Subject: [netatalk-admins] netatalk server's ppd vs clients' ppd

From: Craig Johnston <[email-masked]>
Date: Tue, 3 Nov 1998 15:18:25 -0600 (CST)

Ok -- I'm serving out an HPLJ 6MP to a bunch of macs over an ethernet
with a FreeBSD box running netatalk 1.4b2.

The problem is that some apps on the mac clients are sending level 3
postscript rather than level 2.  The printer only supports level 2,
and the ppd file I specify in papd.conf specifies level 2.

Now, when the clients print to the server, shouldn't they be asking 
papd about the printer, getting back the info that it only supports
up to level 2, and sending level 2 postscript instead of level 3?

Or do the clients need local .ppd files for the printer?  (why should they?)

The offending programs are Adobe Pagemaker and Adobe Photoshop --
I have checked that they are indeed producing legit level 3 output.

Is there a standard way for mac apps to decide what sort of PS they are
going to output?   Why are these apps apparently failing to determine
they can't just shoot out level 3?  

Is it in fact that all apps are sending whatever they like, and that
just happens to almost always be ps <= level 2, and these 2 apps are
the only ones that will generate level 3?  Is it up to the app to find
a .ppd file and modify its output accordingly?  Up to the OS?

thanks,
Craig

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From: Jesse Reynolds <[email-masked]>
Date: Wed, 4 Nov 1998 21:03:31 +1030

Hi there

I have a file ending in ".gz" and it's type and creator are TEXT and UNIX
respectively, despite atalk/etc/AppleVolumes.system containing the
following line:

.gz     Gzip    Gzip

why would this be happening? Of course it causes corruption when copied
onto my mac via appletalk...

Solaris 2.5.1 Sparc 2, asun patched netatalk

cheers

jesse

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From: Les Barstow <[email-masked]>
Date: Wed, 04 Nov 1998 11:18:27 -0500

> I have checked that they are indeed producing legit level 3 output.

Adobe, being the Sole Repository of PostScript Knowledge, has decided to
ignore the LaserWriter driver in favor of making its own PostScript. 
This
tends to mean that it ignores certain aspects of the printer setup. 
It's
a pain, but there it is.
 
> they can't just shoot out level 3?

Adobe knows better.  Don't feel left-out, they do it for WinBlows, too.
 
> a .ppd file and modify its output accordingly?  Up to the OS?

Normally, the LaserWriter driver is responsible for PPD setup.  Certain
applications (Quark, Adobe products, CorelDraw - high-end graphics stuff
in general) frequently generate their own output, and therefore must be
set up separately.  In general, if the application detects that a
standard
LaserWriter driver is being used, the application overrides.

---

From: Pat Trainor <[email-masked]>
Date: Wed, 4 Nov 1998 13:17:45 -0500 (EST)

Well, now that we're on printers...

	I have a printing configuration question for a client that is
printing through a netatalk server.. the server and all services are
fine..

	When a user on sol2 uses printtool or the default lpr out of
filemgr, the pages are printed out landscape with headers, page numbers,
username, date, .. as well as the text printed..

	Question: How/where to change all these defaults.. I found it a
year ago and can't now! :) It would save time if one of you guys knew what
man page/sunsolve I could goto..

tia!

pat 	
:)

Pat Trainor [email-masked] (key: www.title14.com/pgp/pat.key)  
Programming Rates: I do it: $20 You watch: $40 You help: $80