Guess I'll have to roll my own then. Reinventing the wheel... ---------------------------------------- Glen Batchelor IT Director All-Spec Industries phone: (910) 332-0424 fax: (910) 763-5664 E-mail: webmas...@all-spec.com Web: http://www.all-spec.com Blog: http://blog.all-spec.com ----------------------------------------
> -----Original Message----- > From: u2-users-boun...@listserver.u2ug.org [mailto:u2-users- > boun...@listserver.u2ug.org] On Behalf Of Bob Rasmussen > Sent: Thursday, May 20, 2010 4:35 PM > To: U2 Users List > Subject: Re: [U2] Print Wizard on Linux (was Re: Code 128 Soft Font) > > First, you mention table support. Print Wizard does currently have some > HTML table support, with control over borders, margins, widths, etc. We > haven't written it up yet. And there are some things lacking. > > What you have described is focused on markup-to-PCL or markup-to-PS, plus > command and control of existing Linux utilities. This would greatly reduce > the the complexity of the project. > > However, I still don't see the business case for doing this development. > > On Thu, 20 May 2010, Glen Batchelor wrote: > > > > > I'll embed comments since it'll be easier to direct my responses. > > > > ---------------------------------------- > > Glen Batchelor > > IT Director > > All-Spec Industries > > phone: (910) 332-0424 > > fax: (910) 763-5664 > > E-mail: webmas...@all-spec.com > > Web: http://www.all-spec.com > > Blog: http://blog.all-spec.com > > ---------------------------------------- > > > > > -----Original Message----- > > > From: u2-users-boun...@listserver.u2ug.org [mailto:u2-users- > > > boun...@listserver.u2ug.org] On Behalf Of Bob Rasmussen > > > Sent: Thursday, May 20, 2010 1:10 AM > > > To: U2 Users List > > > Subject: [U2] Print Wizard on Linux (was Re: Code 128 Soft Font) > > > > > > On Wed, 19 May 2010, Glen B wrote: > > > > > > > > > > > Bob, > > > > > > > > Let me also extend an offer to help with general development off- > > > hours, if > > > > you're willing to work with GPL libs for open development. > > > > ... > > > > > > Thanks for the offer. But you haven't said what Print Wizard features > you > > > want, exactly. > > > > > > > I need a markup-based PS/PDF generating solution that accepts embedded > > PS/EPS as well as JPEG/GIF images. Barcode markup will be a nice > addition, > > but not required since I can generate PS and PCL content myself. > > > > > > > Let me give you the scope of things. I just did a full build of > > > printwiz.exe; that is, just the main program that does all the dirty > work. > > > It's 550,432 lines of code! It has a PCL reader, a PDF writer, a PDF > > > reader (coming soon), graphics file input routines (some purchased), > an > > > interface to Windows faxing, Windows sockets, and Windows scanning, > SSL, > > > CDO, MAPI, SMTP, the Windows spooler, FTP, HTTP, and Windows printer > > > drivers (yes, we do use those for most printing output). It has some > user > > > interface, notably the print previewer, but not a lot. It can read > files > > > in formats PCL-5, PCL-6 (some), JPG, TIFF, BMP, WMF, EMF, SPL, TXT, > PWML, > > > HTML, PDF, Unicode, and more. It deals with input and output of > TrueType > > > fonts and does fine-grained manipulation on them. It prints in most > world > > > languages. > > > > Let's break a few things down and compare: > > > > PCL input and output is covered under Ghostscript, though some complex > PCL6 > > stuff may be buggy. Find a bug and report it at this point. It will get > > fixed. Generic PCL3/4 stuff should be solid at this point, but I would > > verify with the devs. The XPS/GPDL code has been out for a while now. > > > > PDF/PS/EPS input and output are covered under Ghostscript. > > > > ImageMagick can handle image generation, manipulation, and conversion to > a > > ton of formats. > > > > Ghostscript can output a variety of raster and vector image formats, but > the > > input formats are limited since the application is vector based. I've > not > > found a situation where I couldn't convert between multiple standard > formats > > with ImageMagick and Ghostscript at my grasp. > > > > Faxing is a no-brainer with Hylafax or Hylafax++ using TIF or PS files. > Most > > faxing applications will accept either format so Hylafax was just an > example > > of a typical app that is installed. > > > > Most *nix servers that communicate with the world, or the employees in > the > > office, run