[Info-vax] Direct print of PDF files on PDF compatible printers.

[chris]

On 03/02/22 19:08, Jan-Erik Söderholm wrote:
> Den 2022-03-02 kl. 20:05, skrev chris:
>> On 03/02/22 17:26, Bill Gunshannon wrote:
>>> On 3/2/22 11:05, chris wrote:
>>>> On 03/02/22 15:53, Bill Gunshannon wrote:
>>>>> On 3/2/22 10:08, chris wrote:
>>>>>> On 03/01/22 23:05, gah4 wrote:
>>>>>>> On Tuesday, March 1, 2022 at 9:16:42 AM UTC-8, Jan-Erik Söderholm
>>>>>>> wrote:
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> Some of the Xerox laser printer models support direct print of PDF
>>>>>>>> files.
>>>>>>>> Now, we uses DCPS för most of our printing needs. So, should I
>>>>>>>> look for
>>>>>>>> a way to setup a DCPS queue that will be transparent and just
>>>>>>>> let the
>>>>>>>> PDF file through (DCPS itself dosn't support PDF input)? Or is it
>>>>>>>> simpler to just setup a queue using the telnetsym, lpd_smb or such?
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> As well as I know it, PDF is a subset of PS.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> Enough of a subset that there is an automated process to convert
>>>>>>> PDF into PS, and the program pdftops to do it.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> Are there printers that support PDF, but not PS?
>>>>>>
>>>>>> One thing that might solve the problem long term would be to port
>>>>>> cups. Pretty foolproof and works out of the box on all the systems
>>>>>> and os's tried here. Just about every printer model supported as
>>>>>> well.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> You could argue that it's not the os's task to process pdf or any
>>>>>> other format, other than transparently passing the data. Pdf
>>>>>> should be
>>>>>> handled by the pdf reader itself, as with most systems these days...
>>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> Who would argue that? Most of us remember when printers were just
>>>>> dumb boxes. Used to have to put a loop of punched paper tape in just
>>>>> so it could find the beginning of the page!
>>>>>
>>>>> bill
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>
>>>> Different world now, isn't it ?. Similar problems with terminals on
>>>> unix, where the termcap file could be megabytes of special control
>>>> character sequences. As I said, the os cups system is very flexible
>>>> and keeps all the printer specific stuff in one place where it
>>>> belongs, but like the termcap example, is quite bulky because of the
>>>> myriad  of printer types. No easy way around that I guess.
>>>> Can also be managed with a browser for setups and monitoring as well.
>>>>
>>>> Might be worth looking at for vms.
>>>>
>>>
>>> Or buying a $35 Raspberry Pi 2 and building a simple printer engine
>>> sit between VMS and whatever printer you have.
>>>
>>> bill
>>>
>>>
>>
>> Absolutely, a print server in a box...
>>
>> Chris
>>
>>
>
> Absolutely not. This is a 24/7 factory. We cannot put in some Raspies
> in a critcal environment. Better do it in the VMS environment so that
> we have full remote access for support whatever happens.

I would agree about cheap hardware, even if it is made of the same
quality  parts as your $10e6 server. What you are really saying is
that you don't  want a hacked together solution, (agree) but relaxed
about a hacked script to glue it all together ?. HP and many others
have been building network  print servers in a box for decades,
some of which may take a pdf or jpeg input. Usually fully
configurable via a network browser or serial port.

Simon mentioned fully automated processes, which in fact makes life
easier, since the file format can be chosen to better match other
parts of the system. For example, it may be more convenient to
convert the process output to jpeg or tiff and send that directly to
the printer.

However, if you insist on a pdf compatible printer, it limits printer
selection choices and probably increases costs...

Chris