Subject: [netatalk-admins] MacOS 8.5 printing/postscript problem.
From: Peter Whaite (peta@ursula.dem.qc.ca)
Date: Fri Dec 18 1998 - 11:25:25 EST
We are trying to get an imac with an OS 8.5 (French) to print to papd on
Redhat Linux (2.0.36). File goes via ghostscript-5.50 to a HP-5L. The mac
file gets there, the printer shows activity, but nothing comes out.
The problem is the postscript produced by the OS 8.5 on the imac. Choosen
printer is a 'LaserWriter 8', with a 'LaserWriter NTX II' ppd.
I've tracked the problem down to the font definitions produced by the Mac. If
the document contains only the std laserwriter fonts, it prints just fine. A
non-standard font in the document (e.g. Geneva) causes a postscript
/invalidfont error.
Furthermore if I save the print job as an EPS file on the imac, transfer this
to the linux box using ftp (text or binary), and run it through ghostscript,
then I get the same error.
If I delete the font definition from the postscript (either from the eps, or
from a captured papd file), then gs substitutes Helvetica for the missing
geneva, and the document prints fine.
So this is not a netatalk problem, but a MacOS 8.5 postscript problem. I'm
posting here in the hope someone else has encountered it and knows of a
solution. Possibilities:
1. Magic PPD incantation, but I dont think that explains the EPS problem as
that should be independent of the printer.
2. MacOS8.5.1 upgrade. My problem here is that this is a French version and
the apple patch is said to be for the US English only.
3. Known ghostscript problem (I couldn't find one).
Now if only we had a postscript printer!!
-- Dr. Peter Whaite VP Research and Development, Cortex Machina Corp. 460 ste-Catherine O, bureau 942, Montreal, Quebec. H3B 1A7 Phone: (514) 395 8515/9059 Fax: (514) 878 2874
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