a local MTA so an embedded SMTP client will not be needed. > Send > > it with the "mail" or "sendmail" command so that the admin has more > control > > over how the mail is processed. > > > > FTP? If you absolutely have to, but most *nix admins I know of mock the > user > > when that acronym is suggested. SCP is far superior in a ton of ways > > including speed and security. > > > > HTTP? Erm, how exactly are you suggesting that? You serve stuff through > IIS? > > If so, lighttpd or Apache can be there depending on requirements. If > you've > > embedded an HTTP server, don't bother on *nix. There are plenty of http > > servers you can hook directly or indirectly into. > > > > Windows printing drivers? While some obscure printers are problematic in > > CUPS configuration, I've never had an issue making programmatic > > paper/drawer/slot/etc selections when a PPD was available and installed > > properly. I'm willing to bet the *nix admin(s) running the equipment > > selected printers better suited to CUPS than Windows, so I wouldn't > worry > > too much about that. > > > > The other formats you mention like WMF and SPL are pretty pointless > here. > > Text is a given, along with TIFF, JPEG, and BMP. HTML and PWML are where > > your expertise and experience with rendering content from mark-up could > > really help make a great Linux product. Not having table support, > though, is > > a huge missing feature. If I misread the tech guide, please correct me. > > Having CSS control in HTML would be just awesome. Instead of changing > the > > HTML attributes to make layout and small design changes, I would just > need > > to update the styles. I've not seen an HTML->PS tool that properly and > > consistently renders the HTML and one of the reasons I've wanted > PrintWizard > > on Linux. > > > > > > > > > > And it's not in C, it's in Delphi. > > > > > > Now if you're interested in a very small subset of its capabilities, > there > > > might be hope. Several years ago I ported it to Kylix, which is the > Linux > > > equivalent of Delphi. I restricted it WAY down to just outputting PDF > > > files. It was moderately painful. More to the point, it was dependent > on > > > Kylix and several libraries it used, which I think even today would be > > > less stable and future-proof than Windows. I don't know if Kylix is > > > currently supported. > > > > > > > I would probably redevelop it in C so you can dynamically link to the > > various libraries. I'm not sure how extensive your PWML handling code > is, > > but I'm willing to bet there's an HTML parsing lib out there that can > make > > the transition relatively painless. Getting from point A to point B on > *nix > > is not going to be the same as on Windows, so your current architecture > will > > be out the window. > > > > > > > Then there's the question of the business case. It would have to > generate > > > some serious revenue. I won't go into numbers at this point, but I > have a > > > long to-do list. > > > > > > So what do you need, and what's it worth to you? > > > > > > Regards, > > > ....Bob Rasmussen, President, Rasmussen Software, Inc. > > > > > > personal e-mail: r...@anzio.com > > > company e-mail: r...@anzio.com > > > voice: (US) 503-624-0360 (9:00-6:00 Pacific Time) > > > fax: (US) 503-624-0760 > > > web: http://www.anzio.com > > > street address: Rasmussen Software, Inc. > > > 10240 SW Nimbus, Suite L9 > > > Portland, OR 97223 USA > > > _______________________________________________ > > > U2-Users mailing list > > > U2-Users@listserver.u2ug.org > > > http://listserver.u2ug.org/mailman/listinfo/u2-users > > > > _______________________________________________ > > U2-Users mailing list > > U2-Users@listserver.u2ug.org > > http://listserver.u2ug.org/mailman/listinfo/u2-users > > > > > > Regards, > ....Bob Rasmussen, President, Rasmussen Software, Inc. > > personal e-mail: r...@anzio.com > company e-mail: r...@anzio.com > voice: (US) 503-624-0360 (9:00-6:00 Pacific Time) > fax: (US) 503-624-0760 > web: http://www.anzio.com > street address: Rasmussen Software, Inc. > 10240 SW Nimbus, Suite L9 > Portland, OR 97223 USA > _______________________________________________ > U2-Users mailing list > U2-Users@listserver.u2ug.org > http://listserver.u2ug.org/mailman/listinfo/u2-users _______________________________________________ U2-Users mailing list U2-Users@listserver.u2ug.org http://listserver.u2ug.org/mailman/listinfo/u2-users
