Re: Print using pipes

[Michael D Godfrey]

On 09/21/2010 06:35 PM, Ben Abbott wrote:

I've pushed the changeset to print using pipes.

	http://hg.savannah.gnu.org/hgweb/octave/rev/064aaf82222f

For the gnuplot backend a file is written by gnuplot (not using pipes). If it is necessary to convert of modify the file a system command with pipes is used.

For the FLTK backend, the GL2PS output is piped directly.

Help testing is needed to ensure everything works for all platforms.

Some notes on functionality.

(1) Support for a tight bbox and eps preview is included.
(2) To produce a tight bbox and preview, for eps files, epstool is used. 
(3) -tight & -preview do not work at the same time (epstool limitation).
(4) To produce the proper papersize and paperposition, ps and pdf
    output are always derived from eps using gs.
(5) Specifying the fontname and/or size using -FFONTNAME:SIZE
    works for all formats.
(6) Specifying the canvas size as -SXSIZE,YSIZE works for all formats.
    Depending upon the format the size is interpreted as points or as
    pixels.
(7) epslatexstandalone is not presently working for GL2PS output.
(8) The piping implementation for GL2PS output needs testing.

Short description of the implementation.

__print_parse_opts__.m
  * parses the input and sets defaults.
  * checks for gs, epstool, fig2dev, lpr, & pstoedit in EXEC_PATH.

print.m
  * Temporarily modifies figure properties to match the print options.
  * Contains the auxillary funcitons: epstool, fig2dev, lpr, pstoedit,
    and shell_translation.
  * Passes handles to auxillary functions, used to convert formats,
    to __fltk_print__ and __gnuplot_print__.

__fltk_print__.m
  * Produces output via pipes.
  * All output is derived from eps.
  * Relies on epstool, fig2dev, gs, lpr, and pstoedit.

__gnuplot_print__.m
  * Used gnuplot to produce an output file.
  * Many (most?) native gnuplot formats are supported.
  * Conversion to most other formats is handled by a system call.
    The system call may include pipes.
  * Relies on epstool, lpr, and gs.
  * Currently does not use fig2dev, or pstoedit.

Ben

Ben,

I ran a local test of test_printing and got the attached
This looks good to me. The fltk section ran without problems.
This is on a new Fedora 13 system which I just configured.
I had to add a few packages that would not normally be installed,
but not much of this.

Some of the gnuplot problems are due to the fact that the "standard"
gnuplot that comes with fc13 is 4.2.  If I installed 4.4 I am sure
that some of these problems would go away.

So, at this point, it appears that fltk printing is in pretty good shape
except for the timing problems when using it remotely through ssh
or NX connections.

We need to see what Shai has to say when he gets back.  In any  case,
this is a great deal better than it was.

Michael

test_09232010
Description: Text document