[cups.general] Is there a way to print from Windows 98 using CUPS?

Karl Scheel karl.scheel at sympatico.ca
Sat Nov 26 10:00:07 PST 2005


On Thursday 17 November 2005 03:14, Johannes Meixner wrote:
> Hello,
>
> As the printer understands PostScript it may print o.k. by using
> a not exactly matching PostScript printer driver in Windows.
> As far as I remember you will find in a Windows system
> directory a *.SPP file which is in fact a PPD file for the
> PostScript printer driver in Windows.
>
> If it doesn't print by using a not exactly matching PostScript
> printer driver in Windows, it may help to edit the Windows PPD file
> and remove all unwanted PostScript invocation values and JCL settings
> so that the Windows PostScript printer driver should produce generic
> PostScript (i.e. without printer specific PostScript and/or JCL stuff).

What is the purpose of the PPD file other than to list the paper sizes/types 
that the printer supports, the maximum printable area (i.e., margins) on the 
page, the built-in fonts of the printer, and the colours that the printer 
supports? And how would I determine which of these settings to remove? What 
are the JCL settings responsible for?
>
> It may also work when you simply replace the Windows PPD file with
> the original Lexmark PPD file.

However, a Windows driver for a PostScript printer contains more than just the 
PPD file; there are other OS-specific files that enable two-way communication 
between the printer and Windows (e.g., to display printer status messages, 
invoke special printer functions, etc.). If I were to print to a PS file only 
in Windows (i.e., switch to Linux to do the actual printing on paper), these 
files would not be used at all; however, because I would be printing to an 
actual printer in Windows, the OS-specific files may crash my system (or even 
damage my printer!) because they would have been written for a different 
printer. That said, at least the paper sizes/types, margins, colours, and 
available built-in fonts would be listed accurately.
>
> Finally there is the generic "Adobe PostScript printer driver"
> for Windows - see
> http://www.adobe.com/products/printerdrivers/main.html

Given that this driver exists for the first edition of Windows 98, all that 
should be required would be to insert the original Lexmark PPD file. However, 
as with most generic drivers, it is likely that some functionality would be 
lost. It would mean that I would have somewhat less control over my printer 
in Windows than I would in SuSE Pro 9.0. Hopefully, I will not lose too much!
>
> You may also have a look at the "longer explanations" in
> http://lists.suse.com/archive/suse-linux-e/2004-Nov/1186.html
>
This information would help a lot should I decide to set-up a heterogenous 
network in the future. However, I think I would set-up Windows applications 
to run in Wine before I would go that route.

Thank you very much, Johannes!  I will try the generic Adobe PostScript 
printer driver route. :-)

Karl





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