Subject: Re: [netatalk-admins] netatalk server's ppd vs clients' ppd
From: Les Barstow (lbarstow@entire.com)
Date: Wed Nov 04 1998 - 11:18:27 EST
Craig Johnston wrote:
> Ok -- I'm serving out an HPLJ 6MP to a bunch of macs over an ethernet
> with a FreeBSD box running netatalk 1.4b2.
> The problem is that some apps on the mac clients are sending level 3
> postscript rather than level 2. The printer only supports level 2,
> and the ppd file I specify in papd.conf specifies level 2.
> Now, when the clients print to the server, shouldn't they be asking
> papd about the printer, getting back the info that it only supports
> up to level 2, and sending level 2 postscript instead of level 3?
> Or do the clients need local .ppd files for the printer? (why should they?)
> The offending programs are Adobe Pagemaker and Adobe Photoshop --
> I have checked that they are indeed producing legit level 3 output.
Adobe, being the Sole Repository of PostScript Knowledge, has decided to
ignore the LaserWriter driver in favor of making its own PostScript.
This
tends to mean that it ignores certain aspects of the printer setup.
It's
a pain, but there it is.
> Is there a standard way for mac apps to decide what sort of PS they are
> going to output? Why are these apps apparently failing to determine
> they can't just shoot out level 3?
Adobe knows better. Don't feel left-out, they do it for WinBlows, too.
> Is it in fact that all apps are sending whatever they like, and that
> just happens to almost always be ps <= level 2, and these 2 apps are
> the only ones that will generate level 3? Is it up to the app to find
> a .ppd file and modify its output accordingly? Up to the OS?
Normally, the LaserWriter driver is responsible for PPD setup. Certain
applications (Quark, Adobe products, CorelDraw - high-end graphics stuff
in general) frequently generate their own output, and therefore must be
set up separately. In general, if the application detects that a
standard
LaserWriter driver is being used, the application overrides.
This archive was generated by hypermail 2b28 : Sat Dec 18 1999 - 16:33:39 EST