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  • Postscript from PDF with GhostScript

    From Harriet Bazley@harriet@bazleyfamily.co.uk to comp.sys.acorn.apps on Mon Jan 27 15:08:20 2025
    From Newsgroup: comp.sys.acorn.apps

    I tried using the 'pdf2ps' Obey file from the GhostScript distribution
    to convert a PDF file back to PostScript, but I get the error "Unknown
    device: pswrite"

    The file reads:

    wimpslot -min 15124K
    gs -q -dNOPAUSE -dBATCH -dSAFER -sDEVICE=pswrite -sOutputFile=%1 %*2 -c save pop -f %0
    if "%1" <> "" then ifthere %1 then settype %1 ff5


    The GhostScript documentation lists 'ps2write' as a 'high-level device'
    under its list of valid devices, and the RISC OS distribution evidently
    expects it to exist.
    --
    Harriet Bazley == Loyaulte me lie ==

    Anything can happen in the next half-hour....
    --- Synchronet 3.21d-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Richard Darby (news)@news@rjdarby.co.uk to comp.sys.acorn.apps on Mon Jan 27 15:56:37 2025
    From Newsgroup: comp.sys.acorn.apps

    In article <7175d4e55b.harriet@bazleyfamily.co.uk>,
    Harriet Bazley <harriet@bazleyfamily.co.uk> wrote:
    I tried using the 'pdf2ps' Obey file from the GhostScript distribution
    to convert a PDF file back to PostScript, but I get the error "Unknown device: pswrite"

    The file reads:

    wimpslot -min 15124K
    gs -q -dNOPAUSE -dBATCH -dSAFER -sDEVICE=pswrite -sOutputFile=%1 %*2 -c save pop -f %0
    if "%1" <> "" then ifthere %1 then settype %1 ff5


    The GhostScript documentation lists 'ps2write' as a 'high-level device'
    under its list of valid devices, and the RISC OS distribution evidently expects it to exist.

    Hi Harriet,

    Have you tried PDFutils? Kevin Wells has a front end for PDF utils which
    I have just tried converting PDF to Postscript and it worked without
    causing and error. You can get it here:
    http://kevsoft.co.uk/
    Look for KPDFutil

    Richard Darby.
    --

    Richard Darby.
    website: http://www.rjdarby.co.uk
    Do not reply to this address all mail is deleted.
    Reply to: <my first name> at <my domain>
    --- Synchronet 3.21d-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Jean-Michel@jmc.bruck@orange.fr to comp.sys.acorn.apps on Mon Jan 27 17:11:20 2025
    From Newsgroup: comp.sys.acorn.apps

    In message <7175d4e55b.harriet@bazleyfamily.co.uk>
    Harriet Bazley <harriet@bazleyfamily.co.uk> wrote:

    I tried using the 'pdf2ps' Obey file from the GhostScript distribution
    to convert a PDF file back to PostScript, but I get the error "Unknown device: pswrite"

    The file reads:

    wimpslot -min 15124K
    gs -q -dNOPAUSE -dBATCH -dSAFER -sDEVICE=pswrite -sOutputFile=%1 %*2 -c
    save pop -f %0
    if "%1" <> "" then ifthere %1 then settype %1 ff5


    The GhostScript documentation lists 'ps2write' as a 'high-level device'
    under its list of valid devices, and the RISC OS distribution evidently expects it to exist.

    I tested this command:
    Dir <Obey$Dir>
    pdf2ps exo1pdf ex02

    it works!
    --
    Jean-Michel
    --- Synchronet 3.21d-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Harriet Bazley@harriet@bazleyfamily.co.uk to comp.sys.acorn.apps on Mon Jan 27 16:30:10 2025
    From Newsgroup: comp.sys.acorn.apps

    On 27 Jan 2025 as I do recall,
    Richard Darby (news) wrote:

    In article <7175d4e55b.harriet@bazleyfamily.co.uk>,
    Harriet Bazley <harriet@bazleyfamily.co.uk> wrote:
    I tried using the 'pdf2ps' Obey file from the GhostScript distribution
    to convert a PDF file back to PostScript, but I get the error "Unknown device: pswrite"

