Utility: pl2ps

Syntax

pl2ps {metafile} {-h} {-p} {-s scale_factor} {-S}
      {-B} {-i} {-n copies} {-m margin}
      {-b bottom_margin} {-t top_margin}
      {-l left_margin} {-r right_margin}

Description

Create PostScript output from a Fire plot meta-file.

Parameters

• metafile
  The Fire plot meta-file to be translated. If this is omitted, input will be taken from stdin. PostScript output is directed to stdout.

Switches

• -B
  Paint the background. If omitted, the background is not painted.

• -b bottom_margin
  The required bottom margin size (in millimeters). The default is 5, or the margin value (-m) if included. bottom_margin must be an integer.

• -h
  Print on-line help details on stderr.

• -i
  Invert all colors. This is useful when displaying an image with a black background onto white paper.

• -l left_margin
  The required left margin size (in millimeters). The default is 20, or the margin value (-m) if included. left_margin must be an integer.

• -m margin
  The required margin size on all sides (in millimeters). The defaults are left 20, right 5, top 5 and bottom 5. margin must be an integer.

• -n copies
  Number of copies. The default is 1.

• -p
  Display in portrait. The default is landscape.

• -r right_margin
  The required right margin size (in millimeters). The default is 5, or the margin value (-m) if included. right_margin must be an integer.

• -s scale_factor
  Draw at the scale indicated in the meta-file multiplied by scale_factor.

• -S
  Draw at the scale indicated in the meta-file. The default is scale-to-fit (or -s if specified).

• -t top_margin
  The required top margin size (in millimeters). The default is 5, or the margin value (-m) if included. top_margin must be an integer.

Required

• mxheader.ps - A PostScript header file to be included in the output. The directories $MXSITE and $MXSYS/etc are searched for its existence. Users can customize by copying it from $MXSYS/etc to $MXSITE and making any site specific changes there, for example to handle paper tray selection.

• mxtile.ps - A PostScript file defining how tiles are plotted, which the program may need to include. The directories $MXSITE and $MXSYS/etc are searched for its existence. Users can customize by copying it from $MXSYS/etc to $MXSITE and making any site specific changes there, but customization is generally unnecessary. If this file is not found, polygon tiling is suppressed.

• ps_symbs.def - A configuration file providing a mapping of Fire symbology names to PostScript symbology. A maximum of three such files are read by the program at startup:

• $MXSYS/etc/ps_symbs.def

• $MXSITE/ps_symbs.def

• $HOME/ps_symbs.def

Symbology definitions within ps_symbs.def are as follows:

• font <fire_font> <font_name>

• color <fire_color> <red> <green> <blue>

• tile <fire_tile> <bitmap_file>

where:

• <font_name> - PostScript font name, e.g. Courier,

• <red> - Red color component (0 - 100),

• <green> - Green color component (0 - 100),

• <blue> - Blue color component (0 - 100),

• <bitmap_file> - X-11 bitmap file containing a tile definition.

When definitions are duplicated, the last one in is used.

Use color and tile definitions in ps_symbs.def in preference to color and tile definitions in the Plot MetaFile.

Notes

Error messages are directed to stderr.

The image will be centered within the area enclosed by the margins.

The PostScript output conforms to Adobe Encapsulated PostScript Version 2.0. Files which conform to this standard conventionally have the extension .epsf

When creating Fire plot meta-files via the dump command suitable for conversion to PostScript, the following conventions are adopted:

• Use the following command switches:

• -cr - EPS files conventionally include the creator name.

• -t - EPS files conventionally include a plot title.

• Do not use the following command switches:

• -ent - Entity records are redundant.

• -fil - pl2ps cannot interpret complex fillstyles.

• -hat - pl2ps cannot interpret hatchstyles.

• -ls - pl2ps cannot interpret complex linestyles.

• -ms - pl2ps cannot interpret markerstyles.

Examples

pl2ps myplot.pl | lpr

pl2ps -p -S -r 10 -t 20 -b 20 myplot.pl >myplot.epsf

See Also