Printing Postscript multiples

[Richard Torrens (News)]

Every fortnight my wife gets a pdf file to print 15 copies off. She has
problems printing this from her Macbook Lite.

So I use RiscOS. !PDFtest primts it, but not quite to scale.

So I have used PDFUtils: *pdftops <filename> creates a PostScript file. If
I drop this on the Printer icon I get one perfect printout.

But how can I print 15 off?

The .ps file is 5MB and takes a significant time to get to the printer.
Yes, I can drop it on the printer icon 15 times and wait. But that's a
pain, and a long job!

This is using a Brother duplex printer with Richard Darby's definition
file.
http://www.rjdarby.co.uk/riscos/

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[Paul Sprangers]

In article <59cfaaaa29news*@Torrens.org>,

Richard Torrens (News) <News+...@Torrens.org> wrote:

> So I use RiscOS. !PDFtest primts it, but not quite to scale.

Is there any reason why you don't use !PDF? As far as I know, it prints
perfectly to scale, while you can specify any number of copies.

http://www.riscos.info/packages/DocumentDetails.html#PDF

Kind regards,
Paul Sprangers

--
http://riscos.sprie.nl

[Chris Hughes]

In message <59cfb19...@sprie.nl>

Paul Sprangers <Pa...@sprie.nl> wrote:

> In article <59cfaaaa29news*@Torrens.org>,
> Richard Torrens (News) <News+...@Torrens.org> wrote:

>> So I use RiscOS. !PDFtest primts it, but not quite to scale.

> Is there any reason why you don't use !PDF? As far as I know, it prints
> perfectly to scale, while you can specify any number of copies.

> http://www.riscos.info/packages/DocumentDetails.html#PDF

!PDFTest is an enhanced version of !PDF with more facilities




--
Chris Hughes
Don't miss this years Wakefield Show 21st May 2022 - we have move to
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check the latest information at www.wakefieldshow.org.uk

[Chris Hughes]

In message <59cfaaaa29news*@Torrens.org>

"Richard Torrens (News)" <News+...@Torrens.org> wrote:

> Every fortnight my wife gets a pdf file to print 15 copies off. She has
> problems printing this from her Macbook Lite.

> So I use RiscOS. !PDFtest primts it, but not quite to scale.

Have you checked the Printer setup options with !PDFTest ?

Have you checked your RISC OS printers page size and graphics margins?

Don't forget you can export from !PDFTest a new Postscript file or even
another PDF, menu over the PDF

[Jonathan Conner]

In message <59cfb19...@sprie.nl>
Paul Sprangers <Pa...@sprie.nl> wrote:

> In article <59cfaaaa29news*@Torrens.org>,
> Richard Torrens (News) <News+...@Torrens.org> wrote:

>> So I use RiscOS. !PDFtest primts it, but not quite to scale.

> Is there any reason why you don't use !PDF? As far as I know, it prints
> perfectly to scale, while you can specify any number of copies.

> http://www.riscos.info/packages/DocumentDetails.html#PDF

Excellent - but how do I persuade it to print duplex, please?

What I need is to print four A5 pages as a pamphlet on to A4. It does the
setup beautifully but will only produce two separate sheets.

Regards,

Jonathan.

--
Jonathan Conner (ZFC G) on an iMX6 with RISC OS 5

[Paul Sprangers]

In article <8e3db6cf...@arcady.plus.com>,

Jonathan Conner <j...@arcady.plus.com> wrote:

> Excellent - but how do I persuade it to print duplex, please?

Duplex printing is usually set by the printer driver - or directly on the
printer itself. However...

> What I need is to print four A5 pages as a pamphlet on to A4. It does the
> setup beautifully but will only produce two separate sheets.

!PDF has a pamphlet option in the Print menu. Make sure that you haven't
set duplex printing on the printer driver and start printing. Half way, the
program will ask you to turn the paper over. Ready. (That is, I had to
experiment a bit as to how exactly the paper should be turned over, but
pamphlet printing is surely possible.)

Kind regards,
Paul

--
http://riscos.sprie.nl

[Chris Hughes]

In message <8e3db6cf...@arcady.plus.com>

Jonathan Conner <j...@arcady.plus.com> wrote:

> In message <59cfb19...@sprie.nl>
> Paul Sprangers <Pa...@sprie.nl> wrote:

>> In article <59cfaaaa29news*@Torrens.org>,
>> Richard Torrens (News) <News+...@Torrens.org> wrote:

>>> So I use RiscOS. !PDFtest primts it, but not quite to scale.

