[comp.lang.postscript] Reply to Postscript Lint/Syntax checker

ORCHARD/BRUC@SCARECROW.WAISMAN.WISC.EDU (Bruce Orchard) (02/17/88)

I have debugged Postscript programs in 3 ways:
1.  Run blind, as you describe (sometimes just getting a blank
    sheet is a major advance).
2.  I modified the spooler on the system passing Postscript
    to the Apple Laserwriter to log any messages it received
    from the Laserwriter along with the line number in the
    file.  Due to buffering, the line number displayed will
    be beyond the real error, but probably not more than
    about 20 lines.  (Anyone who wants my spooler is welcome
    to it, but it is for a Harris H800 running VOS and requires
    some messy changes to VOS.  The idea applies to any spooler.)
3.  Drive the Laserwriter from a terminal emulator program
    on the supplying system.  Put the Postscript in a file and
    tell the terminal emulator program to send the file.
    I run the Laserwriter in interactive mode rather than batch mode
    so that the Postscript gets echoed by the Laserwriter and
    the error messages come out right after the offending statement.
    (I did it without running XOFF/XON.  I had the terminal emulator
    program put in a long (.5 second, I think) delay after each
    carriage return.)

Bruce Orchard