[alt.sources.wanted] Page counter

hakimian@tek4.eecs.wsu.edu (Karl Hakimian - staff) (05/08/91)

I am looking for a program that will count the pages it would take to print
a file. It should be able to recognize different file types (ascii, pcl,
postscript, etc.). I would like to use this as part of a printer accounting,
and print limiting system. Any help would be appreciated.

-- 
Karl Hakimian
hakimian@yoda.eecs.wsu.edu

fischer@iesd.auc.dk (Lars P. Fischer) (05/09/91)

>>>>> hakimian@tek4.eecs.wsu.edu (Karl Hakimian - staff) said:

Karl> I am looking for a program that will count the pages it would
Karl> take to print a file. It should be able to recognize different
Karl> file types (ascii, pcl, postscript, etc.).

Doing this for PostScript will be close to impossible. PostScript is a
(turing-machine-equivalent) programming language, so a given piece of
PostScript can generate an arbitrary number of pages. You *could* run
the code through a PostScript interpreter and see what happens, or you
could try to solve the halting problem.

Karl>  I would like to use this as part of a printer accounting, 

A PostScript printer should be able to do two-way communication. You
send it code, at it reports back with error messages and/or number of
pages printed. check your printer manual.

/Lars
--
Lars Fischer,  fischer@iesd.auc.dk   | It takes an uncommon mind to think of
CS Dept., Univ. of Aalborg, DENMARK. | these things.  -- Calvin