topic Re: printing graphics? in Operating System - HP-UX

printing graphics?

jim bidebo — Thu, 18 Oct 2001 13:06:23 GMT

running hp-ux 10.20
using jetdirect to print to a tektronix phaser 850n.

when i try to print graphics it only prints the text..

i attach the /etc/lp/interface/model.orig/ if that can be to any help to you guys.. its almost as greek to me =)

ive tried to print in ps level 1 and 2 and also a jpg image from netscape.. non of them worked... only "text"...

Re: printing graphics?

Wodisch — Thu, 18 Oct 2001 13:57:50 GMT

Hello Jim,

AFAIK you will have to use "GhostScript" from within your script...
That way you can print PostScript output onto all printers you want.

HTH,
Wodisch

Re: printing graphics?

jim bidebo — Thu, 25 Oct 2001 07:48:44 GMT

but it must be possible to print graphics and postscript without using ghostscript?

Re: printing graphics?

Alex Glennie — Thu, 25 Oct 2001 08:02:25 GMT

Jim .... I don't know too much about printing .... but you may want to read the man page for pcltrans ?

Re: printing graphics?

jim bidebo — Thu, 25 Oct 2001 08:24:15 GMT

dont have pcltrans...
what i have is std hp-ux printing and jetadmin.
(which would be enough... it is for the rest of our printers... (but they are hp printers))

Re: printing graphics?

Wodisch — Thu, 25 Oct 2001 14:27:56 GMT

Hello Jim,

your script contains HP PCL-Escape-Code sequences, which hence will not be understood by your printer.
Try to use a "plain" PostScript interface or use GhostScript...

Sorry,
Wodisch

Re: printing graphics?

p_15 — Thu, 13 Jun 2002 18:13:49 GMT

This is an old thread, but it is similar to what I am seeking -- to be able to print a graphics image (company logo) to a HP 9000dn; I am currently printing text only, using PCL escape codes. I have no idea where to go from here...

Really appreciate any advice!

Cheers

Re: printing graphics?

A. Clay Stephenson — Thu, 13 Jun 2002 18:50:14 GMT

While it's not free (but it's not very expensive either), the least evil answer I've found is a product called 'UnForm'.
http://www.unform.com

It can take your plain vanilla text and examine it for patterns so that it knows which 'ruleset' to apply. You can do logos, graphics, change fonts, colors, duplex, barcodes, shading, copies, ... . It's best feature is that it actually includes a programming language so that very complex operations can be done.

Re: printing graphics?

Leif Halvarsson_2 — Thu, 13 Jun 2002 19:12:51 GMT

Hi
For some time ago I used something called "sharedprint" to print images on a PCL (and RTL) printers connected to HP-UX computers. Sharedprint was standard in HP-UX 10.x and 11.0 but I cant find it in 11.11. It was a number of filters for converting image files ( for example JPG,TIFF and postscript) and some printer interface scripts to use this filters. Perhaps this can be something for you.

Re: printing graphics?

Bill Hassell — Fri, 14 Jun 2002 00:37:39 GMT

The reason you're having problems is that Unix doesn't know anything about graphics. If you have a workstation and are running Xwindows (such as CDE) this isn't Unix but a giant application on top of Unix (and Xwindows has extremely archaic graphic printing capabilities such as xwd, xwd2sb, pcltrans, and xpr).

In your case, you are running a pplication (Netscape) which only produces Postscript output...not a problem unless the printer is incapable of switching from plain ASCII to Postscript processing. I suspect that is the case in which case you'll have to contact Tektronix about why the Postscript code sent by Netscape is not working on the phaser printer. (I am assuming that "prints the text" means that you get a copy of the Postscript code printed on the paper).

There may be an upgrade to their firmware which will recognize Postscript versus plain ASCII and switch modes correctly.

Re: printing graphics?

Jeff Schussele — Fri, 14 Jun 2002 00:52:17 GMT

Boy this one got dredged up...BUT it's good to see users searching.

Yep Bill's 100% correct the printer HAS to auto-sense the input type (PCL or PS) and switch on the fly. *Most* decent printer will.
It may boil down to a setting in it's control panel.

Rgds,
Jeff