Convert text and Runoff .MEM output files to PostScript.
1 – Restrictions
This utility is supplied only with the PMDF-FAX optional layered
product.
Syntax
PMDF PS input-file-spec [output-file-spec]
Qualifiers Defaults
/BOTTOM_MARGIN=margin /BOTTOM_MARGIN=72
/CALCULATE None
/CHARSET=charset_name /CHARSET=US-ASCII
/COLUMNS=columns_per_page /COLUMNS=1
/END_PAGE=page_number See text
/FONT=font /FONT=COURIER
/FORM=form_type /FORM=LETTER
/HEIGHT=form_height /HEIGHT=11
/ITALIC /UNDERLINE
/LANDSCAPE /PORTRAIT
/LEFT_MARGIN=margin /LEFT_MARGIN=72
/LINES=lines_per_page None
/MAIL None
/NUMBER_PAGES /NONUMBER_PAGES
/PORTRAIT /PORTRAIT
/SIZE=font_size /SIZE=12
/SPACING=spacing_factor /SPACING=1
/START_PAGE=page_number /START_PAGE=1
/TOP_MARGIN=margin /TOP_MARGIN=72
/UNDERLINE /UNDERLINE
/WIDTH=form_width /WIDTH=8.5
2 – Prompts
Input file: input-file-spec
Output file: output-file-spec
3 – Parameters
input-file-spec
The name of the text or Runoff .MEM file to convert to
PostScript. Only a single file can be specified; wildcards cannot
be used.
output-file-spec
An optional parameter specifying the name of the file to which
to write the PostScript. If no file name is specified, then the
output file will have the same name as the input file but with a
file extension of .PS.
4 – Description
PS converts normal text files to PostScript (PS) files that can
be printed or displayed on PostScript devices. The PS utility can
also translate Runoff .MEM files to Postscript.
PostScript graphics can be inserted into the text at any point.
The PostScript graphics should be in a separate file and
referenced in the text file being converted using the command
sequence
`~`~{include file-spec}
with FILE-SPEC the name of the file containing the PostScript
graphics (or commands) to insert. This command sequence can
occur anywhere in the file and as often as desired. PS sets
the PostScript coordinate system so that (0,0) corresponds to
the position on the page where the next text to be converted to
PostScript will be positioned, and then merges the PostScript
code from the file into the PS output stream. The effect of this
is that the lower left corner of the included image will appear
just where the command sequence appeared in the text. The command
sequence itself is removed and does not appear in the output. No
blank space is reserved for the image; you must do this yourself
in the text file.
PostScript commands can also be inserted directly into the text
input file being processed. To do this, use the command sequence
`~`~{insert PostScript commands}
The inserted PostScript commands sequence will be preceeded by
a save operator and followed by a restore operator. As with the
include command, space is not reserved for the output of the
inserted PostScript commands.
NOTE
PS is part of the PMDF-FAX product. It is not part of the
base PMDF distribution.
5 – Qualifiers
5.1 /BOTTOM_MARGIN
/BOTTOM_MARGIN=margin
This is the distance, in points, from the bottom of the sheet of
paper to the bottom of the last line of text which is to appear
on the page. The default is 72 points (1 inch).
5.2 /CALCULATE
When supplied with a value for /LINES, /CALC will calculate the
font size so that your output will fill the page less the top and
bottom margins. /CALCULATE will only make the font size large (or
small) enough to fit the number of lines you specified onto the
page. It will not check to see whether the horizontal length of
your lines will fit within the left and right margins.
This command must be used with the /LINES qualifier and cannot be
used with the /SIZE qualifier.
5.3 /CHARSET
/CHARSET=charset_name
The character set used in the input text. Many character
sets are supported; see the complete list in the file PMDF_
TABLE:CHARSETS.TXT. PMDF PS will construct an appropriate
encoding vector to render the character set as well as possible
in PostScript.
Note that the selection of fonts can affect whether or not all
characters can be correctly displayed. The Courier font works
quite well; other fonts can lack some accented characters.
