HP DesignJet 1050 prints too short

[Noam]

Hi again,

I've checked my pdftops version: it is 3.00 Since I have a productive server I would prefer not to change it (a newer version of xpdf-utils is not found in the sarge repository...).

What is exactly meant with: "I'd just try the Perl script I mentioned..."? What should I try? WHat should I change?
I must admit I am a CUPS novice (but willing to learn!) and so there are many things I simply still don't get. So I wrote few questions that you maybe can answer and help me understand CUPS better:

1. Is it possible to make CUPS ignore the pdftops (PERL) script? I don't mean to write a new filter - I mean to run a simple print command on the shell that will print my pdf while not using the PERL script (no hard feelings please). Something like: lp -d DesignJet_1050C 06-430400.pdf.

2. Can the job attributs described in the pdftops (PERL) script be used when printing from the shell? Something like: lp -d DesignJet_1050C -o pdf-paper=1000x1000 06-430400.pdf.

3. Does 'fitplot' got any meaning at all? Something like: lp -d DesignJet_1050C -o fitplot 06-430400.pdf. As I understand, 'fitplot' should fit the printing to the paper size. When I use the '-o' under CUPS in Debian - does it have any effect? Does it go directly to the pdftops PERL script?

Hope to hear from you guys :-)

Noam



> Noam wrote:
> > What if I install SUSE? Does SUSE use the same PERL script? Do you think it is worth trying??
> >
> > Noam
> >
> >
> >>Thanks Helge for the enlighting explanation,
> >>
> >>I use CUPS “as is” meaning I didn’t change a thing after its installation. This is almost correct. I DID change /etc/xpdf/xpdfrc (psPaperSize match). I did it because I thought it might help me get the PDF drawings printed in their ‘original’ size. Only recently I discovered that PDF drawings produced in our company are not really the size of A0 but of A1 or A2. When people around here have to print them out they simply fit the desired size over Acrobat Reader and it goes out like a charm. Could the fact that I changed psPaperSize to ‘match’ effected the outcome of my prints??
> >>
> >>For that reason my main question would be: is it possible to tell CUP to print a pdf of any size in any desired size? Like taking an A1 pdf and printing an A0? After all - this functionality exists in the Acrobat Reader client, which means (as I understands it) that pdfs are scaleable.
> >>
> >>If it is not possible: would it be possible to convert a pdf file to a ps/pdf of a desired size? The users of the system I programmed are interested in printing different pdf files in different sizes so if this is possible I would just run a ‘behind the scene’ conversion to ps or what ever and get the job done.
> >>
> >>I printed the ps file I sent you on the DesignJet1050C. What I got was a cut print, which was wrongly rotated. Actually only 1/3 of the document was printed…
> >>
> >>I forgot to mention that I even installed the commercial version of ESP around 6-8 months ago and worked together with Mike (forgot his last name) to fix this problem – nothing worked.
> >>
> >>Are there no people out there trying to print large-format pdfs? :-/
> >>Doesn’t god love me too?
> >>If you stab me will I not bleed etc. etc….
> >>
> >>I am here if you need any piece of information. I have a detailed documentation of which experiments I did when printing the pdfs (printer configurations etc.)
> >>
> >>Thanks! :-)
> >>
> >>Noam
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>>Noam wrote:
> >>>
> >>>>Oh boy... I think I saw some PERL script months ago...
> >>>>
> >>>
> >>>Thanks for the sample files.
> >>>
> >>>Well, I think there is a design flaw in the pdftops filter your CUPS installation uses.
> >>>I'll try to give a short explanation:
> >>>
> >>>(1) the PDF defines the root of the pages tree as follows:
> >>>	4 0 obj
> >>>	<< /Type /Pages
> >>>	   /Resources 21 0 R
> >>>	   /MediaBox [ 0 0 595 842 ]
> >>>	   /Kids [ 1 0 R
> >>>	           ]
> >>>	   /Count 1
> >>>	>>
> >>>	endobj
> >>>      The media box entry in this object defines as the default
> >>>      media size an A4 portrait page.
> >>>
> >>>(2)  The (only) real page (pointed to by the Kids array above defines the page as follows
> >>>	1 0 obj
> >>>	<< /Type /Page
> >>>	   /Parent 4 0 R
> >>>	   /Resources 21 0 R
> >>>	   /MediaBox [ 0 0 3370 2384 ]
> >>>	   /Trans << /D 0.8
> >>>	             /S /Dissolve
> >>>	   >>
> >>>	   /Group << /S /Transparency /CS /DeviceRGB /I true >>
> >>>	   /Contents 2 0 R
> >>>	>>
> >>>	endobj
> >>>      which is a (nearly) A0 landscape page.
> >>>
> >>>Obviously this combination is not handled properly by the pdftops filter - the latest
> >>>original one I have at hand (from 1.1.19) spits out an A4 portrait page and rotates and
> >>>scales the page down to that A4, but I think there have been some changes made up to your
> >>>CUPS version.
> >>>
> >>>OTOH, if you use the "alternate pdftops filter" (the Perl script) as described on the cups.org
> >>>links section, the resulting PS job IS a (nearly) A0 landscape page and gets printed properly.
> >>>Rendering *this* page with Ghostscript shows the very same image as Adobe Reader with the
> >>>original PDF.
> >>>
> >>>Despite of Michael Sweet complaining repeatedly on this, I'd suggest to set up the pdftops
> >>>filter as described under "alternate pdftops filter".
> >>>
> >>>Helge
> >>>
> >>>
> >>>
> >>>
> >>>--
>
> I'd just try the Perl script I mentioned and make sure your xpdf (and thus, the xpdf's
> pdftops utility) is at least version 3.00 (better 3.01). No need to change the operating system.
>
> Helge
>
>
>
> --
> Helge Blischke
> Softwareentwicklung
> SRZ Berlin | Firmengruppe besscom
> http://www.srz.de