>> Is there any reason why you don't use !PDF? As far as I know, it prints
>> perfectly to scale, while you can specify any number of copies.

>> http://www.riscos.info/packages/DocumentDetails.html#PDF

> Excellent - but how do I persuade it to print duplex, please?

> What I need is to print four A5 pages as a pamphlet on to A4. It does the
> setup beautifully but will only produce two separate sheets.

Err goto to the print option from the menu over the document, and tick the
"Double sided printing" I would think. Obviously your printer driver must
also support double sided printing.

[Theo]

"Richard Torrens (News)" <News+...@torrens.org> wrote:
> Every fortnight my wife gets a pdf file to print 15 copies off. She has
> problems printing this from her Macbook Lite.
>
> So I use RiscOS. !PDFtest primts it, but not quite to scale.
>
> So I have used PDFUtils: *pdftops <filename> creates a PostScript file. If
> I drop this on the Printer icon I get one perfect printout.
>
> But how can I print 15 off?
>
> The .ps file is 5MB and takes a significant time to get to the printer.
> Yes, I can drop it on the printer icon 15 times and wait. But that's a
> pain, and a long job!

According to:
https://stackoverflow.com/questions/1890591/postscript-number-of-copies

You want a
/#copies 15

command in a
%%BeginProlog
%%BeginSetup
...
%%EndSetup
%%EndProlog

section, which presumably already exists in your file.

(which is not to say there isn't a better way using the printing system
rather than hacking the Postscript)

Theo

[Jonathan Conner]

In message <59cfb94...@sprie.nl>

Thank you - fine for the odd copy but not for a batch. At the moment I
email the PDF to my PC and it prints the pamphlet as required to the same
network printer.

[Jonathan Conner]

In message <636bbacf...@mytarbis.plus.com>

Chris Hughes <new...@noonehere.co.uk> wrote:

> In message <8e3db6cf...@arcady.plus.com>
> Jonathan Conner <j...@arcady.plus.com> wrote:

>> In message <59cfb19...@sprie.nl>
>> Paul Sprangers <Pa...@sprie.nl> wrote:

>>> In article <59cfaaaa29news*@Torrens.org>,
>>> Richard Torrens (News) <News+...@Torrens.org> wrote:

>>>> So I use RiscOS. !PDFtest primts it, but not quite to scale.

>>> Is there any reason why you don't use !PDF? As far as I know, it prints
>>> perfectly to scale, while you can specify any number of copies.

>>> http://www.riscos.info/packages/DocumentDetails.html#PDF

>> Excellent - but how do I persuade it to print duplex, please?

>> What I need is to print four A5 pages as a pamphlet on to A4. It does the
>> setup beautifully but will only produce two separate sheets.

> Err goto to the print option from the menu over the document, and tick the
> "Double sided printing" I would think. Obviously your printer driver must
> also support double sided printing.

O.K., I did that and selected 'Pamphlet' but still two separate sheets. I
can email the PDF file to the PC and it works fine to the same network
printer. I'm using the Postscript 2 printer option on the iMX6 and
printing to the file as normal. Obviously getting something wrong
somewhere.

[Chris Hughes]

In message <9d68bdcf...@arcady.plus.com>

Jonathan Conner <j...@arcady.plus.com> wrote:

> In message <636bbacf...@mytarbis.plus.com>
> Chris Hughes <new...@noonehere.co.uk> wrote:

>> In message <8e3db6cf...@arcady.plus.com>
>> Jonathan Conner <j...@arcady.plus.com> wrote:

>>> In message <59cfb19...@sprie.nl>
>>> Paul Sprangers <Pa...@sprie.nl> wrote:

>>>> In article <59cfaaaa29news*@Torrens.org>,
>>>> Richard Torrens (News) <News+...@Torrens.org> wrote:

>>>>> So I use RiscOS. !PDFtest primts it, but not quite to scale.

>>>> Is there any reason why you don't use !PDF? As far as I know, it prints
>>>> perfectly to scale, while you can specify any number of copies.

>>>> http://www.riscos.info/packages/DocumentDetails.html#PDF

>>> Excellent - but how do I persuade it to print duplex, please?

>>> What I need is to print four A5 pages as a pamphlet on to A4. It does the
>>> setup beautifully but will only produce two separate sheets.