5.4 /COLUMNS
/COLUMNS=columns_per_page
/COLUMNS allows you to select the number of columns that your
text will be printed in on a single sheet of paper. The default
is 1 column per page.
5.5 /END_PAGE
/END_PAGE=page_number
This is the page number of the last page that will be included
in the PostScript output file. The default is to print the entire
file.
5.6 /FONT
/FONT=font
By default, PS will set the document in the Courier font. With
this qualifier, an alternate font can be selected. The name of
the font to be used must be selected from the list shown in the
table below-the thirty-nine fonts listed in the table include
the standard "Adobe 35" plus four additional fonts representing
four faces of the Charter font family from Bitstream. Note that
not all of these fonts are available on all printers; consult the
printer documentation for information about what fonts a given
printer supports.
Table 3 Font Names Recognized by the PS Utility
AvantGarde-Book, AvantGarde-Demi, AvantGarde-Oblique, AvantGarde-
DemiOblique
Bookman-Light, Bookman-Demi, Bookman-LightItalic, Bookman-
DemiItalic
Charter-Roman, Charter-Bold, Charter-Italic, Charter-BoldItalic
Courier, Courier-Bold, Courier-Oblique, Courier-BoldOblique
Helvetica, Helvetica-Bold, Helvetica-Oblique, Helvetica-
BoldOblique
Helvetica-Narrow, Helvetica-Narrow-Bold, Helvetica-Narrow-
Oblique, Helvetica-Narrow-BoldOblique
NewCenturySchlbk-Roman, NewCenturySchlbk-Bold, NewCenturySchlbk-
Italic, NewCenturySchlbk-BoldItalic
Palatino-Roman, Palatino-Bold, Palatino-Italic, Palatino-
BoldItalic
Symbol
Times-Roman, Times-Bold, Times-Italic, Times-BoldItalic
ZapfChancery-MediumItalic
ZapfDingbats
5.7 /FORM
/FORM=form_type
Specifies a form type that the output device is currently using.
The possible values are given in the table below. A letter size
form (8.5 inches wide by 11 inches long) is the default. The size
of the output page can also be set using the /HEIGHT and /WIDTH
qualifiers.
Table 4 Form Names Recognized by the PS Utility
Form name Dimensions (vertical height x horizontal width)
LETTER 8.5 x 11 inches
LEGAL 8.5 x 14 inches
LEDGER 11 x 17 inches
GLETTER 8 x 10 inches
GLEGAL 8 x 13 inches
FOLIO 8.3 x 13 inches
A0 841 x 1189 millimeters
A1 594 x 841 millimeters
A2 420 x 594 millimeters
A3 297 x 420 millimeters
A4 210 x 297 millimeters
A5 148.5 x 210 millimeters
A6 105 x 148.5 millimeters
B0 1000 x 1414 millimeters
B1 707 x 1000 millimeters
B2 500 x 707 millimeters
B3 353 x 500 millimeters
B4 250 x 353 millimeters
B5 176 x 250 millimeters
B6 125 x 176 millimeters
A 8.5 x 11 inches
B 11 x 17 inches
C 17 x 22 inches
D 22 x 34 inches
E 34 x 44 inches
LP 13.7 x 11 inches
VT 8 x 5 inches
5.8 /HEIGHT
/HEIGHT=form_height
Specifies the height in inches of the form to use. The default
is 11 inches (792 points). The height is also set by the
/FORM qualifier. The /HEIGHT qualifier will override the /FORM
qualifier if both are specified.
5.9 /ITALIC
/ITALIC mode is used with Runoff files. /ITALIC will replace all
text that is flagged for underlining with italicized print. The
default is to underline text flagged for underlining.
5.10 /LANDSCAPE
This option produces output that is wider than it is tall. This
may or may not actually rotate the image; it depends on the size
of the form that is used. With letter size output (the default),
the output is rotated. Choose this option when you have very long
lines to print, but do not want to set the size of your font very
small or when using /COLUMNS=2.
