Windows Vista, the next version of Microsoft Windows, comes with CLR
3.0 installed.
2)
What kind of applications might need
PSWriteNetLib®?
A) Applications that generate statements that contain
dynamic data are an excellent example of
PSWriteNetLib® usage. While PostScript drivers can create
PostScript files for printing, they do have an Achilles heel; the
entire document must be rasterized onscreen before the driver can
operate.
However, if your application is creating hundreds of thousands, or
millions, of statements, then using a printer driver will of
course be unacceptable. But
PSWriteNetLib®
can programmatically create PostScript documents of unlimited size and
complexity.
PSWriteNetLib® can embed the
required fonts into the PostScript output file itself so needed
resources will never get lost.
PSWriteNetLib® makes an excellent tool
for development of a document creation and/or archival system dealing
with dynamic data that changes from statement to statement.
3) Why PostScript?
A) PostScript is the standard printer language in use by the
printing and publishing industry. A PostScript document can contain
elaborate graphics and text which can make a great looking document.
Not all consumer printers support PostScript. Although most laser
printers do. The PostScript created by PSWriteNetLib® is standard
PostScript and conforms to the Adobe standard for cross-platform
device independent printing. The PostScript files created by
PSWriteNetLib® can be sent directly to any PostScript enabled printer,
from consumer laser printers to large industrial offset printers.
Additionally, PostScript can be easily converted to
other formats easily. Adobe Distiller for example can quickly create a
PDF file from PostScript and vice-versa. GhostView and GhostScript can
also create PDF files directly from PostScript.
4) What is PJL?
PJL is an acronym that stands for
Printer Job Language. It was invented by
Hewlett-Packard in
the 1990's as a means to switch print languages from print job to
print job.
Many consumer laser printers today use PJL
instructions at the top of print files to switch from PCL to
PostScript and back again on a job by job basis. Some printers that
understand multiple print languages can simply look at the incoming
print file and deduce the language involved. Those that cannot use PJL.
If nothing happens when you send a PostScript file
from PSWriteNetLib® to a laser
printer, then that printer probably requires PJL instructions in the
header of the print file. PSWriteNetLib® has a flag you can set in the
StartDoc() method to automatically include standard PJL instructions
that will switch the PCL laser printer to PostScript to print the job
and back again when the job completes.
5) What is a PostScript Form?
A)
PostScript "Forms" were introduced in language level 2. They are a
means to cache large sections of PostScript code for reuse. This makes
for much smaller file size and is a huge efficiency improvement.
For example, if your application creates end-user
statements, then you could use a PostScript form that contains all the
drawing instructions such as rectangles, lines and other items that
make up the "form" of the statement. You might include the logo as
part of the PostScript form as well. In fact, anything that is static
across all statements is a candidate for inclusion in your PostScript
form. You only need to create the form once and then call it wherever
you need it by using the WriteForm() method of the PSWriteNetLib®
PSDocument object instance.
A single embedded image for example
might occupy 300 lines, or more, in the file outputted by
PSWriteNetLib®. Every time the image is needed, another 300 lines of
code would be written to the document file. But if you placed that
image in a PostScript form, (PSForm) , then the 300 lines of source
data would only be written to the output file once and PostScript form
caching takes care of the rest.
6)
What is the purpose of
DirectPrint®?
A)
DirectPrint® can send the
output PostScript files from PSWriteNetLib® to a printer or other
installed device.
DirectPrint® accomplishes
this by submitting printer language files such as PCL or PostScript,
directly to the Windows Print Spooler, bypassing the .NET print system
entirely. This is required for large files whose results must be
printed; not the code in the file.
DirectPrint® can send any print language
file directly to a printer or other device that is connected. Although
the printer must be installed to the local machine, it is not
necessary to have the PostScript drivers installed to print a
PostScript file created by PSWriteNetLib®. PostScript
drivers are not needed or used by PSWriteNetLib® in any way.