>> Err goto to the print option from the menu over the document, and tick the
>> "Double sided printing" I would think. Obviously your printer driver must
>> also support double sided printing.

> O.K., I did that and selected 'Pamphlet' but still two separate sheets. I
> can email the PDF file to the PC and it works fine to the same network
> printer. I'm using the Postscript 2 printer option on the iMX6 and
> printing to the file as normal. Obviously getting something wrong
> somewhere.

So you are using a network printer? Ok then why are you using Postscript 2
? You need to send it your printer direct as the Postscript 2 driver does
not actually support flipping the page for duplex (Double sided printing).

Does your printer support PCL5 or 6 or even better Postscript/Bscript,
etc.? What model/make of printer is it.

Richard Darby has various Duplex drivers that can used with your network
printer - available via !Store they are free.

[Jonathan Conner]

In message <6d77bfcf...@mytarbis.plus.com>

Kyocera Ecosys P5026

> Richard Darby has various Duplex drivers that can used with your network
> printer - available via !Store they are free.

Installed that. However, it seems that I still have to flip the paper
manually. If I don't set Print Both Sides and from that Pamphlet then it
does proper Duplex but not the Pamphlet. Hmm. Either I'm doing something
very wrong or I can have Duplex but not Pamphlet or Pamphlet and not
Duplex.

Comments please.

[Chris Hughes]

In message <3ccbc8cf...@arcady.plus.com>

I nice printer, just looked up the specs (I also have a Kyocera).

Yours has PCL 6 (PCL 5c/PCL-XL), Postscript 3 (KPDL 3)

KPDL is Kyocera version of Postscript (to save on the rather high licence
fees)

>> Richard Darby has various Duplex drivers that can used with your network
>> printer - available via !Store they are free.

> Installed that. However, it seems that I still have to flip the paper
> manually. If I don't set Print Both Sides and from that Pamphlet then it
> does proper Duplex but not the Pamphlet. Hmm. Either I'm doing something
> very wrong or I can have Duplex but not Pamphlet or Pamphlet and not
> Duplex.

Hmm not sure what going on here, sounds like a conflict of instructions to
the printer maybe.

In the printer driver have you set Double sided printing on the RISC OS
side.

Actually looking at !PDF print configuration (which I admit is somewhat
poor) to the right of the option to double sided printing, is a SETUP
button and within that is a turn the paper over option, plus landscape
options which you might need to use. You could try that.

[Harriet Bazley]

On 27 Mar 2022 as I do recall,

Jonathan Conner wrote:

> In message <6d77bfcf...@mytarbis.plus.com>
> Chris Hughes <new...@noonehere.co.uk> wrote:

[snip]

> > Richard Darby has various Duplex drivers that can used with your network
> > printer - available via !Store they are free.
>
> Installed that. However, it seems that I still have to flip the paper
> manually. If I don't set Print Both Sides and from that Pamphlet then it
> does proper Duplex but not the Pamphlet. Hmm. Either I'm doing something
> very wrong or I can have Duplex but not Pamphlet or Pamphlet and not
> Duplex.
>

If you wangle the setup right it should be possible to print multiple
copies in pamphlet format while flipping the pages manually (I've
certainly done it from Impression in the past) - but you do have to get
the flip axis and page sort order set right out of at least 4 potential
combinations depending on your specific printer....

--
Harriet Bazley == Loyaulte me lie ==

We have met the enemy, and he is us.

[Paul Sprangers]

In article <3e80d2cf...@mytarbis.plus.com>,

Chris Hughes <new...@noonehere.co.uk> wrote:

> In the printer driver have you set Double sided printing on the RISC OS
> side

You should really turn this OFF for pamphlet printing. !PDF is taking care
for double sided printing, by letting you turn the papers manually at some
point. You probably need to tick the 'landscape' printing in the setup
menu. It's a bit of experimenting, but PDF pamphlet printing can certainly
be done.

[Richard Torrens (News)]

In article <59cfb19...@sprie.nl>,

Paul Sprangers <Pa...@sprie.nl> wrote:
> In article <59cfaaaa29news*@Torrens.org>,
> Richard Torrens (News) <News+...@Torrens.org> wrote:

> > So I use RiscOS. !PDFtest primts it, but not quite to scale.

> Is there any reason why you don't use !PDF? As far as I know, it prints
> perfectly to scale, while you can specify any number of copies.

As I said
> > !PDFtest prints it, but not quite to scale.

The edges are slightly clipped. !PDFtest was the first thing I tried.

