PageStream 2.0 problems
31 messages in this thread
I've been using PageStream 2.0 for about a week or so now…. two problems
I have noticed; has anyone else?
1) Program will freeze when resizing an IFF graphic at times. There is one
image that is consistently freezing on me now, whether I try to resize it
individually, or even do a page resize. I get the hourglass, and then
wait, wait, wait…. freeze.
2) CG fonts, at large sizes (usally with 36 point or above) will
(seemingly) randomly lose characters when PRINTING. They show on the
screen fine, but when printing they don't appear. Space for them is on the
printout, (blank space) but no character. I've only noticed it at the
highest res printing (Deskjet @ 300dpi) – printing at 150dpi brings the
character back…. I've noticed it with several fonts, from the Gold Disk
CG fonts series (Garamond, New Cent Schbk, Avant Guarde, others)
Any thoughts? I've noticed both these problems with a couple files….
–jp–
Sounds like the idiots at AGFA Compugraphic strike again. We've had
reports of such strange happenings also, and it sounds like Soft Logik is
using the same CG Code.
Tom Gandey Gold Disk, Inc. Technical Support
Are you referring to glitches in Compugraphic code? I've worked with
Bitstream's code as well as Compugraphic's. Both are *awful*. They purport
to hand out 'portable' C code… even considering C's limitations in this
area, and the good parts of ANSI C, they've succeeded in creating code that
I doubt will compile cleanly anywhere beyond their home system. It's sad
that they ask $20K-30K to license it. And I've venture that the
Compugraphic support in Pro Page accounts for 150K-200K of code, too.
Actually only 100K of code for CG support 8).
From what I've seen/heard of AGFA CGs handling code, its a wonder that it
was ever coaxed into compiling.
Tom Gandey Gold Disk, Inc./ Technical Supportexi t
I've used the fonts with PPage 1.3 and not had any problems. What you say
implies that it is a CG problem, not a PageStream? Is there any workaround
you know of? thanks –jp–
John, Just a reminder that the only way to NOT use the CG fonts in PgS is
to remove them from the font list with the font manager. If they are
present PgS will automatically replace tyme and helv with the CG fonts
times and Trium..
-Paul-
John,
1. Yes I have noticed the problem, not with resizing (I just have not yet
tryed that much), but when changing the view magnification. It results in
the same effect though – a larger image on screen. Seems to occur only with
large (hi rez – lots of bitplanes) iff files.
2. I have experienced this one also. But I have a clue on in this case. If
I free up more chip ram by closing down the WB etc. Then some of the
characters come back. I hace a feeling the CG fonts algorythms require
large amounts of chip ram "work space" to do their thing.
Is anyone out there working on a board to install a TWO meg agnus in a
2000?!
-Paul-
Paul, regarding problem #2: the disappearing CG fonts on printouts; Do you
mean that you have had SCREEN redraw problems? Mine have looked fine on
screen, but I lose many capital letters when printing out (to Deskjet @
300dpi only – 150dpi, 75dpi seem to work fine) This is very weird, and of
course makes using the CG fonts about useless for headlines.
regarding the crash when resizing…. %^$# …. I think I'll go back to
version 1.8, since its been a LONG time since I crashed that one…. dang,
I wish they'd do it right! –jp-exuit
John, No the screen fonts always look fine. But if I free up chip ram some
if not all of the characters that would not print now do. Sounds like the
CG font algorythms need large chunks of chip ram to do there thing, and
just give up if they can't get it. The work around is to simply not use CG
fonts! The SL fonts still work fine. I have not yet been able to try Adobe
(sp?) type 1 fonts. That may be another solution.
As to the resizing "freeze", I'll run some tests and get back to you. I'll
also jump over to SL's BBS and see whats cooking over there about this.
They have been pretty good about stomping on bugs lately. I'll let you know
what I find out.
-Paul-
I'd appreciate your trying to figure out the 'crash on resizing' problem.
I'll keep working on it too. Will try the free chip ram technique and see
if anything happens….
I have been trying to get on the SL BBS for weeks and get constant busy
signals. Man, what's the secret? (I used to be on it fairly often, months
ago) –jp–
I am now of the opinion that Soft Logik should ask Compugraphic for their
money back! I just discovered another CG font bug when printing using the
"tiling" option. Any CG character (and only CG characters – not graphics or
PgS characters) that were divided by a page border were not rendered
properly. About the last 16th of an inch of the character that was divided
along the right side of a tile wrapped around and was printed on the left
side! I "removed" all traces of the CG fonts from the font list and all my
problems went away. In fact I just tryed resizing the page that caused the
"freeze" problem, multitasking PgS with Whap! as I am writing this. While I
got a polite "out of memory" message, there was no freeze and and most of
the page was displayed. I have read postings that the cause of PgS2.0's
delayed release was due to difficulties in getting the CG code to work –
and I believe it! BOY AM I GLAD CBM DID NOT INCLUDE "COMPUGRAPHIC FONT
TECHNOLOGY" IN WB 2.0!
Paul:
I realize that the Gold Disk fellow has himself complained about CG code.
But, you know what? I've used ProPage extemsively with ProPage and CG
fonts, both output to postscripet (at work) and output to dot matric (at
home) AND have never had a single problem! (Using fonts as large as 60
points)
?|^] Ray Lewis
Are you sure Compugraphic wrote the CG font code in PageStream? I would
tend to think it was SoftLogic's error in handling a new font type.
