DVI2PCL
Section: User Commands (1)
Updated:
Index
Return to Main Contents
NAME
dvi2pcl - translate TeX DVI code to HP PCL printer code.
SYNOPSIS
dvi2pcl [-12345lmrtv] [-c nnn] [-d device] [-f nnn]
[-o outfile]
[-x fffdim] [-X fffdim] [-y fffdim]
file[.dvi]
DESCRIPTION
dvi2pcl reads the TeX device independent file file.dvi
created by tex(1) or latex(1), translates the device
independent (DVI) code to Printer Command Language (PCL) code, and sends
the output to standard output or, if the -o option is used, to the
file outfile. If file[.dvi] is not specified,
dvi2pcl reads from standard input.
OPTIONS
- -n
-
Produces code for HP Printer Command Language (PCL) level n =
1, 2, 3, 4, or 5. Default = 4.
- -c nnn
-
Prints nnn < 100 copies. Note that the copies will not be
collated. Thus, a two page document with a request for ten copies will be
printed as ten copies of page one followed by ten copies of page two.
- -d device
-
Produce optimized .pcl code for the PCL printer device.
Rudimentary support is included for the following devices:
lj+ (HP LaserJet+), lj2 (HP LaserJet II), lj2d (HP
LaserJet IID),lj2p (HP LaserJet IIP),lj3si (HP LaserJet
IIISi), lj3p (HP LaserJet IIIP),pj (HP PaintJet), and
pjxl (HP PaintJet XL). In fact, only lj+ has any effect. This
flag overcomes certain hardware limitations (missing transparency mode)
in the LaserJet+. It is the user's responsibility to add the -f
flag to limit the number of soft fonts for the particular printer used.
- -f nnn
-
Maximum number of soft fonts that can be downloaded. This option can be used
to overcome printer limitations. If the maximum number of downloadable
fonts is nnn, all remaining fonts will be drawn in raster graphics
mode, restricted only by the printer memory. Avoid this option in
general for the whole document, since raster graphics drawing can be
very time consuming. Instead, use this option just for the special
pages on which this restriction will be relevant and print them
seperately by using the -s nnn and -p 1 option.
- -l
-
Print the whole document in landscape mode (with the text running
parallel to the longest side of the page.)
- -m
-
Manual page feed.
- -o outfile
-
Send the output to the output file outfile. If -o is not
specified, the output will be sent to standard output.
- -p nnn
-
Set the maximum number nnn of pages to be printed.
- -r
-
Toggle the sense of page output order (reverse/no reverse).
- -R nnn
-
Set the PCL printer resolution to nnn.
- -s nnn
-
Select a starting page. Here nnn can be a number, or, if the parameter is
enclosed in quotes, a splat. There can be up to ten fields, each one
corresponding to one of the count values in TeX. The first is normally the
page number.
- -t
-
Select twosided printing. First, all even pages are printed with a
left offset chosen by the -x option. The output stack of paper
with the even pages occur in natural order, i.e., the last even
page is on the top of the stack or it is a blank sheet if the last page
of the document has an odd number. There are two ways to print the odd
pages: (1) After the first pass, the printer is switched to `Manual
Feed' mode, so odd pages can be printed by feeding the sheets, with the
even pages printed on them, into the printer. (2) Flip the stack of
paper back into the paper cassette (with the printed side of paper
facing up and the top at the end of the cassette that enters the printer
first). Take the printer off line, press the `Manual Feed' switch to
exit the manual feed mode and put the printer on line again. After this
procedure the printer starts immediately, printing the odd pages from
the cassette. The final output is in natural order, i.e., the
first page is facing up and is on the top of the output stack. The left
offset of the odd pages is determined by the -X option.
- -v
-
Enable verbose mode.
- -x fffdim
-
Set the horizontal [left] offset for odd sides. fff can be any float
format and the allowed dimensions are: i[n] for inches,
c[m] for centimeter, m[m] for millimeter,
p[t] for points, and d[ot] for dots. No space
may occur between fff and dim.
