Path: utzoo!censor!geac!torsqnt!lethe!yunexus!ists!helios.physics.utoronto.ca!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!hellgate.utah.edu!csn!datran2!smb
From: smb@csn.org!datran2
Newsgroups: comp.sys.next
Subject: Re: Printer drivers
Message-ID: <1991Jan10.003529.8634@csn.org!datran2>
Date: 10 Jan 91 00:35:29 GMT
References: <12017.278b1e8a@ecs.umass.edu>
Organization: Data Transforms, Inc.
Lines: 29

In article <12017.278b1e8a@ecs.umass.edu> gerst@ecs.umass.edu writes:
>     Most printers have a built in graphics "language" and microprocessor.

One of the most efficient for these purposes is called Postscript

>     Output tends to have a lot of whitespace or black.
>
>Sending a raw bitmap may not be the answer for a lot of output.  The
>printer graphics "languages" Ive seen have things like 'repeat pattern' &
>'skip line' & 'skip'.  A "intelligent" printer driver would do something
>marginally smart and scan the bitmap generating sequences of 'fills' and
>'skips' when it is shorter than sending the bitmap.

Of course we do these things.  Geez...  The point I was trying to make is
communications is the bottleneck, and a postscript cartridge is an elegant
solution.  Barring that, most laser printer description languages allow you
place bitmapped rectangles on the page.  Of course one wants to create
bounding boxes in a smart fashion and not transmit any more white space than
is optimal.

But be warned, the worst case scenario is pretty bad.

Steve.

-- 
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