CompuServe Thread

#PageStream Output

4 messages in this thread
#14190From: Joel HalbertMar 26, 1989 2:58 AM
Jack, could you clarify an issue that I was discussing with several other PageStream users today (maybe you already have and I missed it): Is there in fact a known "bug" in the output rendering math routines that causes fonts and/or drawings to be a little rougher than they should be? Although the output on my Deskjet is quite good compared to any other DTP or word processor I know of, it is certainly a bit below the capabilities of the printer. Upon close examination of the letters, one can detect slight rough edges, thin spots and sometimes an apparent "cutoff" at the top or edge of a letter. In line drawings, some the thickness of the printed line sometimes depends on its angle. The overall effect is nice but not ultra-crisp as it is when printed out via PostScript. None of these problems are inherently due to printer resolution; the DeskJet is capable of the same 300dpi quality as a LaserWriter. I have heard that the new PrintScript (PostScript interpreter) program produces essentially perfect results on a DeskJet. Could you describe the problem, if it is known, and whether a fix will require a new version of PageStream or simply improved printer driver modules. Thanks. Joel
#14207From: Steve JessMar 26, 1989 4:24 PM
Joel, Check out DL 6 in this forum. I posted a document file demonstrating the clipart "bug" I told you about Saturday. I just uploaded it today…hopefulle it will be cleared for downloading by the time you read this. Filename is cliptest.arc and "PageStream" is one of the keywords. I'd like somebody to see if this is a real problem, or I'm just hallucinating. sj P.S. I have discovered that re-layering a graphic onject…especially one that has six layers…is remarkably similar to playing "Tower of Hanoi" :-).
#14221From: Soft-Logik Tech SupportMar 26, 1989 11:37 PM
Yes, it would appear that there is a rounding error in the fonts routines, but all efforts to locate it have met with no results. Actually, there is a discussion within the office as to whether this is, in fact, the cause, or if there is some other cause… It will be corrected when located, and the required correction will determine the best procedure to update registered owners… Seeya! [Jack]
#14230From: Joel HalbertMar 27, 1989 1:26 AM
Good luck to all in finding the problem. I would suspect that it isn't just in the font rendering routines, because (as I said) I've noticed that lines will be printed at varying widths depending on their angle – that doesn't happen when printing via PostScript, so it isn't just a difference with fonts. I can give you a short file that demonstrates this if you want. I have something else to ask you about (surprise!): I downloaded some of the public domain fonts (through another net). They wouldn't fit on my PageStreamFonts disk, so I made a second font disk. The problem is that PageStream doesn't seem to allow dynamic switching of the font path. If you change it, it has no effect unless you save it and then quit and restart the program. This would seem to make it very difficult to manage a large font library. I can think of ways to get around this, but they all involve making up special-purpose font disks. I suppose if I had a hard disk, I could devote a very large directory to PS fonts, but I don't. So, what is the recommended way of dealing with several disks worth of fonts? Is there something I've missed in the program? If not, may I suggest this as another feature to be added – some sort of font management that doesn't tie you to a single directory. As always, thanks for listening. Joel