When a company gets the rights to use Compugraphic font technology, they
pay about $20K or $30K and get the rights to port a set of code. The code
supposedly runs on Suns, but they certainly don't supply the code in any
form ready to run on the Amiga. So there's plenty of room for an
implementor of Compugraphic code to make a mistake, and produce something
that doesn't work 100 percent.
My guess is that is is probably a little bit of both. I'm sure when a
company buys a licence to use "Compugraphic Font Technology" they are
buying more than just the font designs. They must be purchasing the right
to use CG's Outline font to bitmap algorythms. This code must then be
interfaced with the rest of the program code. But then I'm just a user, and
this is just an educated guess. Our local Gold Disk rep should be able to
give us the scoop on this CG font business.
-Paul-
Nope. When you lay $30K out to Compugraphic they hand you some really bad
code and you exclaim, "Eeeeek! 30K!"
We've got it patched up pretty well, but as PGS and PP users alike have
found, CG still has a little work to do.
Tom Gandey, Gold Disk
Tom:
Since you are hanging around :), thought I'd ask a quick question. (Of
course, I am probably not capable of asking a _quick_ question 🙂
Situation:
I purchased ProPage, Transcript, and ProDraw back in February. Later on I
got The Advantage. Didn't register (I'm reall bad about that.) Even
though I knew that there were upgrades, for what I had to do, it worked
just fine, and so I didn't bother. However, I have just been handed the
responsiblity for doing our company newsletter, and it uses a LOT of
Palatino in sizes ranging from 8 pt to 90 pt. The ProPage I got had an
extra booklet for "1.3", but only had Times and Triumverate in the CG
fonts. It had a flyer to get the rest at a discount. I went to the store
where I bought these yesterday, hoping to buy the dick with the rest of the
CG fonts. They only had some other GD font disks, not the one mentioned in
the flyer, and said that the "new" ProPage 1.3 came with ALL the standrad
CG fonts? Now, they might be wrong, I dunno. However, since I also would
like to get ProDraw 2.0 (shipped since Feb.), and hear that there has been
at one upgrade to Advantage (I got it when I just came out) I would like to
upgrade EVERYTHING at once. What I'd like to do is fill out all the
registration cards, and get my company to cut me a check for a full upgrade
of all of this, as applicable.
Could you give me a) the current version mumber of EACH of these programs
(ProPage, ProDraw, Transcript and Advantage), b) the upgrade cost for EACH
if its higher than my version (which they will all probably be) and c)
instructions as to whatever else I need to send (manual cover, original
disks, etc.), plus c) the cost of the rest of the standard CGFonts, if they
DON'T come with a ProPage upgrade.
Thanks,
?|^] Ray Lewis
*Quick Question?, yes, you were right, you can't ask one*
Ray:
These are the current revs of the software packages you asked about:
Advantage 1.1 (Should be shipping RRRRRSN) Transcript V1.00 (The extra zero
makes a difference) PPage 1.3.1 PDraw 2.01
The upgrade to ProDraw 2.x is $60US, the rest of the upgrade are free. What
you have to do here is send TWO letters, send the $60/reg. Card for PDraw
and the other 3 to CUSTOMER SERVICE, and then send a request for the
versions of PPage, TS, and Advantage to TECHNICAL SUPPORT.
Sorry for the hassle, but that way your request will be handled
efficiently, and you should get everything you ask for about 2 weeks after
we receive it.
Tom Gandey, Gold Disk
Tom:
I will do so. Thanks for the input. I really do appreciate your being
here, but I do want to make one comment:
I have called the phone number you all put in your magazine ads quite a few
times. Here are the results of those calls:
No answer (4 to 5 times).
A person who had no idea what I was talking about (inquiring about a
software package advertised in a current magazine for the Amiga.) Twice.
Forwarded to another person who gave me incorrect information (twice).
Told to call a different number (Tech service) which was not answered when
I tried to call (twice).
Then, at World of Amiga here in New York City this Spring, when you all had
a booth, I told my tale to a young fellow (in his twenties, I think) who
spoke with an accent which appeared to be neither Canadian, French, nor
American. His reaction was NOT to take my name and address and phone number
and assure me that I would get some help. Instead, I essentially got an
"It's not my job" answer.
Now, here in CI$, I see a rep from Gold Disk going on constantly about how
his company is "the biggest supplier of Amiga software", and constantly
b*thching about, and beating up on CompuGraphics and Commodore.
Geez — like the man said, "Remove the beam from your own eye before you
attempt to extract the mote from the eye of your neighbor."
?|^] Ray Lewis
I would also like to know where I could buy supplemental CG fonts (which I
use with PageSetter-II).
Sounds like a bug we found in CG's code (and fixed), but for some reason I
don't think our boys are going to be all to helpful to SoftLogik.
Tom Gandey, Gold Disk
Thanks for the info Tom. BTW our last conversation was cut off by the great
forum split. You had asked if PgS had a "font cashe". Well I'm only a user
and not completely sure, but I can tell you that the first time PgS
displays CG text it is (on a stock Amiga) incredibly slow. After the first
display, redraws of the CG text are only very slow. So something must be
going on. There is also a strange directory called CGTYPEBITBUCKETS which
may be serving that function. Whatever is going on is all automatic. There
is no option for the user to create a specific cashe.
-Paul-
Nor, I expect, will they even bother to tell CG. Remind me to never let
you beta test any of my stuff.
Victor A. Wagner, Jr.
I had a similar problem with ProPage (characters showing fine on the screen
but not printing); solved it by reloading and regenerating CGFonts and
CGCache directories from the original floppies to my HD. Don't know if this
will help with PS, but you might try it. Rob.