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RE: Adobe Post Script and PPD files(Problems with PDF and Printin g)
Subject:RE: Adobe Post Script and PPD files(Problems with PDF and Printin g) From:jwaddell <jwaddell -at- micron -dot- com> To:TECHWR-L <techwr-l -at- lists -dot- raycomm -dot- com> Date:Wed, 24 May 2000 13:39:35 -0600
To further clarify Craig McKerlie's well made point about HP printer
drivers:
I believe that the term PCL refers to HP's proprietary Printer Control
Language. When the HP driver sends a print job to the printer, it is using
PCL. HP does use another printer language, namely a postscript variant.
Because they do not want to pay Adobe for the use of the big "P" Postscript,
they have installed in their "postscript capable" printers their own
"postscript emulation." To put the printer into a postscript emulation mode,
the first code that gets sent to the printer is a PCL command that puts the
device into postscript mode. This is why HP printer drivers and most HP
ppds for other printer drivers cannot be used to make pdfs. The code is
corrupt due to the beginning PCL code.
Craig is right. You must use a true Postscript printer driver to produce
the print files to convert to pdf. I use the apple LaserWriter 12/600 and
get great results.
John Waddell
Formally, International Man of STC Award-winning Printer User Guides
