PostScript::Simple - linedistance question

[Huub]

Hi,

I have been using the PostScript::Simple package for quite some time and
initally with good results. However, after the necessary change of
printer (HP Deskjet 520 into DeskJet 690C), I noticed that the distance
between lines had changed slightly. When checking the code, I found
everything fine. BTW, the code also predefines A4 paper. Now, after
another necessary change of printer (Deskjet 690C into Epson Stylus S21),
I find that not only the distance problem persists, but the last line is
only printed partly. Can somebody please explain this to me?

Thank you..

 

[Huub]

Hi,

I have been using the PostScript::Simple package for quite some time and
initally with good results. However, after the necessary change of
printer (HP Deskjet 520 into DeskJet 690C), I noticed that the distance
between lines had changed slightly. When checking the code, I found
everything fine. BTW, the code also predefines A4 paper. Now, after
another necessary change of printer (Deskjet 690C into Epson Stylus
S21), I find that not only the distance problem persists, but the last
line is only printed partly. Can somebody please explain this to me?

Thank you..

I should add that the script outputs to a .ps file and the file is
printed using Evince. It has been like that since I wrote the script.

 

[RedGrittyBrick]

I have been using the PostScript::Simple package for quite some time and
initally with good results. However, after the necessary change of
printer (HP Deskjet 520 into DeskJet 690C), I noticed that the distance
between lines had changed slightly. When checking the code, I found
everything fine. BTW, the code also predefines A4 paper. Now, after
another necessary change of printer (Deskjet 690C into Epson Stylus S21),
I find that not only the distance problem persists, but the last line is
only printed partly. Can somebody please explain this to me?

Assuming you have not changed your Perl program, the generated
postscript must be the same. This means that this is probably not a Perl
question.

I imagine that Postscript::Simple may not take into account printer
capabilities as expressed in a PPD file. Conceivavbly this might cause
problems but I'd look elsewhere first.

Probably there are small differences in the Postscript emulation in the
three printers you mentioned. This could give rise to incorrect scaling.

It is also possible that the last printer has a smaller printable area
(due to the paper feed mechanism).

The Epson S21 is a very cheap inkjet printer - if (as seems likely) it
is not a postscript printer, you are probably using some other software
(e.g. Ghostscript) to rasterise the output of your Perl program - this
is another area where small differences in output might be introduced.

 

[Huub]

Assuming you have not changed your Perl program, the generated
postscript must be the same. This means that this is probably not a Perl
question.

I imagine that Postscript::Simple may not take into account printer
capabilities as expressed in a PPD file. Conceivavbly this might cause
problems but I'd look elsewhere first.

Probably there are small differences in the Postscript emulation in the
three printers you mentioned. This could give rise to incorrect scaling.

It is also possible that the last printer has a smaller printable area
(due to the paper feed mechanism).

The Epson S21 is a very cheap inkjet printer - if (as seems likely) it
is not a postscript printer, you are probably using some other software
(e.g. Ghostscript) to rasterise the output of your Perl program - this
is another area where small differences in output might be introduced.

Thank you for your answer. I had not thought about the (possible lack of)
postscript support by the printer. I've contacted their support..

 

[Jens Thoms Toerring]

Thank you for your answer. I had not thought about the (possible lack of)
postscript support by the printer. I've contacted their support..

The printers themselves probably have no PostScript interpreters
built in at all (e.g. the Epson Stylus S21 seems to be a low-cost
ink jet printer) - that is (or was) typically in the realm of high-
end printers. It's rather likely that there's a PostScript inter-
preter somewhere in the chain of commands executed when you print
something that converts the PostScript to something your printer
understands.

You don't write what kind of system you're using. On Linux you
might be using e.g. ghostview behoind the scenes, and in that
case I wouldn't put too much hope on contacting the printer's
support guys - then the people that take care of ghostview are
the onces to ask. Also note that printers may not be able to fill
a complete A4 page, they may have some margins which always will
be left blank. And if you try to put more onto a page than the
printer can physically deal with you're going to lose some part
of what you want to print - either both at the top and the end
or, more commonly, all at the end.

If you're looking for a possibly simple fix then putting something
like

0.95 dup scale

somewhere at the top of the file to print could make go the problem
away (but it unfortunately might be quite a bit more difficult if
the PostScript created is rather complicated!) - it tells the Post-
Script interpreter to scale down the whole page by 5%. If that
leads to the page being not properly centered an additional

x y translate

could do the trick, where 'x' and 'y' are an x- and y-shift
that you have to find out by trial (better use a PostScript
viewer for experiments before you spend too much money on
ink;-)
Regards, Jens