Re: Bug 456692 ghostscript ppd file

Igor,

> What's exactly the purpose for providing it ?

Particularly on Windows, users want to know which printer driver to 
use when producing PostScript for converting to PDF with Ghostscript.
I normally tell people "Apple Color LaserWriter 12/600" or similar.  
This is level 2, colour (so it doesn't convert everything to grey!), 
doesn't add HP PJL, and is available on Windows 95 and later.  A 
better PPD would actually be the Adobe Distiller PPD, but my 
understanding is that the licence on this file prevents you from 
using it with anything other than distiller.

So having a PPD set up for ghostscript ps2pdf would be helpful to 
users.

If you use the Adobe PS driver (downloaded directly from Adobe),  the 
licence says you can only use it with an Adobe Product, so my 
understanding is that you could use it to print from Photoshop to 
PostScript to Ghostscript, or from any program to an Adobe PostScript 
printer, but not from any program to Ghostscript.  The Adobe PS 
driver allows you to install a PPD without needing an INF file.

If you can't use the Adobe PS driver on Windows, you need to have an 
INF file to install the PPD, or write some code to install it with 
AddPrinterDriverEx().

So it is important to have a PPD and INF that are redistributable 
with ghostscript.

> > What other settings are wanted?
> 
> Hmm, IMO users change any distiller parameter.

Thanks.  I'll work my way through the list.

Another alternative is to add all these to RedMon and let the user 
configure them later in the process.

> Also EPSCrop and EPSFitPage are important.

These are a litte more troublesome.  The PPD causes code to be added 
to the PostScript file after the header, typically in the setup 
section.  EPSCrop and EPSFitPage need to be set before the PostScript 
file is processed.  From Windows, the file we are generating is not 
likely to be EPS so this probably isn't an issue.  I'll have to test 
this though.


Russell Lang                   [email protected]
Ghostgum Software Pty Ltd      http://www.ghostgum.com.au/