Abcm2ps is a command line program. It doesn't "open" like a GUI style executable. Double clicking on it in the file browser doesn't do any good. Neither does typing the name of the file on the DOS command line. You have to specify command line options telling it what file to read and how to process it. If you don't specify something, it does nothing.
Abcm2ps is distributed under the GNU General Public Licence, which means you that you received source code with the binary or can get it if you want it. You can download the source code for free from
http://moinejf.free.fr/
Open the compressed files and read through the *.txt files. They contain instructions on what to type on the command line.
You should also be able to just type
abcm2ps
on the command line and it will spit back a condensed usage statement.
The basic format is
abcm2ps filename -A -o
If you leave off the -o option, it won't create the postscript file (the default filename is out.ps). Why [rhetorically] would you not create an output file? If you turn on the "verbose" option, it will list the titles of the selected tunes on the command line or even list out a status report of the typesetting process.
If the file is empty or you don't tell abcm2ps to select any tunes (in the example, the -A option means "select all tunes"), then the output file would be just a blank page.
I hope you find this helpful.
Eric
A. O. Gutierrez wrote:
Thanks for the response,Chris. I'm running Win98 so DOS is not a problem. I have operated in DOS on a limited level, but it seems like I'm stepping into a bunch of disconnected jargon when I try to get anywhere with this postscript stuff. I'm not sure how ghostview relates to the ABC program or howyou ensure that your printer is getting printable info, etc. Is there any place that has some basic tutorial that will allow this to make sense either specifically for the ABC2ps programs or something general that will be applicable. Also I had my brother, who has worked in DOS for 20 years or more, try to run this program and he coulsn't get it to open with either the exexcutable or a command line entry.
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