Question about printing PCL files

[Dan Coutu]

On Fri, 2003-09-26 at 18:33, mike ledoux wrote:
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> On Fri, Sep 26, 2003 at 06:07:13PM -0400, Dan Coutu wrote:
> > I just caught wind of someone having trouble with printing PCL
> > files (that's HP's printer control language, I guess PostScript wasn't
> > good enough for them.)
> 
> > They are using RH 9, standard CUPS printer server setup. They're
> > using lp to submit print jobs and trying to specify options
> > for controlling orientation (landscape/portrait) and pitch
> > (I'm assuming cpi). The options they specify to lp are being
> > ignored.
> 
> IME, most PCL files start with a reset sequence, which would cause
> this behaviour.  If that isn't it, they should also ensure that
> their PCL files aren't setting those options explicitly.
> 

While that might be case a little testing shows that it is not the only
reason that lp would ignore options.

I tried to print a gif file with no options at all. It printed in
landscape mode. I have no idea why. When I tried to use the options
to lp, specifically this:

lp -o landscape image.gif

It still printed in landscape mode. Before I get flamed you should check
the manpages, they specify that the 'landscape' option will rotate the
printout by 90 degrees. This is important, it doesn't say it will print
the page in landscape mode! So if the page normally prints in landscape
mode you would have to use the landscape option to print it in portrait
mode. Also note that there is *no* 'portrait' option! Interesting no?

So there would seem to be other things to consider. Other ideas?

-- 

Dan Coutu
Managing Director
Snowy Owl Internet Consulting, LLC
http://www.snowy-owl.com/