Re: PPD files

[Paul Yeatman <pyeatman@ucsd.edu>]

->>In response to your message<<-
  --received from HdV@DTO.TUDelft.NL--
>
> On Tue, 16 Mar 2004, Paul Yeatman wrote:
> 
> > I'm trying to figure out exactly what the PPD file thing is about.
> 
> Hi Paul,
> 
> These files define the capabilities of a printer. You can download the
> appropriate ppd file from linuxprinting.org or (sometimes) from the
> vendor's site. They are just plain text files, so if you want to know
> what's in them just fire up vim and take a look. One of the packages
> using ppd files is cups, might that be the one you're thinking about?
> 
> Grx HdV

Yes, I've definitely noticed the correlation between CUPS and PPD
files but I don't have CUPS installed on any of my machines.

Thanks for the explanation of PPD files yet I should have been more
explicit.  I realize a PPD file provides information regarding
Postscript commands/capabilities? of a particular printer but, I
guess, my question is more . . . how, when and why would one use it?
And what package could it have been that encouraged me to provide PPD
files (knowing I don't have CUPS installed I'm assuming it is a common
Debian package)?

I currently use lprng with the ifhp package (hp print filters) for
printing.  I noticed recently when trying to get a PCL only
printer working that the foomatic config script put a line
":ppdfile=<path>" in the printcap.  Is there any advantage with using
this with my "ordinary" entries (or is this essentially what the
ifhp filter is doing through another means)?

Yesterday, I found a package called "hp-ppd".  I installed this (not
knowing exactly what it was getting me) and apparently it provides PPD
files for HP printers.  But then what . . .  unless you use the
"ppdfile=" entry in printcap but . . . what does that get you?  I also
noticed a package called "lpr-ppd".  How does this compare with lprng
and when/why would one choose to use this for his print spooler?  This
is more along the line of my inquiry(ies).

Paul

-- 
Paul Yeatman       (858) 534-9896        pyeatman@ucsd.edu
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