#PAGESTREAM NOT WYSIWYG!
25 messages in this thread
Lloyd,
I think I forgot to mention I only had the problem in PostScript output,
now that you mention it. When I went "native" I got the dashed line back
but lost some of the spacing like someone mentioned earlier in the thread.
So I just lived with PostScript and a solid line.
I'd report the problem to SoftLogik only the last time I sent them bug
reports and sample files, I got my letter back (sans disks) 6 months later
with a note saying they didn't have time to read my letters but hoped my
probems would disappear in a later release!
wmc
Wayne,
You mentioned the problem only appeared with PostScript output. What
Postscript printer were you using? Or were you sending the PostScript file
to DISK, and having a service (or using a software interperter) print it?
I'm asking because I *do* have a PostScript printer – and the dashed
lines printed properly when sent to it.
Maybe the problem you are having is not in PageStream (which would make
it difficult for Soft Logik to find and debug!) but in the way your
PostScript file is being printed? Just speculation.
Lloyd
Lloyd,
this is puzzling. I'm using the PageStream postscript driver to PixelScript
to HP LJ IIP. I also have a problem with italics in the frst box on page
carring through to all subsequent pages. When I do a similar operation out
of Pro Page there doesn't seem to be a problem. I have PageStream 1.81.
Are you using their PostScript driver or a specific printer driver?
wmc
Wayne,
I have a Qume PostScript printer hooked up to my Parallel port (right
now). PageStream drives it with the proper PageStream PostScript driver.
Sounds like you are running up against a limitation of PixelScript, or
PixelScript's handling of PageStream's PostScript files. Either way, that
would make it extremely difficult for Softlogik to debug your problem,
since their code works when sent to a "real" PostScript device.
Lloyd
Lloyd,
I lied – I only have PageStream 1.80 (I thought I had received a 1.81 UG
but must have been dreaming). I also seem to rememeber reading somewhere in
the PixelScript Manual that dashed lines wer no-go but I can't find it
agian. So maybe the ProPage I/O with dashed lines was CGFonts?!?. I did so
many versions that I don't remember which was which now. (I also did this a
few weeks a go and when you get old the mind is the first thing to go….)
wmc
Wayne,
I thought I remembered the dashed line thing from the PixelScript manual
too – that's why I mentioned (later) that I thought you might be using
PixelScript. PixelScript seems to be a little more "compatable" with the
PostScript code output by ProPage anyway. Pro Page may be making their
dashed lines differently somehow.
Anyway, the PostScript code output by PageStream does work properly on a
PostScript printer. I'm now wondering how the graphics/text alignment
problem Chris spoke of earlier was printed for testing. PostScript output
through PixelScript? If so, maybe that was the problem there too.
Lloyd
Wayne,
I believe your problem is with PixelScript. As I recall, the docs
state that it can't handle PostScript dashed lines. AT LEAST, that's what
I found when I tried to produce a dashed-line with ProPage (v1.2). It
drove me crazy; I ended up making a broken line from several dozen VERY
small line segments!
I find it interesting that you say it works from ProPage. When I got
my v1.31 upgrade, I stopped using PixelScript, as I found the CG output
sufficient.
What version of ProPage? of PixelScript?
At any rate, I don't think this is one you can lay onto PageStream
8-). — Bob
Bob,
In thinking back (or trying) it is quite possible that I got the dashed
line in ProPage with CGFonts (I labled copies of the same job "PS" and "PP"
for the packages but did not jot down the output method.)
wmc
The current version of PixelScript does not handle dashed lines (doing
dashed Bezier curves is a real bear!).
Why is doing dashed Beziers a bear? Wouldn't you consider each stroked
dash as a sub-Bezier, then paint them like any other?
John,
Well, that's the basic idea, but I found it was rather dicier in practice,
at least given the way I handled some stuff internally. It's one of those
things that could be fixed if I thought it would be cost-effective, and
maybe if I hear enough requests for it, I'll bump it up the priority list.
(But right now paying the mortgage is getting most of my attention!)
Justin
Justin,
I just replied to someone that mentioned that. And I thought I remembered
seeing that in your docs somewhere but couldn't find it when I went back to
look for it.
Anyway, it is a minor nit and now that I have that fact firmly planted in
my conscoius mind I won't waste time trying to do dashed lines.
Other than that, I use PixelScript for every DTP job I donate to this
organization and the quality of the output is such that I'm getting more
projets than I have time for at certain points. Thanks for the good stuff.
wmc
Wayne,
I'm wondering if it would be useful to have dashed lines for the case of
straight lines only (which are pretty easy). Its the curves that throw me
a curve!
Justin
Justin,
The dashes for straight lines would be sufficient for the uses I have
(mostly "cut here", or "fold here" lines on reply forms).
wmc
Wayne, FWIW, I'm having the same problem with the italics staying in the
text when using my PgS Updated with my new PostScript printer. I just
called SoftLogik this a.m. and they tellme I must have the 1.8.5
Printerdrivers (they are NOT the ones that come with theupdate) to solve
theproblem. They are on the SoftLogik BB 1-314-894-0057. Since you use the
PS drivers with Pixel, that should solve your italics problem. Hope this
helps. Remains to be seen that it works, but Mark at SL assured me he is
VERY familiar with theproblem and that it WILL work.