    [snip]

    Have you tried PDFutils? Kevin Wells has a front end for PDF utils which
    I have just tried converting PDF to Postscript and it worked without
    causing and error. You can get it here:
    http://kevsoft.co.uk/
    Look for KPDFutil

    It doesn't like this particular PDF (an auto-generated address label I
    was sent)

    Fontconfig warning: line 5: unknown element "its:rules"
    Fontconfig warning: line 6: unknown element "its:translateRule"
    Fontconfig error: line 6: invalid attribute 'translate'
    Fontconfig error: line 6: invalid attribute 'selector'
    Fontconfig error: line 7: invalid attribute 'xmlns:its'
    Fontconfig error: line 7: invalid attribute 'version'
    Fontconfig warning: line 9: unknown element "description"
    Fontconfig warning: "/<UnixFC$Dir>/fonts/conf.d/20-unhint-small-vera.conf", line 4: unknown element "its:rules"
    Fontconfig warning: "/<UnixFC$Dir>/fonts/conf.d/20-unhint-small-vera.conf", line 5: unknown element "its:translateRule"
    F
    [snip
    Fontconfig error: "/<UnixFC$Dir>/fonts/conf.d/90-synthetic.conf", line 6: invalid attribute 'version'
    Fontconfig error: Cannot load default config file
    Syntax Error: Couldn't find a font for 'Helvetica'
    Syntax Error: Couldn't find a font for 'Helvetica-Bold'
    Syntax Error: Couldn't find a font for 'Helvetica'
    Syntax Error: Couldn't find a font for 'Helvetica'
    Syntax Error: Couldn't find a font for 'Helvetica'
    Syntax Error: Couldn't find a font for 'Helvetica'
    Syntax Error: Couldn't find a font for 'Helvetica'
    Syntax Error: Couldn't find a font for 'Helvetica'
    Syntax Error: Couldn't find a font for 'Helvetica-Bold'
    Syntax Error: Couldn't find a font for 'Helvetica-Bold'
    Syntax Error: Couldn't find a font for 'Helvetica-Bold'
    Syntax Error: Couldn't find a font for 'Helvetica-Bold'
    Syntax Error: Couldn't find a font for 'Helvetica-Bold'
    Syntax Error: Couldn't find a font for 'Helvetica-Bold'
    Syntax Error: Couldn't find a font for 'Helvetica-Bold'
    Syntax Error: Couldn't find a font for 'Helvetica-Bold'
    Syntax Error: Couldn't find a font for 'Helvetica-Bold'
    Syntax Error: Couldn't find a font for 'Helvetica-Bold'
    Syntax Error: Couldn't find a font for 'Helvetica'



    Testing the GhostScript pdf2ps on a PDF file generated by PrintPDF gives
    the same 'Unknown device' error as before, but using the KPDFutil
    version correctly extracts a PostScript file from the RISC OS-generated
    PDF.
    --
    Harriet Bazley == Loyaulte me lie ==

    Egotist: A person of low taste, more interested in himself than me.
    --- Synchronet 3.21d-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Harriet Bazley@harriet@bazleyfamily.co.uk to comp.sys.acorn.apps on Mon Jan 27 16:32:46 2025
    From Newsgroup: comp.sys.acorn.apps

    On 27 Jan 2025 as I do recall,
    Jean-Michel wrote:

    In message <7175d4e55b.harriet@bazleyfamily.co.uk>
    Harriet Bazley <harriet@bazleyfamily.co.uk> wrote:

    I tried using the 'pdf2ps' Obey file from the GhostScript distribution
    to convert a PDF file back to PostScript, but I get the error "Unknown device: pswrite"

    [snip]

    I tested this command:
    Dir <Obey$Dir>
    pdf2ps exo1pdf ex02

    it works!

