Printing a PostScript File

You just created a PostScript file and can't wait to put it in the doc repository. But is your PostScript file okey-dokey? Will the print vendor be able to make a book from it? Impossible to say for sure, but to improve the odds of okey-dokeyness, you must print out the PostScript file on one of the Open Market laser printers.

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Printing out your book from FrameMaker proves nothing. Before putting a book in the doc repository, you must follow the steps in this Web page.

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• Print the book from a DOS window.
• Print the book from a UNIX shell.

Then, after yanking the book off the printer, you should examine it for mistakes.

Printing the Book from a DOS Window

1. Open a DOS window. To open one, hit Start->Programs->MS-DOS Prompt.
2. Change directories to the directory containing your PostScript file. To do so, use the DOS CD command, for example:

   C:\WINDOWS> E:
   E:\> CD DOCSET\PAPI
   

3. To print to thunderstorm, enter a command having the following format:

   E:\DOCSET\PAPI> copy  filename.ps \\BRL-DC-2\thunderstorm
   

1. Pop a UNIX shell; it doesn't matter which one.
2. Login to boreal, for example:

   $ rlogin boreal
   

3. Change directories to the directory containing your PostScript file. To do so, use the shell cd command, for example:

   $ cd docset/papi
   

4. You can print to snakeweed (across from stairwell 3E) or to mailbox. To print to snakeweed, enter a command having the following format:

   $ lp -d snakeweed filename.ps 
   

   To print to mailbox, enter a command like:

   $ lp -d mailbox filename.ps 
   

To print double-sided, use the -o duplex option; for example, to print double-sided on mailbox, enter:

$ lp -d snakeweed -o duplex filename.ps 

Note that double-sided printing is only available on the HP 5 series; the HP 5 series printers on the third floor are:

• copyroom
• thunderstorm
• snakeweed

In mere moments, a crisp, clean, refreshing book should roll off the printer. Examine your book, making sure that

• All the pages are there.
• All the headers and footers are okay.
• All the graphics are printed.

If page numbering came out funky or cross-refs didn't come out at all, then you probably need to regenerate your book. After regenerating, rebuild the PostScript file.

If some of the graphics came out as gray blobs, then you might have run into memory problems when generating the PostScript file. If this happens, you should reboot your machine. Then, when the machine comes up again, shut down all applications except for FrameMaker. Then, rebuild that PostScript file and try to reprint it.