Path: utzoo!attcan!lsuc!eci386!ecicrl!clewis
From: clewis@ferret.ocunix.on.ca (Chris Lewis)
Newsgroups: comp.text
Subject: Re: troff for uncooperative systems
Message-ID: <1241@ecicrl.ocunix.on.ca>
Date: 29 Jan 91 20:06:59 GMT
References: <20723@know.pws.bull.com>
Organization: Elegant Communications Inc., Ottawa, Canada
Lines: 44

In article <20723@know.pws.bull.com> C506634@UMCVMB.MISSOURI.EDU (Eric Edwards) writes:
>I've come across a bunch of troff files that I would like to print out.
>Unfortunately, I don't have a convienent Unix box with a laser printer.

>1) Access to an VM/CMS system with a Xerox 3700 Laser printer.
>   If the files were in Script, I would be in business, but alas, troff is not
>   Script.

However, DCF/Script isn't that far from troff in some ways.  If the
documents are relatively simple (no multiple fonts, point sizes, line
drawing etc), it is a simple matter to convert troff to Script.  I
converted my 75 page thesis from troff -ms to DCF/Script/GML in an hour or so.
Lots of global edit commands, and relatively little line-at-a-time work.

I know of no automated troff to Script converters, because it would depend
very highly on what set of macro packages were used.

>2) Access to Macintoshes with Laserwriters.
>   Getting the files to these machines, however, is somewhat involved.

>3) IBM PS/2's hooked up to HP Laserjet II's

>4) Limited access to a remote unix machine.
>   (printing here is out of the question)

The simplest approach would be to
	1) ensure that the remote unix machine has a troff of some sort.
	2) ensure that the remote unix machine can print on HP's or
	   Postscript printers.
	3) run troff on the remote system and produce postscript or HPPCL.
	4) put the result on a floppy (or, via network connection)
	5) print it on your Laserwriters or the HP's.
(2) is probably the hard part.  If the remote UNIX system has CAT troff,
psroff (which I wrote) will produce postscript or HPPCL.  With psroff you
wouldn't need to worry about the fonts either.

How big are these documents?  If they're not that large, you could put
'em on a DOS floppy, include return postage, and I could ship back
the Postscript or HPPCL.  Or even mail 'em.
-- 
Chris Lewis, Phone: (613) 832-0541, Internet: clewis@ferret.ocunix.on.ca
UUCP: uunet!mitel!cunews!latour!ecicrl!clewis
Moderator of the Ferret Mailing List (ferret-request@eci386)
Psroff enquiries: psroff-request@eci386, current patchlevel is *7*.