5.11 /LEFT_MARGIN
/LEFT_MARGIN=margin
With this qualifier, you can specify, in points, the distance
from the left edge of the sheet of paper to the left margin of
your text. The default is 72 points (1 inch).
5.12 /LINES
/LINES=lines_per_page
This is the number of lines to appear on a page, starting at the
top margin. By default, PS merely attempts to place as many lines
on the page as possible; each line displaced vertically below the
previous line by amount font_size * spacing_factor; font_size has
the default value of 12 points (10 points for FAXes) and spacing_
factor has the default value of 1.
5.13 /MAIL
This qualifier instructs PS that no file is to be processed.
Instead, the qualifiers specified on the command line will
modify any text-to-PostScript conversions performed by the PMDF
message distribution system (e.g., messages processed by the
PMDF-FAX channels). This is achieved through the use of the
PMDF_X_PS_QUALIFIERS logical which PS will set. Currently, the
only application which makes use of this logical is the optional
layered product PMDF-FAX.
Any mail subsequently sent that gets converted into PostScript
will be converted in the manner specified. Any settings made
by a previous use of the /MAIL qualifier are lost. Settings
only last for the life of a given login session; they must be
re-established in subsequent sessions (this can be done in a
LOGIN.COM file if desired).
5.14 /NUMBER_PAGES
/NUMBER_PAGES
/NONUMBER_PAGES (default)
Pages will automatically be numbered when the /NUMBER_PAGES
qualifier is specified. By default, pages are not numbered.
5.15 /PORTRAIT
/PORTRAIT (default)
This option produces output that is taller than it is wide. This
may or may not actually rotate the image; it depends on the size
of the form that is used.
5.16 /SIZE
/SIZE=font_size
This is the size, in points, of the font to be used. The default
size is 12 points for converted documents; mail system text-to-
PostScript conversion defaults to 10 points. The minimum size
is 4 points; the maximum size is limited to the size of a normal
letter size sheet of paper.
Note that /SIZE is not restricted to integer values-a font size
of 10.5 is both acceptable and often times useful.
5.17 /SPACING
/SPACING=spacing_factor
This qualifier specifies the vertical line spacing. /SPACING=2
yields double-spaced output while /SPACING=3 results in triple-
spaced output. Spacing factor can be any positive number and is
not limited to integral values. The actual spacing in points
between lines is giving by the product font_size * spacing_
factor.
5.18 /START_PAGE
/START_PAGE=page_number
This is the page number of the first page that will be included
in the PostScript output file. The default is to print the entire
document.
5.19 /TOP_MARGIN
/TOP_MARGIN=margin
This is the distance, in points, from the top of the sheet of
paper to the first line of text. The default is 72 points (1
inch).
5.20 /UNDERLINE
/UNDERLINE (default)
/UNDERLINE mode is used with Runoff files. To generate PostScript
to underline the text in a Runoff .MEM file that is flagged for
underlining, use the /UNDERLINE qualifier.
5.21 /WIDTH
/WIDTH=form_width
Specifies the width, in inches, of the form to use. The default
is 8.5 inches. The width is also set by the /FORM qualifier. The
/WIDTH qualifier will override the /FORM qualifier if both are
specified.
6 – Examples
1.$ PMDF PS THESIS.TXT
In this example, the name of the output file is omitted.
Consequently, the output will be stored in a file named
thesis.ps.
2.$ PMDF PS/FONT=BOOKMAN-LIGHT THESIS.TXT
This command illustrates the use of the /FONT qualifier to
select an alternate font.
3.$ PMDF PS/COLUMNS=2/LANDSCAPE/SIZE=8 THESIS.TXT
This last command shows how to format the file THESIS.TXT
for printing in two columns. When more than one column is
requested, use of the /LANDSCAPE qualifier is recommended.
Furthermore, the font size should be reduced with the /SIZE
qualifier so as to keep lines of text from running into
adjacent columns or off of the page.