our text formatting and typesetting program)

If anyone has done this before, or knows of someone who knows of someone
who has done it, I'd like to hear from them.  If anyone has some
suggestions on how to do this, or wants to tell me that I'm crazy
for even considering this, I'd also like to hear from them.

Thanks!


Ag Primatic					moss!ag
AT&T Bell Labs					ag@moss.ATT.COM

crowe@whuts.UUCP (CROWE) (03/25/88)

In article <23746@clyde.ATT.COM>, ag@moss.ATT.COM writes:
> I'm trying to find out if there is a method for converting either MacDraw/
> MacDraft files or postscript files to a format that can be easily included
> in documents prepared in the Unix environment.  The conversion that I
> think would be most workable is from one of the above-mentioned formats
> to a "pic" format.  (By the way, "pic" is a graphics preprocessor for
> "troff", our text formatting and typesetting program)
> 
> If anyone has done this before, or knows of someone who knows of someone
> who has done it, I'd like to hear from them.  If anyone has some
> suggestions on how to do this, or wants to tell me that I'm crazy
> for even considering this, I'd also like to hear from them.
> 

This came across the MacGroup mailing list and I saved it.  Sounds pretty
interesting. 

****************

Another way, which I've just recently started using, is a new print
driver called MDPIC from AVATAR (5606 Northumberland, Pittsburgh, PA
15217 (412) 422-9509).  This print driver actually doesn't print, it
just creates a file. But the trick is that the file is in PIC format, a
format readable by the pic preprocessor for troff on UNIX.  PIC will
draw pictures on laser printers (or tektronix terminals).  MDPIC has
it's limits, like not translatting bit mapped images, but what it does
do it does very well.  Even at $300, I recommend it.

****************


Hope this helps.

Donald Crowe
whuts!crowe