On Wed, 09 Nov 2005 15:42:08 +1300 (NZDT) Robert Fisher <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
> > Michael JasonSmith wrote: > > On Wed, 2005-11-09 at 15:04 +1300, Robert Fisher wrote: > >> Is it a PostScript printer Zane? > > > > It has a PostScript Printer Definition (*ppd) file\ldots > > Yes that will be fine if the printer has a "PostScript kit" in it. > PostScript is an optional extra on most Xerox Printers. Trust me, I worked > for Xerox for 20 years and now do contract work installing their printers > for them. Yeah but hold on, there are plenty of printers that have no native postscript ability, but have an associated ppd file that you use in setting up for linux/macos. This necessitates having software that acts as a raster imaging process (RIP) that understands whatever other format the printer uses, and translates postscript to PCL or whatever the printer speaks. The RIP is usually ghostscript. (On a native postscript printer the RIP is built into the printer). A PPD describes all the device dependent features which can be utilized by a certain printer model. It also contains the coded commands that must be used to call certain features of the device. See http://www.linuxprinting.org/kpfeifle/LinuxKongress2002/Tutorial/III.PostScript-and-PPDs/III.PostScript-and-PPDs.html (from whence i cut and pasted part of this email)