[Chris Hughes]

In message <59d2c65bb6news*@Torrens.org>

"Richard Torrens (News)" <News+...@Torrens.org> wrote:

> In article <59cfb19...@sprie.nl>,
> Paul Sprangers <Pa...@sprie.nl> wrote:
>> In article <59cfaaaa29news*@Torrens.org>,
>> Richard Torrens (News) <News+...@Torrens.org> wrote:

>>> So I use RiscOS. !PDFtest primts it, but not quite to scale.

>> Is there any reason why you don't use !PDF? As far as I know, it prints
>> perfectly to scale, while you can specify any number of copies.

> As I said
>>> !PDFtest prints it, but not quite to scale.

> The edges are slightly clipped. !PDFtest was the first thing I tried.

Within !PDFTest > Print > Setup > Try ticking either or both the "Scale to
Fit" and/or "Use Paper margins" Remember to click on Set for that session
or Save to keep those settings.

See if that fixes your issue.

[Richard Torrens (News)]

In article <fdabb4cf...@mytarbis.plus.com>,

Chris Hughes <new...@noonehere.co.uk> wrote:
> In message <59cfaaaa29news*@Torrens.org>
> "Richard Torrens (News)" <News+...@Torrens.org> wrote:

> > Every fortnight my wife gets a pdf file to print 15 copies off. She has
> > problems printing this from her Macbook Lite.

> > So I use RiscOS. !PDFtest primts it, but not quite to scale.

> Have you checked the Printer setup options with !PDFTest ?

No. But !PDFtest has no paper size option. It has a variable scale.

> Have you checked your RISC OS printers page size and graphics margins?

No. Text margins are already zero. I will have to experiment with
Graphics margins.

> Don't forget you can export from !PDFTest a new Postscript file or even
> another PDF, menu over the PDF

Indeed. Not sure how exporting a ps file would help though. It might show
me how to edit the file to add Theo's "/#copies 15".

[Richard Torrens (News)]

In article <dwE*MD...@news.chiark.greenend.org.uk>,

Theo <theom...@chiark.greenend.org.uk> wrote:
> > But how can I print 15 off?
> >
> > The .ps file is 5MB and takes a significant time to get to the printer.
> > Yes, I can drop it on the printer icon 15 times and wait. But that's a
> > pain, and a long job!

> According to:
> https://stackoverflow.com/questions/1890591/postscript-number-of-copies

> You want a
> /#copies 15

> command in a
> %%BeginProlog
> %%BeginSetup
> ...
> %%EndSetup
> %%EndProlog

> section, which presumably already exists in your file.

> (which is not to say there isn't a better way using the printing system
> rather than hacking the Postscript)

HelloTheo

The ps file is not quite as the link says. There are two separate sections

%%BeginProlog
---
%%EndProlog

%%BeginSetup
...
%%EndSetup

However - I will experiment! Thanks.

[Chris Hughes]

In message <59d2c8798enews*@Torrens.org>

"Richard Torrens (News)" <News+...@Torrens.org> wrote:

> In article <fdabb4cf...@mytarbis.plus.com>,
> Chris Hughes <new...@noonehere.co.uk> wrote:
>> In message <59cfaaaa29news*@Torrens.org>
>> "Richard Torrens (News)" <News+...@Torrens.org> wrote:

>>> Every fortnight my wife gets a pdf file to print 15 copies off. She has
>>> problems printing this from her Macbook Lite.

>>> So I use RiscOS. !PDFtest primts it, but not quite to scale.

>> Have you checked the Printer setup options with !PDFTest ?

> No. But !PDFtest has no paper size option. It has a variable scale.

It uses whatever your printer drivers configured Page size is and graphics
margins.

I tend to use A4 (Generic PS) - thats the page size name.
Page size 209.9 mm width 297.0 mm Height

Graphics margins 8.1 mm top and bottom
6.3 mm left and right.

>> Have you checked your RISC OS printers page size and graphics margins?

> No. Text margins are already zero. I will have to experiment with
> Graphics margins.

nearly everything nowadays uses the graphics margins for actual printing
of documents including PDF's

[Richard Torrens (News)]

In article <f490c8d2...@mytarbis.plus.com>,

Chris Hughes <new...@noonehere.co.uk> wrote:
> Within !PDFTest > Print > Setup > Try ticking either or both the "Scale
> to Fit" and/or "Use Paper margins" Remember to click on Set for that
> session or Save to keep those settings.

