On PSF/AIX how are compat fonts mapped to outlines?
ITEM: RTA000156188
Q:
Topic thread:
Printer Systems (PRINT - NA/ATS)
PSF/AIX
I do not understand how Compat fonts are mapped to Outline fonts on AIX.
I have several .grd type files but none seem to map the customers use of
compat fonts to outlines for printing on a 600 DPI printer. I had this
working at one time but PSF/AIX maintenance recently removed the
function somehow, and I now can't get it back. I thought it used grd
type files to make it happen but I restored both /var/psf/5A1/ and
/usr/lpp/psf/grd directories and still no luck. I do not remember how
the mapping actually occurs in AIX and therefore can't begin to fix. I
did rename the charset.grd.outline to charset.grd and got the
header/trailer and message pages to print but that only deals with 3
fonts. How are the others remapped to outlines?
Additionally I have a related question that is documented in other
environments (MVS & VSE) but not in AIX, I think. That issue is how is
printing handled when a file contains calls to outline fonts yet the
file is directed to a raster only printer. I remap in the other
environments and I imagine I do in AIX as well but I don't know whether
it's automatic or via a parm somewhere. The problem is I am driving a
IR 1/2 at 600DPI but need to send reprints, backup, test, and smaller
runs to a 3827 or desktop 4317.
Files are being created from AIX Toolbox. Would it be better to create
raster calls in Toolbox and have AIX map to outlines for the IP4000?
Q:
I have tested some of this and find that with my current settings I do
not remap to Raster from outlines on PSF for AIX. I hope I just need a
setting to make this happen and I need help to find what parm.
Note: The testing is to see whether and IR1/2 (600 DPI) datastream from
Toolbox can be given to an AFP Xerox (raster)or to a 4317 as backup.
This is an all Xerox account that installed PSF for AIX and is testing
Toolbox to see whether they could migrate to AFP and still use Xerox as
backup and short runs. This has not been a pretty process and we are not
putting IBM's best foot forward. Unfortunately to date we have shown a
very long install process with Toolbox (still not working properly with
outline fonts) and demonstrated that like Xerox, IBM's datastreams to
our high end printers don't work on desktops, older production printers
or the viewer. i.e. BCOCA on viewer, outline fonts on 4317. We need to
demonstrate backup on a raster printer if at all possible to solidify
the IR1/2 in May.
A:
In answer to your question about if it's better to create raster font
calls in Toolbox and have AIX map to outlines for the IP4000, the
developer of Toolbox says, "The answer to that is usually "no",
because the metrics may be different. It depends which font family
that you're talking about, the newer AFP fonts are based on Adobe
metrics so they technically ought to be the same -- but it's always
safest to use the SAME fonts to format with that you print with to
get the most accurate results.
The owner of the font mapping piece in PSF/AIX and Infoprint Manager
is testing a theory for your situation and hopes to have some insights
this afternoon. I'll update this when I have something.
A:
I received the following information from the developer:
******
I have successfully mapped outline to raster with PSF/AIX.
Take the example of outline fonts that could be specified
in the data stream, but a particular printer only supports
raster fonts. If the name of the outline font is in the
charset.grd file, then an fgid and gcsgid will be found.
Font width and height information will not be specified
in the charset.grd file, these MUST be specified in the
data stream. PSF/AIX will see if the fgid/gcsgid is a
resident font. If it is not, the name found in the data
stream will be used to find a font which can be downloaded
to the printer. This will not happen for an outline font
and raster printer. The fix is that if the fgid.grd file
(also moved to /var/psf/printername) is edited to contain
an entry which has the matching fgid, gcsgid, width, and
height, PSF/AIX will look for a font by the name found in
the fgid.grd file if all else fails. This name can be the
name of a raster font at the correct size, which will print
correctly on the raster-only printer. Once the grid files
are setup properly things are "automatic". Note that if
both outline and raster mappings (using the desired width
and height) exist in fgid.grd for the same fgid/cpgid
combinations, a new unused fgid/cpgid mapping must be
specified in both the charset.grd and fgid.grd files.
Now take the example where the data stream contains references
to raster fonts, but an outline font is desired. If the outline
fonts are resident on the printer, the correct solution has been
known all along, which is to edit the charset.grd file so that the
fgid/gcsgid corresponding to the raster font names are the resident
grid parts which will be activated on the printer. This is also more
efficient than downloading. Assuming that resident fonts are not
acceptable or available, the fix is that if the fgid.grd file contains
an entry matching the fgid and gcsgid that were specified (vertical
and horizontal sizes must be wildcarded), PSF/AIX will look for a
font by the name found in the fgid.grd file if all else fails. This
name can be the name of an outline font that will be downloaded.
This is "automatic" in the sense that if the default fgid.grd file
is moved to /var/psf/printername the table has already been set up
by the font group so that many desireable mappings are already
defined.
The same charset.grd and fgid.grd files cannot support both
raster-to-outline and outline-to-raster at the same time. My guess
(I don't remember ever seeing GRD files, AFP, or trace) with this
customer's situation is that by having a customized file in
/usr/lpp/psf/grd either the raster or the outline printers were
broken, and fixing one would break the other. The first choice
should always be to put GRD files in /var/psf/printername.
******
It's important to note that Infoprint Manager does not behave in
exactly the same way. The capability of automatically mapping outline
to raster fonts was removed from of Infoprint Manager when
multi-resolution font support was introduced two years ago.
See also libraried ViewBlue item RTA000155385 for information on how to
map raster font references in a data stream to downloadable outline
fonts using Infoprint Manager V3.1.
I hope this helps. If not please reopen this item.
S e a r c h - k e y w o r d s:
psf/aix psf/6000 psf aix infoprint font mapping raster outline
substitution grid grd compatibility compat toolbox
WWQA: ITEM: RTA000156188 ITEM: RTA000156188
Dated: 04/1999 Category: XPSF6000
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