Do you know PgS is coming out with 2.0 vers in 6 weeks or so? (Or so they
say).
John
I'm in and out of town a lot for July and August so i just got your message
re: PageScream and the 1.8.5 drivers.
Thanks for the info… I'll go get them and let you know how it works out.
As for 2.0, it turns out the guy I'm going to visit in New York is beta
testing 2.0 in his office with A2000, a2620, and Viking Moniterm (he works
for Coopers and Lybrand). At least I know this one will get a good
shakedown. Whether SoftLogik responds to Beta comments, well I guess I'll
finally know!
wmc
I'm really Donna, not John, B. You're welcome. Glad you got my msg. I got
the 1.8.5 drivers installed. They sent them to me within 4 days (SoftLogik)
as the ones on their bulletin board would not work for me (Got me as to
why). So, Mark, there, agreed to copy them for me and send. They solved my
problem completely with the Italics issue.
Thanks for the tip on the testing of 2.0.
Donna,
Just got back from NYC where my friend is beta testing 2.0. (He has the
actual release version, I believe). It adds bezier curves, CGFont handling
and some other things, and fixes some display bugs. Unfortuneatley it is
onw slower than cold mollasses. The beta tester told them about it and a
few other bugs but I get the impression that nothing will be done about
them in the near future.
The speed is AWFUL. He has a 68020 and 4meg 32bit mem. One page which was a
poem with a relatively simple boarder (two straight liner bounding a little
"grille work") takes about 3 minutes to refresh if you use the scroll bars
or view menu to change the display (e.g. view full height). I only have a
stock 68000 with not FPU or 32 bit mem, so I expect that the page refresh
will be on the order of 9 to 10 minutes. Too slow for my blood, so I think
I'm stuck with 1.8.0 for now.
wmc
Wayne, Yes those CG fonts are SLOW! But not quite as bad as you have
described. Refresh on a page with three columns of 6 point text (my worst
case) was about 10-15 seconds on my 030 machine (not too bad), and about 75
seconds on a stock 3meg 2000. But it sure seemed like 10 minutes!
You can do two things to make PgS 2.0 more usable on an un accelerated Ami.
First run PgS with vscreen. That way you can scroll around the page without
it having to be redrawn. Second move all the CG fonts out of the main font
directory. Then use only the PgS fonts while you design the page. Since it
is the CG font to screen rendering that takes all the time this will
restore near 1.8 speed. PgS 2.0 uses outline screen fonts even on PgS fonts
in the larger font sizes so it will a little slower than 1.8. When you are
near ready to print if you need the higher quality of the CG fonts then use
the font manager, add them, and use them.
As I understand it "CG font technology" is supplied as a package from
Compugraphic. So I don't no where to lay the blame for the slow down. But
it sure is nice to know I can finally use any outline font in the Ami, IBM,
or MAC (after conversion to IBM format) world on my Ami. And you know
Christmas is comming, and maybe Santa will bring you an 030 board, or even
an A-3000! -Paul-
Paul,
Thanks for the suggestions. Unfortunately an A3000 or accelerator card
don't seem to be on the horizon (the hangar queen has been demnding to much
attention..)
Do you know what the latest version of Vscreen is? Is any special setup for
Pagestream required to use the tow together?
wmc
Wayne, Just to let you know that I just confirmed my previous suggestion. I
used the font manager to remove all the CG font directories from the
available font list. I loaded my 3 column 6pt page and it was rendered in
the PgS fonts Tyme and Helv at 1.8 speeds. Now PgS 2.0 automatically
substitutes the CG equivolents for Tyme and Helv if they are available.
-Paul-
Wayne, I just confirmed my previous suggestion. I used the font manager to
remove all the CG fonts from the available font list. When I loaded the
page it was rendered in the PgS fonts Tyme and Helv at 1.8 speeds. Now
since PgS 2.0 automatically replaces these two fonts with CG if they are
available the following process should work.: 1. Make sure the CG fonts are
not in the font list. 2. Design the page using the PgS fonts. It will be
just like 1.8 except it will still look better since large type sizes are
rendered as outline fonts. 3.Save the document. 4. Add the CG fonts to the
font list. 5. Reload the document. 6. Go out to lunch. For now CG fonts
will be substituded for the PgS fonts and the screen will be rendered at CG
font speed. 7. Now print.
BTW printing speed has not, it seems been slowed at all. Ten time faster
than PPage's agonizing "now printing box #7 . . ." -Paul-
Paul,
I like the lunch step! Give new meaning to the word "scheduler"!!
Thanks for the suggestions. I'm saving this message and will follow it
should 2.0 be added to the DTP stuff in the near future (I'm still
debating…)
wmc
Paul, what about the formatting? Do the PS fonts exactly replace the CG
fonts? ie. if I format an article exactly with the PS Tyme, will it later
fill up exactly with the CG Times? (or will I need to do some last minute
adjustments?)
I was not aware that if PS could not find the CG font it would substitute
the same PS fonts. Is there an 'equivalency' list that I can edit for
substitution of the other CG fonts (Garamond, AvantGuard, etc)?? –jp–