> See if that fixes your issue.

Yes - ticking "Use Paper margins" does the trick. Thanks.

Unfortunately there is no Help available from the icon bar, and the
Application's Help doesn't. So what the difference is remains a mystery!

Also !PDFTest appears to be no longer on
https://www.riscosports.co.uk/vfp/
aka
https://www.cgransden.co.uk/

[Brian Jordan]

In article <59d3cbe2d4news*@Torrens.org>,

Richard Torrens (News) <News+...@Torrens.org> wrote:

[Snip]

> Also !PDFTest appears to be no longer on
> https://www.riscosports.co.uk/vfp/
> aka
> https://www.cgransden.co.uk/

It's a bit tucked away...

https://www.cgransden.co.uk/downloads.html

The 10th item listed 'Latest alpha version of !PDF' links to a zip file
'pdftest/zip' wherein resides the app '!PDFtest'. When loaded PDF - >info
reveals 'Version 3.03.1.25alpha 8 (20 May 2013)'

--
_____________________________________________________________________

Brian Jordan
RISC OS 5.28 (16-Dec-20) on Raspberry Pi
_____________________________________________________________________

[Paul Sprangers]

In article <2f39b4cf...@mytarbis.plus.com>,

Chris Hughes <new...@noonehere.co.uk> wrote:

> !PDFTest is an enhanced version of !PDF with more facilities

But it doesn't run on my 4té (Pi4). It freezes the machine while loading,
without any error message.

Paul

--
http://riscos.sprie.nl

[Chris Hughes]

In message <59d3da5...@sprie.nl>

Paul Sprangers <Pa...@sprie.nl> wrote:

> In article <2f39b4cf...@mytarbis.plus.com>,
> Chris Hughes <new...@noonehere.co.uk> wrote:

>> !PDFTest is an enhanced version of !PDF with more facilities

> But it doesn't run on my 4té (Pi4). It freezes the machine while loading,
> without any error message.

try this version, It requires VFP which you should have on your Pi4

https://www.riscosports.co.uk/vfp/pdftest.zip

This is 3.03.1.25alpha 9 (22 Aug 2015)

The Help file is within the application, it just lists the changes to each
version.

For some odd reason the link above is missing from the Vfp Download page
of Chris Gransden webpage.

I am using this version happily on my ARMX6 and have been for a long time.

[Paul Sprangers]

In article <169be0d3...@mytarbis.plus.com>,

Chris Hughes <new...@noonehere.co.uk> wrote:

> try this version, It requires VFP which you should have on your Pi4
> https://www.riscosports.co.uk/vfp/pdftest.zip

This version doesn't freeze the machine, but it doesn't run either. Nothing
visible happens at all.

How do I control if VFP is on my computer? In the SharedLibs.lib.abi-2/0
directory, there's a VFP subdirectory with a lot of files.

Paul

--
http://riscos.sprie.nl

[Doug Webb]

In message <59d3e58...@sprie.nl>

Paul Sprangers <Pa...@sprie.nl> wrote:

> In article <169be0d3...@mytarbis.plus.com>,
> Chris Hughes <new...@noonehere.co.uk> wrote:

>> try this version, It requires VFP which you should have on your Pi4
>> https://www.riscosports.co.uk/vfp/pdftest.zip

> This version doesn't freeze the machine, but it doesn't run either. Nothing
> visible happens at all.

OK that version has issues with SWP and some Zeropain issues.

Go off to Jan De Boer's site , www.tellima.nl/riscos

and download PatchSWP and run the !Runimage through it and then save it
back in to PDFTest as !RunImage and it will run.

Just tried it here and it runs ok on my Pi.

Also updated PDF as well the same way.

> How do I control if VFP is on my computer? In the SharedLibs.lib.abi-2/0
> directory, there's a VFP subdirectory with a lot of files.

AFAIK you don't it is with the system chip or not.



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Experience the future using ARM Technology - ARMBook,BeagleBoard -xM,
PandaBoard,Raspberry Pi,iMX6/ARMX6,IGEPv5 & Titanium powered by RISC OS
5.28.

[Paul Sprangers]

In article <4cd5e8d359...@btinternet.com>,

Doug Webb <doug....@btinternet.com> wrote:

> OK that version has issues with SWP and some Zeropain issues.
> Go off to Jan De Boer's site , www.tellima.nl/riscos

That did the trick indeed. Thank you very much!

Paul

--
http://riscos.sprie.nl