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baslinux - [BL] BL2 without X - BVM frontend for Ghostscript with SVGAlib

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  • From: Sindi Keesan <keesan AT iamjlamb.com>
  • To: baslinux AT lists.ibiblio.org
  • Subject: [BL] BL2 without X - BVM frontend for Ghostscript with SVGAlib
  • Date: Fri, 26 Mar 2004 13:27:36 -0500 (EST)

www.iamjlamb.com/~keesan/bmv.tar.gz

Another fine package from the Czech Republic, 1995, for computers that
can't do X because of video or memory or speed limitations.


61K packages with bmv executable and readme and list of video modes.
Text-mode ghostscript only uses vgalib, up to 640x480x16 color.
This lets you use SVGAlib to display at higher resolution and more colors,
and also provides an easy way to magnify and scroll in all directions
while viewing. Unlike xpdf does not rotate. There may be some way to
print by adding ghostscript options. You don't need to specify the device
- it is a default (plain VGA) unless you use -v<videomode> switch.

I tested on a computer with 8M RAM video chip that won't work in SVGAlib
at more than VGA quality but it did let me use mode 4 and 9 - 16 and 2
colors.

I compiled with glibc-2.2.5 from SW81 rather than risk problems on a
computer with upgraded runtime but SW71 compiler libraries. If it does
not work for someone with the older libraries I will attempt to recompile.
I had help and a patch from Doug Kaufmann (who sent me a recent version of
pdftotext and I think pdf2ps that he compiled for us).

First run pd2ps or pdftops (from xpdf) to make a .ps file.

At 640, bmv and xpdf are about the same speed. bmv displays in the entire
screen rather than a smaller window. It does not use a mouse. It views
.ps and xpdf views .pdf files. Use ps2pdf or pdf2ps if needed.

I was able to view a 34 page washing machine manual.

Maybe we should put in an older video card in order to use SVGAlib on this
computer. X works at 1280 here.





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