dpost(1M) (Line Printer PostScript Utilities) dpost(1M)
NAME
dpost - troff postprocessor for PostScript printers
SYNOPSIS
/usr/lib/lp/postscript/dpost [options] [files]
DESCRIPTION
dpost translates files created by troff(1M) into PostScript and writes
the results on the standard output. If no files are specified, or if -
is one of the input files, the standard input is read.
OPTIONS
-cnum Prints num copies of each page. By default only one copy is
printed.
-enum Sets the text encoding level to num. The recognized choices
are 0, 1, 2, and 3. The size of the output file and print
time should decrease as num increases. The default is 2.
-mnum Magnifies each logical page by the factor num. Pages are
scaled uniformly about the origin, which is located near the
upper left corner of each page. The default magnification is
1.0.
-nnum Prints num logical pages on each piece of paper, where num
can be any positive integer. By default num is set to 1.
-olist Prints pages whose numbers are given in the comma-separated
list. The list contains single numbers N and ranges N1 - N2.
A missing N1 means the lowest numbered page, a missing N2
means the highest.
-pmode Prints files in either portrait or landscape mode. Only the
first character of mode (p or l) is significant. The default
mode is portrait.
-wnum Sets the line width used to implement troff graphics commands
to num points, where a point is approximately 1/72 of an
inch. By default num is set to 0.3 points.
-xnum Translates the origin num inches along the positive x axis.
The default coordinate system has the origin fixed near the
upper left corner of the page, with positive x to the right
and positive y down the page. Positive num moves everything
right. The default offset is 0 inches.
-ynum Translate the origin num inches along the positive y axis.
Positive num moves text down the page. The default offset is
0.
-Afile Appends a simple accounting record to file after all the
input files have been successfully translated. By default no
Page 1 Reliant UNIX 5.44 Printed 11/98
dpost(1M) (Line Printer PostScript Utilities) dpost(1M)
accounting data is produced.
-B Includes BoundingBox comments in the output file. Should only
be used when the comments are needed for picture inclusion.
Output is forced onto an 8.5 by 11.0 inch page.
-Fdir Use dir as the font directory. By default dir is set to
/usr/lib/font, and dpost reads ASCII font files from device
directory /usr/lib/font/devpost.
-Hdir Uses dir as the host resident font directory. Files in this
directory should be complete PostScript font descriptions.
File names must match the troff font names. There is no
default directory.
-Lfile Uses file as the PostScript prologue, which by default is
/usr/lib/lp/postscript/dpost.ps.
-Tname Uses font files for device name as the best description of
available PostScript fonts. By default name is set to post
and dpost reads ASCII files from /usr/lib/font/devpost.
In addition, three options allow the insertion of arbitrary PostScript
at controlled points in the translation process:
-Cfile Copies file to the output file. file follows the prologue
but precedes any job initialization commands. file becomes
part of the job's global environment and must contain legi-
timate PostScript commands.
-Pstring Adds string to the output file. string follows the prologue
but precedes any job initialization commands. string
becomes part of the job's global environment and must be
legitimate PostScript.
-Raction Requests special action (e.g. manualfeed) on a per page or
global basis. The action string can be given as request,
request:page, or request:page:file. If page is omitted or
given as 0 the request applies to all pages. If file is
omitted the request lookup is done in
/usr/lib/lp/postscript/ps.requests. The collection of
recognized requests can be modified or extended by changing
/usr/lib/lp/postscript/ps.requests. Multiple occurrences of
the -R option behave as expected.
The files should be prepared by troff. The default font files in
/usr/lib/font/devpost produce the best and most efficient output.
dpost makes no assumptions about resolutions. The first x res command
sets the resolution used to translate the input files, the DESC file,
usually /usr/lib/font/devpost/DESC, sets the font table resolution,
and the PostScript prologue is responsible for setting up an appropri-
ate user coordinate system.
Page 2 Reliant UNIX 5.44 Printed 11/98
dpost(1M) (Line Printer PostScript Utilities) dpost(1M)
EXAMPLE
A typical command line might be,
pic file | tbl | eqn | troff -mm | dpost
WARNINGS
Output files will often be nonconforming, according to Adobe's file
structuring conventions. Piping the output of dpost through pos-
treverse should produce a minimally conforming PostScript file.
Although dpost can handle files formatted for any device, emulation is
expensive and can easily double the print time and the size of the
output file. No attempt has been made to implement the character sets
or fonts available on all devices supported by troff. Missing charac-
ters will be replaced by white space, and unrecognized fonts will usu-
ally default to one of the Times fonts (i.e. R, I, B, or BI).
An x res command must precede the first x init command, and all the
input files should have been prepared for the same output device.
Use of the -T option is not encouraged. Its only purpose is to enable
the use of other PostScript font and device description files, that
perhaps use different resolutions, character sets, or fonts.
DIAGNOSTICS
0 exit status is returned if files were successfully translated, while
2 often indicates a syntax error in the input files.
FILES
/usr/lib/font/devpost/*
/usr/lib/font/devpost/charlib/*
/usr/lib/lp/postscript/dpost.ps
/usr/lib/lp/postscript/color.ps
/usr/lib/lp/postscript/draw.ps
/usr/lib/lp/postscript/forms.ps
/usr/lib/lp/postscript/ps.requests
SEE ALSO
postdaisy(1M), postdmd(1M), postio(1M), postmd(1M), postprint(1M),
postreverse(1M), posttek(1M), troff(1M), font(5), troff(5).
Page 3 Reliant UNIX 5.44 Printed 11/98