mday@pollock.mmwb.ucsf.edu (Mark Day) (05/24/91)
Since System 7 provides such a convenient way to save to a PostScript file from the LaserWriter dialog box, I decided to perform a few simple tests. I saved the PS output from a MicroSoft Word document that contained the word "junk" in a variety of 12 pt fonts. The results: 12 point Palatino : 35K 12 point Times : 112K 12 point Chicago : 344K (Yowza!) As far as I can tell, the PS output always contains the "LaserPrep" header. There no longer seems to be a way to create the PS for the document only, as Command-E used to under previous systems. Since the header itself accounts for ~35K, this is the minimum size file you can create. The Times and Chicago versions are so bloated because they also contain font definitions for the LaserWriter. I use ATM on my system, but I don't have the Type 1 outline for Palatino so this file isn't much bigger than the LaserPrep header. I do have the Type 1 outline description for Times, and ATM includes this in the PostScript output, These extra lines in the output file begin with: %%BeginFont: Times-Roman %!PS-AdobeFont-1.0: Times-Roman 001.007 And then continues with a ton of hex codes after an eexec operator. Chicago is a TrueType font under System 7.0, and evidently the TrueType definition for a PostScript printer is over 300K! I understand that the Mac has to send this info over for a typeface that isn't resident on the printer, but what surprises me is that both ATM and TrueType send font definitions for typefaces that are in the ROM of the LaserWriter. (Before I reinstalled ATM, I tried a similar test with Times which and got a file with the 300K TT definition). We send all output to UNIX printers via a FastPath. I'm not happy with the extra traffic, but it's a situation I can live with. I do feel sorry for those poor folks who send PS output to UNIX systems via a serial line, not to mention those who send PS files to service bureaus via modem. -- Mark Day Dept. of Pharmaceutical Chemistry mday@picasso.mmwb.ucsf.edu University of California, San Francisco ..ucbvax!ucsfcgl!mday Voice: (415) 476-5326 FAX: (415) 476-0688
philip@pescadero.Stanford.EDU (Philip Machanick) (05/24/91)
In article <mday.675032281@pollock.mmwb.ucsf.edu>, mday@pollock.mmwb.ucsf.edu (Mark Day) writes: |> Since System 7 provides such a convenient way to save to a PostScript |> file from the LaserWriter dialog box, I decided to perform a few simple |> tests. I saved the PS output from a MicroSoft Word document that |> contained the word "junk" in a variety of 12 pt fonts. Did you try printing bigger examples? I found an 11-page MS Word document died after page 3 using ATM, but seemed to be OK with TT (I didn't try it with both disabled - this would have involved pulling all the TT Fonts out of the System file). |> As far as I can tell, the PS output always contains the "LaserPrep" header. |> There no longer seems to be a way to create the PS for the document only, |> as Command-E used to under previous systems. This is true, but not a huge problem, since the machine-dependent stuff in the header no longer needs to be patched out. |> Chicago is a TrueType font under System 7.0, and evidently the TrueType |> definition for a PostScript printer is over 300K! Yes - I believe you are not getting just a font but also the TT scaling engine. Amazingly, it works on a DEC PostScript printer. |> I understand that the Mac has to send this info over for a typeface that |> isn't resident on the printer, but what surprises me is that both ATM |> and TrueType send font definitions for typefaces that are in the ROM of |> the LaserWriter. Remember, you are printing to a file, not to a specific printer. The driver can't be expected to know which fonts are resident. It would be useful though if you could somehow tell the system what to do ("Times is resident - use ATM for spacing, but don't download" "Use TT for Chicago" "My printer doesn't have Palatino - if all else fails send a bitmap"). -- Philip Machanick philip@pescadero.stanford.edu
weave@chopin.udel.edu (Ken Weaverling) (05/24/91)
This also caused me quite a shock. I am not on a net with a laser printer.
I therefore print postscript to a file, then go to the next building and
dump it using SendPS. Been doing this for years.
Today I edited a 4 page final exam using New Century Schoolbook font. I
printed to a postscript file using the new 7.0 Postscript button. Made
a postscript file of 640K!!!!
I took this healthy sized PS file to the other building, and it took 20
minutes to print 4 pages of text! I had other users ready to kill me.
Can someone explain what is going on, technically? Is New Cent Schlbk a
True Type font? Does this TT font get downloaded and defined in the
laser printer? Since the net I printed on is still running system 6,
would it be better if everyone was running 7? ie, once the TT font is
downloaded to the LW, would subsequent printouts occur more quickly?
If I reintroduce the LW driver 5.2 on my System 7.0 Mac, would that
cause me problems when trying to dump a postscript file?
Many thanks. Post publicly please. I am sure this question will be asked
by others as well!
--
>>>---> Ken Weaverling >>>----> weave@brahms.udel.eduphilip@pescadero.Stanford.EDU (Philip Machanick) (05/24/91)
In article <17182@chopin.udel.edu>, weave@chopin.udel.edu (Ken Weaverling) writes: |> This also caused me quite a shock. I am not on a net with a laser printer. |> I therefore print postscript to a file, then go to the next building and |> dump it using SendPS. Been doing this for years. |> |> Today I edited a 4 page final exam using New Century Schoolbook font. I |> printed to a postscript file using the new 7.0 Postscript button. Made |> a postscript file of 640K!!!! |> |> I took this healthy sized PS file to the other building, and it took 20 |> minutes to print 4 pages of text! I had other users ready to kill me. |> |> Can someone explain what is going on, technically? Is New Cent Schlbk a |> True Type font? Does this TT font get downloaded and defined in the |> laser printer? Since the net I printed on is still running system 6, |> would it be better if everyone was running 7? ie, once the TT font is |> downloaded to the LW, would subsequent printouts occur more quickly? Since you are printing to file, the printer driver has no way of knowing what's in the printer when it generates the PostScript. I doubt there will be any difference unless you can get a direct connection to a laser printer. I doubt very much that there's a TT version of New Century Schoolbook yet. Some points to check: 1. Are you sure your document doesn't contain _any_ TT fonts (not in a picture, a footnote or a heading)? 2. Are you running ATM? This may also generate huge PostScript files (though I suspect not as big) 3. Do you have a PostScript version of the font in your System folder? If so, this will be added to the file (this overlaps point 2) 4. Check the PostSript generated. Search for %%BeginFont: If there's a vast amount of hexadecimal shortly after, you have a font definition downloaded in your document If all else fails, try taking the TT fonts out of the System file (identify them by the lack of a size in their name and the fact that they are relatively large). The easiest way of finding then all at once is to view the open System file by size. The new print to file feature is a vast amount better than the old one. If some kind person at Apple is reading this, I hope you will add controlling this font downloading nightmare to your checklist if it's not there already. -- Philip Machanick philip@pescadero.stanford.edu