Re2: An Idea...

[Sergey Zhumatiy <serg asi srcc msu su>]

Miguel de Icaza wrote:

> We do have a Postscript imaging model that provides a way to plug in
> real "rasterizers" (yes, we do all the hard work, and we pass just a
> bitmap that needs to be sent to the printer).
>
> If you are interested in working on this, drop me a line.
>
> Applications that use gnome-print will have this feature automatically
> enabled (currently Gnumeric, Sodi Podi and Evolutions's calendar use
> it).

  I'd wnat to know, how exact it will be realized...
  My idea was to get any application (not only for gnome-apps in ideal)
a _simple_ tool for printing on any printer. And to attract printer
develpoers (hm... I dont know how to say it right - companies, which
makes printers and writes software for them) to write UNIX-drivers
as for OS/2 and Win. Some develpoers of video-cards now are writing
drivers for XFree86, why printers are worse video-cards???

  The simplicity of input format is important too (as I think).
  With M$ Windoze I can let my _simple application_ (such wordpad
or fractal drawer) to print by adding 10..20 strings of code!
  In X-Window application I must draw my picture/text/etc in PS
(which is very different to X), enlarging my code by thousands
strings, and make my application more complicated. Do I need it?

  The second: I have HP ColorLaserJet 5. Without PS module. And
my boss wont buy it (it is not our printer). Using GS I can only
print grayscale pictures in 300 dpi. Is it good? While this
printer can print color pictures with at least 600 dpi, I thik
this result is _not so good_.

  The third: application must let user to set any printing options,
regardless does application know about it, or not (E.g. econofats
mode). This may be made, if application will get information about
theese options. In my letter I wrote about it a little. I think,
its important. By simple query application can know:
  1. Which printers can be used for printing (and let users to choose).
  2. Which paper can be used on every printer (format and may be
     specials, such as photo-paper)
  3. Special options of every printer (econofast mode/ color support/
     paper trays/ look at print dialog in Win for more!)
  4. May be even load of every printer (will user wait while printer
     will be able to print?)

  I think, that application must be able to know about special
features if drivers of printers such as formats of input data. If driver
can print gifs or jpegs or (I think its important!) XImages -- then
it's not needed to convert image in my application and write
unnessesary code every time (in every app)!

  Please, tell me, what is implemented now and what's planed. Are planed
features, I told about?

  With respect
                                                Serg.