    I tried changing the currently selected directory to point directly into !GhostScr.bin

    I still get the 'unknown device' error; apparently something isn't
    defined that GhostScript expects to have been defined.
    --
    Harriet Bazley == Loyaulte me lie ==

    Those who can't write, write manuals.
    --- Synchronet 3.21d-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Harriet Bazley@harriet@bazleyfamily.co.uk to comp.sys.acorn.apps on Mon Jan 27 16:46:25 2025
    From Newsgroup: comp.sys.acorn.apps

    On 27 Jan 2025 as I do recall,
    Harriet Bazley wrote:


    [snip]


    I tried changing the currently selected directory to point directly into !GhostScr.bin

    I still get the 'unknown device' error; apparently something isn't
    defined that GhostScript expects to have been defined.


    *gs -v
    reports the version number as GPL Ghostscript 9.26 (2018-11-20)
    which is slightly confusing, as PackMan only seems to know about
    GhostScript 8.71-2....
    --
    Harriet Bazley == Loyaulte me lie ==

    Own nothing you do not know to be useful or believe to be beautiful.
    --- Synchronet 3.21d-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Jean-Michel@jmc.bruck@orange.fr to comp.sys.acorn.apps on Mon Jan 27 19:33:44 2025
    From Newsgroup: comp.sys.acorn.apps

    In message <e76fdde55b.harriet@bazleyfamily.co.uk>
    Harriet Bazley <harriet@bazleyfamily.co.uk> wrote:

    On 27 Jan 2025 as I do recall,
    Harriet Bazley wrote:


    [snip]


    I tried changing the currently selected directory to point directly into
    !GhostScr.bin

    I still get the 'unknown device' error; apparently something isn't
    defined that GhostScript expects to have been defined.


    *gs -v
    reports the version number as GPL Ghostscript 9.26 (2018-11-20)
    which is slightly confusing, as PackMan only seems to know about
    GhostScript 8.71-2....

    tried version 9. but quickly went back to 8.71 which still works fine!
    (just an advice)
    --
    Jean-Michel
    --- Synchronet 3.21d-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Chris Hughes@news13@noonehere.co.uk to comp.sys.acorn.apps on Mon Jan 27 18:50:45 2025
    From Newsgroup: comp.sys.acorn.apps

    In message <e76fdde55b.harriet@bazleyfamily.co.uk>
    Harriet Bazley <harriet@bazleyfamily.co.uk> wrote:

    On 27 Jan 2025 as I do recall,
    Harriet Bazley wrote:


    [snip]


    I tried changing the currently selected directory to point directly into
    !GhostScr.bin

    I still get the 'unknown device' error; apparently something isn't
    defined that GhostScript expects to have been defined.


    *gs -v
    reports the version number as GPL Ghostscript 9.26 (2018-11-20)
    which is slightly confusing, as PackMan only seems to know about
    GhostScript 8.71-2....

    Packman offers both the 8.71 version and 9.27 here, although 9.27 is VFP enabled.

    Be warned I think in 9.26 and/or 9.27 it does not like a space in the
    filename when being converted to a PDF
    --
    Chris Hughes
    --- Synchronet 3.21d-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From John Williams (News)@UCEbin@tiscali.co.uk to comp.sys.acorn.apps on Mon Jan 27 21:07:08 2025
    From Newsgroup: comp.sys.acorn.apps

    In article <1dd2e8e55b.chris@mytardis>,
    Chris Hughes <news13@noonehere.co.uk> wrote:

    Be warned I think in 9.26 and/or 9.27 it does not like a space in the filename when being converted to a PDF

    Does anyone?

    John

    --- Synchronet 3.21d-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Jean-Michel@jmc.bruck@orange.fr to comp.sys.acorn.apps on Mon Jan 27 22:57:14 2025
    From Newsgroup: comp.sys.acorn.apps

    In message <6797f6ca$0$5217$426a74cc@news.free.fr>
    "John Williams (News)" <UCEbin@tiscali.co.uk> wrote:

    In article <1dd2e8e55b.chris@mytardis>,
    Chris Hughes <news13@noonehere.co.uk> wrote:

    Be warned I think in 9.26 and/or 9.27 it does not like a space in the
    filename when being converted to a PDF

    Does anyone?

    John

    I can just confirm that version 8.4 does not like the slash in name/pdf... name_pdf is ok
    --
    Jean-Michel
    --- Synchronet 3.21d-Linux NewsLink 1.2