Re: Merging PCL print files

From: Bob Rasmussen (ras_at_anzio.com)
Date: 09/23/05 

Date: Thu, 22 Sep 2005 16:14:23 -0700 (PDT)
To: Yves Leclerc <yvesleclercNOSPAM@sympatico.ca>

On Thu, 22 Sep 2005, Yves Leclerc wrote:

> Can anyone guide me? I have to process a print job where I "overlay" a PCL
> form over the data required. I have the form stored in a file (i.e.:
> form.prn). I am trying to do:
>
> cat form.prn report.fil | lp -d printer
>
> But it comes out as two print-outs, instead of one merged together. Without
> using any third party software, for controlling the print, what should I do
> in order to merge the printing of the two files???

If you're NOT going to use 3rd-party code, you need to:

a) Strip some PCL code out of the form file, such as resets, page setup,
etc.
b) Add some PCL to load it as a macro that prints on every page.
c) Remove from the report file anything that will disable the overlay
printing.
d) Print it only on a PCL printer that has macro support.

However, if you're willing to use 3rd-party tools, take a look at our
Print Wizard. It will do all this for you. It will also let you
* print the same thing on ANY printer, even Windows-only printers.
* generate PDF files with the overlay in place.
* fax the output.

(Print Wizard runs on Windows. Typically, Unix users set up a Windows box
to act as a printer server and run Print Wizard there.)

Regards,
....Bob Rasmussen, President, Rasmussen Software, Inc.

personal e-mail: ras@anzio.com
 company e-mail: rsi@anzio.com
          voice: (US) 503-624-0360 (9:00-6:00 Pacific Time)
            fax: (US) 503-624-0760
            web: http://www.anzio.com

Relevant Pages

  • Re: Final solution..XP?
    ... designed to talk only with Windows. ... PCL 3 was the first ever laserjet language. ... The Apple laserwriter was later, 1985, and is IIRC the first printer to use postcript, tho its been around longer than that as an idea 'borrowed' from the Xerox Palo Alto stuff. ... Just a low speed serial port, or if you were lucky, another proprietary Apple 'localtalk' serial port. ...
    (comp.sys.mac.system)
  • Re: Final solution..XP?
    ... designed to talk only with Windows. ... windows 3, the first thing that ever really sold, was 1990 6 years after PCL first made its appearance. ... I'm pretty sure if one were to go back and compare early Postscript and PCL versions, one would find that PostScript, at the time, was a better choice. ... That's funny considering during those past 23 years PostScript is a must for professional publishing, and Apple has supported PostScript all along. ...
    (comp.sys.mac.system)
  • Re: hp laser jet 1018
    ... PCL used by the earlier HP LaserJets and the more ... it is not worth the effort to install the PCL drivers for an older ... LaserJet under Windows 98, ...
    (comp.sys.hp.hardware)
  • Re: Final solution..XP?
    ... Windows was designed *AFTER* PCL. ... HP took a very sensible course and said 'how can we define the most basic language that gives access to every dot on the page, for those that must, whilst allowing the vast majority of users, who want fast text printing, to have an efficient affordable printer?' ... The answer was, PCL. ... and the answer was of course, the Apple laserwriter. ...
    (comp.sys.mac.system)
  • Re: print wizard no longer appears
    ... I think the print wizard is part of windows XP. ... It is a PC / windows problem because a friend tried the camera on his ...
    (microsoft.public.windowsxp.help_and_support)