Baslinux mailing list

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

Netpbm prints ONLY .pbm (black and white) not greyscale or color.

To print 300x300 dpi .pbm files on a deskjet or laserjet use the following 
as script or alias (or CLI with filename.pbm instead of $1):

pbmtolj -resolution 300 $1 > /dev/lp0
(or probably just -r 300 will do it;  you can also use /dev/lp1)

Laserjet printers and deskjet printers need a bidirectional cable for use 
with pbmtolj - with the wrong cable you will be told paper out and lp0 off 
line.  (I don't know about other inkjet printers and cables)

pbmtolj prints 1:1 so you have to match the original resolution of the 
.pbm file (or the pdf or ps file you got it from using something like 
xpdf's pdfimages).  Deskjet and laserjet print multiples of 75:  75,
150, 300, and maybe also 600.

The Epson Stylus Color (800 or C62) works with pbmtoescp2 which prints at 
a default 360 dpi, therefore a 300x300 dpi scanned file prints at 5/6 the 
original width and height (300/360).

I cannot find the man page for this but perhaps you can also change 
resolution (to 180, or 720, or even 1440, to be close to the dpi of the 
original image).

I printed a file scanned at 400x400 dpi with wide margins on all sides at 
360x360, which was usable.  If no margins you can print at 720x720 and it 
will get smaller.

pbmreduce will reduce by an integral factor, which is not usually helpful, 
and also degrades the quality badly.

pnmscale reduces or enlarges by nonintegral factors but converts pbm to 
pgm (greyscale), which won't print with netpbm, and pgmtopbm degrades 
quality.  It is better than nothing if you don't have ghostscript and 
really need to print something the same size as the original but lower 
quality.

If you are trying to print something you scanned yourself, depending on 
the scanner, you may be able to match the printer resolution with S.A.N.E 
(scanimage).


One more posting to follow, on pbmtoppa.  Deskjet 720c and 822cse.  These 
'Windows' printers refuse to print in black unless you have a color 
cartridge in them, and the 720c requires ink in the color cartridge (or 
maybe 3 colors ink - the 822 printed black with just a bit of blue ink in 
the color cartridge).  We might squirt some black into the color 
cartridge.  Earlier deskjets will 'print' even if the black cartridge is 
empty but require cartridges in both slots.  I would recycle them except 
they do 600 dpi and are therefore useful for 200x200 dpi scanned files.

Sindi