Baslinux mailing list

[sindi keesan <keesan AT sdf.lonestar.org>]

On Tue, 22 Mar 2005, David Moberg wrote:

> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "sindi keesan" <keesan AT sdf.lonestar.org>
>
> > Image Magick (precompiled for Slackware 7.1) has a convert program
> > that works with ps pdf pbm pgm pnm ppm png gif jpeg tiff pcx etc.
> > but does not produce raw files that can be sent directly to
> > specific printers.
>
> That's not its job.
I know, which is why I would like netpbm's pbmtoepson and pbmtolj.

I managed to use convert to make all the pbm's into ps's (1 min each, 20 
files) by typing it all out 20 times (used up arrow and edited each time).
convert file.pbm file.ps  I did not find a batch mode for 'convert'.

Then gs would not print (in linux or in DOS - I am starting to suspect 
the 'new' Virge, which also scrambles the VGA screen hopelessly when you 
exit any svgalib program, need to reboot, and resizecons is having lots 
of problems on this hardware - the other three terminals stop being 
usable when you resize the font on one).

So I converted all the files again with 'convert', this time to gif. 
(DOS pictview converts but at about 1/5 the speed). Printed them with DOS 
printgif, which works perfectly (except that one laser printer won't 
accept input and the other got a paper jam after one page and the deskjet 
claims to have paper jams but does not and if you keep hitting buttons 
long enough you can eventually get things printed.).

Is there any non-X image printing program for linux?  I can't print images 
in X as root or get Xvesa with rxvt working as user.  You should not need 
to view what you are printing so why X?  Printgif is CLI.

> > I don't know if gs will work standalone without its fonts, but the
> > latest gs 8.50 is 3MB (does it include some fonts?) and seems like
> > real overkill just to print images with.
>
> I'm not sure if it will generate an error message without fonts.
> Perhaps if you have just one or two it will still work? Obviously
> you won't really need fonts to print pictures.

3MB is still overkill for printing image files.

> > pbmtoepson (or even pstoepson) would be nice to have.
>
> Shell scripts or aliases to the rescue.

What sort of alias would I use to convert pbm to epson format without 
needing gs?

I think I am going to need to learn to compile netpbm.

> ******************
> ---Next message---
> ******************
>
> [when exiting from svgalib with S3 video cards, screen is full of
> graphical junk from uncleared memory]

Virge only, as far as I know.

Should it go away when you type reset?  It does not for me with the Virge 
card - vertical white stripes, and you can see the areas where you are 
typing look a bit different but they are not readable.  I could still use 
the two MDA terminals but neither VGA terminal worked (both were striped). 
I will check on another Virge card some time.  Maybe this motherboard is 
not compatible with S3 somehow as neither resizecons or svgalib are very 
usable.

> > Has anyone else been using restoretextmode/resizecons with these or
> > other video cards?  I don't seem to have these problems with ATI but
> > have not checked it out very much.

Tseng and Trident seemed to both work just fine but they only go to 1280, 
and S3 to 1600.  Just found a free 1600 dpi monitor.  I would use the 
Trio64V but it does not provide enough colors to do Opera with Xvesa at 
even 1280 (needs 15-bit color).  Virge has 4MB, Trio64 2MB.

> I use the default console settings, usually. If you run either X or:
>
> cat /proc/kcore
> # Press Ctrl+C after a second or so
> reset # Look at your keyboard or you won't be able to type this
>
> or resizecons to different settings, does the garbage go away?

I will check next time I am in linux.
Just gave up printing in linux and switched to DOS.