[Rd] paper size in postscript driver

[Prof Brian D Ripley]

On Sat, 2 Jun 2001, Trent Piepho wrote:

> On Fri, 1 Jun 2001, Prof Brian D Ripley wrote:
> > > Why does it need to break anything?  Both staroffice and gimp produce
> > > postscript that prints on the proper paper size.  Do they not work with
> > > "proper" spooling software?  What is the "proper" spooling software for Linux?
> >
> > The code you suggested adding is level-2 PostScript and does not work on
> > my office printer, for example.  So, yes, it would break things.  This is
> > why such code is the preserve of a Document Manager in the print spooling
> > system in Adobe's model.
>
> No need to give up so quickly!
>
> First, there could be an option for postscript level in the PS driver.  Adobe
> acrobat reader, staroffice, etc. have an option like this, where you can
> select level 1, 2, 3.  People who have a level 1 printer, could just select
> level 1 output.
>
> Secondly, you can use a "protected" setpagedevice call that will work on both
> level 1 and level 2 printers.  It looks something like this:
>
> /setpagedevice where { pop << /param value ...  >> setpagedevice } if
>
> The 'where' command will return false if setpagedevice isn't defined, and thus
> it setpagedevice will never get called.
>
> > R follows the recommendations of the PostScript Language Reference Manual
> > (Appendix G, to be precise).  Looks like StarOffice and GIMP *on your Linux
> > installation* do not.
>
> It's not just those programs.  Lots of applications will output setpagedevice
> commands to control paper size, duplex, etc.  It's usually the ones with more
> comprehensive postscript support, that have these features.

I've never seen such a program on Solaris, which comes with a conformant
Document Manager as part of its spool system.

That other programs choose to take over the role of Document Manager is
no reason for R to do so.    These cludges are common in the Windows world,
and it is probably no coincidence that the programs you mention are
all versions of of copies of Windows programs.

-- 
Brian D. Ripley,                  ripley@stats.ox.ac.uk
Professor of Applied Statistics,  http://www.stats.ox.ac.uk/~ripley/
University of Oxford,             Tel:  +44 1865 272861 (self)
1 South Parks Road,                     +44 1865 272860 (secr)
Oxford OX1 3TG, UK                Fax:  +44 1865 272595

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