- -X fffdim
-
Set the horizontal [left] offset for even sides.
- -y fffdim
-
Set the vertical [top] offset.
TeX \\special COMMANDS
The following \special commands are supported:
- file=file
-
Directly include file into the bit file. Tries to emulate the
command with the same name in Gustaf Neumann's dvi2xx driver.
Full path name required.
- grafix(rasterfile [resolution])
-
Include a graphics pixel file at the current location into the bit file.
The first argument rasterfile (required) is the external file
name. Arguments are separated by spaces. The resolution can be any of
600, 300, 180, 150, 90, and 75 dpi. The default resolution is 300 dpi.
The raster file must have the following format:
short = number of pixel rows
byte = flag (0 or 1)
byte = number of pixel bytes per row if flag is 0 followed by the pixel
byte stream. If flag is 1, the next byte gives the length for the first
row, followed by the pixel bytes for the first row. The next byte then
is interpreted as the length of the second row followed by the pixel
bytes for the second row and so on. This restricts the max row length
to 255 bytes, but for the default resolution this is actually 13.6
inches and still 6.8 inches for full resolution.
- hpgl:string
-
Produce vector graphics by inserting the HP/GL-2 command string
string into the bit file. Terminate with a `;'. Works only for
PCL5 or higher.
- include(file)
-
Directly include file into the bit file. Full path name required.
- landscape
-
The result will be the same as produced by the -l option, but the
request for this mode is made already in the .tex file instead
by the driver option. No arguments.
- move(arguments)
-
Move the current printer cursor position. Allowed arguments are
h[=]fffdim, v[=]fffdim,
r[el], and a[bs]. No space may occur between
h, v and =, or between = and fff or h,
v and fff as between fff and dim. Allowed
dimensions are the same as for the offset options. Positioning is done
relative (rel) to the current cursor or absolute (abs) to
the upper left page corner.
- orientation=nnn
-
Change the print direction of an arbitrary part of a page. The
following values nnn are supported: 0 to rotate 0
degrees, 1 or 90 to rotate 90 degrees, 2 or 180
to rotate 180 degrees, 3 or 270 to rotate 270 degrees.
Tries to emulate the command with the same name in Gustaf Neumann's
dvi2xx driver. Works only for PCL5 or higher.
- pcl:string
-
Directly include the PCL string string into the bit file.
- pjxl:color
-
Set the color of the printed text to color where color is any of
black, red, green, yellow, blue, magenta,
cyan or white. Requires color printer (PaintJet XL or compatible).
- ps:string
-
Directly include the raw PostScript string string (including PS language
enable and disable commands) into the bit file. Requires PostScript support
in the printer.
- rasterfile string
-
Directly include the PCL string string into the bit file. Tries to
emulate the command with the same name in Parag Patel's dvi.
AUTHOR
dvi2pcl was written by Bo Thid (bt@irfu.se) and is based on
pkdvilj written by Helmut Kopka (hk@linhp.gwdg.de).
HARDWARE DEPENDENCIES
dvi2pcl generates specific bit raster code for HP PCL printers. It has
been tested on HP LaserJet printers and compatibles.
FILES
/usr/local/bin/dvi2pcl
/usr/local/lib/tex/reslj.fnt
SEE ALSO
/usr/local/bin/[la]tex
CAVEATS
This is an alpha version!
WARNINGS AND BUGS
Bugs are expected to be present. Comments to bt@irfu.se.
Index
- NAME
-
- SYNOPSIS
-
- DESCRIPTION
-
- OPTIONS
-
- TeX \\special COMMANDS
-
- AUTHOR
-
- HARDWARE DEPENDENCIES
-
- FILES
-
- SEE ALSO
-
- CAVEATS
-
- WARNINGS AND BUGS
-
This document was created by
man2html,
using the manual pages.
Time: 02:28:42 GMT, January 07, 2023