Very Computer

:       Is this possible? Is there a conversion utility? Does Ghostscript
: do this (and if yes, how)?
:
For many printers, ghostscript will do. Use "magicfilter" or "aps" to setup
lpr.
--

Institut fuer Kernphysik  Schlossgartenstrasse 9  64289 Darmstadt
--------- Tel. 06151 162516 -------- Fax. 06151 164321 ----------

For me and my BJC-610, I did minor editing to my /etc/filter.ps file (to
use bj-10 mode rather than epson mode), and print postscript files with
"lpr -d". This requires me to power off, flip DIPs, power on the printer
anytime I need to switch between ASCII printing and Postscript printing;
fortunately, that's not a big problem for me now. Hopefully soon, I'll
undertake to write a ghostscript driver for the BJC-610 that will fix
this and also print in color.
--
===============================================================================
 Matthew D Moss                                        RISC Software, Motorola

: >:         Is this possible? Is there a conversion utility? Does Ghostscript
: >: do this (and if yes, how)?
: >:
: >For many printers, ghostscript will do. Use "magicfilter" or "aps" to setup
: >lpr.

: For me and my BJC-610, I did minor editing to my /etc/filter.ps file (to
: use bj-10 mode rather than epson mode), and print postscript files with
: "lpr -d". This requires me to power off, flip DIPs, power on the printer
: anytime I need to switch between ASCII printing and Postscript printing;
: fortunately, that's not a big problem for me now. Hopefully soon, I'll
: undertake to write a ghostscript driver for the BJC-610 that will fix
: this and also print in color.

        Can I also setup my BJC-4000 like your way to print postscript?

Charles.

Check the Makefile of Ghostscript (I assume it's 2.6.2) for the line
'DEVICE_DEVS=x11.dev' and append the entry 'bj10e.dev'. If it's missing,
gs won't know how to format for the Canon BJ series.

As I don't use apsfilter or any of those fancy 'magic' filters, but my
own tiny little scripts, it then just comes down to calling necessary
filters in the correct order. (It's a Bad Thing to make gs the filter in
/etc/printcap, as it'll get additional parameters that I don't like).

E.g. the virtual printer that is responsible for PostScript(TM) has the
following entries:

/etc/printcap:
        # PostScript
        ps|lp3:lp=/dev/lp1:\
                :sd=/var/spool/print/ps:\
                :lf=/var/spool/print/ps/errs:\
                :if=/usr/bin/psfilter.sh:\
                :mx#0:\
                :sh:\
                :sf:
/* 'man printcap' for a description of the switches.
   I don't know why, but _order matters_! */

/usr/bin/psfilter.sh:
        #!/bin/sh
        /usr/local/bin/gs -q -sDEVICE=bj10e -sOutputFile=- -
/* tells gs to read from stdin and write to stdout, suppressing all
   non-output (errors & co.) */

It's basically just a matter of being creative ;-)

After the rather long prelude, a word of comfort: it just might be easier
to get apsfilter to default to the bj10e. Who knows, maybe it works for
you where it didn't for me?

On your printer I suggest you switch it to BJ mode permanently. I never
had any problems printing ascii that way (even in raw mode, for ascii I
usually use the 'bjf'-util. Don't remember where I found it, but it's
with me, accessible via anon ftp; see 'from' line 4 adress). Just remember
to set it to 'lf=cr+lf'.

Btw: if you want more details, mail me directly.

Gabriel

668 - Neighbor of the Beast

Cadet, German Air Force         | REAL _root_s don't use ed.
University of the Armed Forces  | They use 'echo "virtual beer" >foobar'
Munich, Germany                 |

snail-mail: UniBwM 106/2-305, 85577 Neubiberg, Germany

 :      Is this possible? Is there a conversion utility? Does Ghostscript
 : do this (and if yes, how)?

A script makes it simple. Just type "ps2lpr somefile.ps".

#/mybin/ps2lpr
#
cat $1 | gs -dSAFER -q -dNOPAUSE -sDEVICE=eps9high -sOutputFile=- - | lpr

This one prints dvi files, I call it from LyX in ~/.lyxrc as:
\printer_command /mybin/dvi2lpr

#/mybin/dvi2lpr
#
/usr/bin/dvips -D 240 -f $1 | gs -dSAFER -q \
-sDEVICE=eps9high -sOutputFile=- -dNOPAUSE - | lpr

It also works from the command line.

---eof---

In comp.os.linux.misc,

JV> :        Is this possible? Is there a conversion utility? Does Ghostscript
JV> : do this (and if yes, how)?
JV>
JV>A script makes it simple. Just type "ps2lpr somefile.ps".
JV>
JV>#/mybin/ps2lpr
JV>#
JV>cat $1 | gs -dSAFER -q -dNOPAUSE -sDEVICE=eps9high -sOutputFile=- - | lpr

        OK, thus far I have gotten many helpful notes that yes, gs
converts (Thanks All).

        My problem now is I cannot find the correct gs driver for my
printer. It's a Dot Matrix (ALPS asp1000) that emulates an Epson FX85.
The 'epson' and 'eps9high' print garbage accompanied with much (abnormal)
beeping. The 'escp2' gives me a rangecheck error. The 'epsonc' sends my
machine into swap hell (?).

        So can anyone tell me what I should be using, or if there's
another variable I should set, or if FX85s simply aren't included in the
epson set of drivers, or my printers just to cheesy to do it right,
or..., or..., ??

        Thanks,

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