Xref: utzoo comp.binaries.ibm.pc.d:1836 comp.lang.postscript:1573
Path: utzoo!attcan!uunet!mcvax!hp4nl!philmds!nlgvax!geertj
From: geertj@nlgvax.UUCP (Geert Jan de Groot)
Newsgroups: comp.binaries.ibm.pc.d,comp.lang.postscript
Subject: DOS programs and PostScript
Message-ID: <204@nlgvax.UUCP>
Date: 9 Feb 89 14:41:38 GMT
Reply-To: geertj@nlgvax.UUCP (Geert Jan de Groot)
Organization: Philips Research Geldrop
Lines: 61

Hi,

I would like to start a discussion on use of the PostScript language by
DOS programs. While PostScript has the ability to build a real portable
printer interface, most programs use some fancy method which may give
trouble connecting a printer (for instance, laserwriter plus).

Such neat setups may work with a printer directly connected to the PC
(but need special drivers - horror stories on that?), but if one connects 
a printer via a network (I use PC-NFS, allows sharing of the not-so-cheap
printer), those methods fail badly.

What should portable postscript code look like? In my opinion, it should:

 - Not use control characters, only CR, LF. Especially, no control-C,
   control-D, control-U and the like. These control-characters are likely
   to screw up a printer spooler, like SUNOS.

 - Not use 8-bit characters. Not every connection is 8-bit; why should one
   need 8-bit characters anyway?

 - Start with '%!'. This will trigger newer software that a PostScript
   file follows. This allows mixing of PostScript with other types of 
   files. Because % starts a comment, there is no reason to omit this
   lead-in.

 - End with 'showpage'. What's the use of sending data without giving
   the command to print it?

 - Not depend on sending some init data to the printer when the program
   starts, but send all data (including PostScript lead-ins et all)
   one after another for each job. Sending init only at the start of
   a program gives trouble with spooled jobs (i.e. other data being 
   printed between the init code and the output of a program).

 - Not leave resident code behind after the job is done.


Because I find most PostScript support available on update disks and
add-on packs and new versions, I think most software houses are just 
beginning using PostScript. With this article I hope to start a 
discussion on guidelines how things can be done, something which can 
be easily added while the PostScript support is still under development.

Also, what packages already use clean PostScript these days? I tried
WordPerfect, Lotus 123, ORCAD, ChiWrite, but they all gave more or
less trouble with the points mentioned above. How about other packages?

Thanks,

Geert Jan

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Geert Jan de Groot,			Email: geertj@nlgvax.pcg.philips.nl
Philips Research Laboratories,		       ..!mcvax!nlgvax!geertj
Project Centre Geldrop,			Packet: PE1HZG @ PI8ZAA
Building XR, Room 15,
Willem Alexanderlaan 7B,		"MS-DOS is just a bootstrap" - me
5664 AN Geldrop, The Netherlands.
phone: +31 40 892204			[Standard disclaimers apply]