| Re: PRINTER object [message #10493] |
Wed, 10 December 1997 00:00 |
davidf
Messages: 2866
Registered: September 1996
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Senior Member |
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Joseph Scott Stuart (nospam@ll.mit.edu) wonders about
an earlier comment of mine when he writes:
>> I'm trying to stick to the good ol' PostScript device
>> whenever I can, although this is not possible, of
>> course, with object graphics.
>
> Could you elaborate on that? Why isn't it possible?
Object graphics in IDL is a separate graphics system,
completely divorced from what we often think of as
"normal" graphics in IDL, and what RSI calls "direct
graphics." Object graphics use their own color model,
their own windows (IDLgrWindow object), and their own
printer support (through the IDLgrPrinter object).
Just as you can't display object graphics in "normal"
IDL graphics windows, you can't send output to the
"normal" hardcopy output devices (e.g., PCL, PS, CGM,
etc.).
While it is possible to combine IDL direct and object
graphics in the same application (RSI even recommends you
do this in some cases), I have had difficulty doing it
in practice, at least on 8-bit displays. I think
the object graphics are terrific if you have a 24-bit
display and an OpenGL accelerator and, probably, a color
printer. But they are a little more trouble with the
usually hardware rift-raff I find around my place. :-)
Cheers,
David
-----------------------------------------------------------
David Fanning, Ph.D.
Fanning Software Consulting
E-Mail: davidf@dfanning.com
Phone: 970-221-0438
Coyote's Guide to IDL Programming: http://www.dfanning.com/
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| Re: PRINTER object [message #10504 is a reply to message #10493] |
Tue, 09 December 1997 00:00  |
davidf
Messages: 2866
Registered: September 1996
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Senior Member |
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Matthew Hanson (matt@ktaadn.com) writes:
> Has anyone had problems with size when using the printer object?
> When I print using the IDLgrPrinter object i have several problems.
Uh, yes. Lots and lots, to be exact. :-)
> 1) The print dialog widgets don't work very well. If compression is
> turned on then nothing prints and you are not told why.
Don't know about this. I have "compressed bitmaps" set to high
and it seems to work, after a fashion.
> After choosing
> Print you then have to go to the Setup Printer Dialog. After you set
> this up then it prints!?
I think this may be operator error. If you want to configure the
printer, you call Dialog_PrinterSetup(). If you want to submit
the job, you call Dialog_PrintJob(). There is no need to call them
both. In fact, I don't think you *really* have to call either one.
I call one or the other in my object graphics programs, depending
on which button is selected.
> 2) When it finally prints, the image (IDLgrScene) is a few inches wide
> by about an inch in the lower left hand corner of the page, regardless
> of the paper size setting.
Humm, I've seen this with images and the PRINTER device, but most
of my scenes render into the full page. I'm using a PostScript
printer. I haven't heard of anyone being successful using PCL
printers. I haven't been able to get any output with an image
in it to render correctly, but my experience is fairly limited.
I'm probably doing something wrong.
> Anyone else encounter these problems?
I'm trying to stick to the good ol' PostScript device
whenever I can, although this is not possible, of
course, with object graphics.
I'm hoping the IDL 5.0.3 release will have fixed some of
these problems, but I haven't been able to set aside the
3 or 4 days necessary to download the 150 MBytes (or
whatever it is) of the new version. I'm planning to get
a T1 line with the huge profits from my new IDL book so
I can stay up to date with the latest software. :-)
Cheers,
David
-----------------------------------------------------------
David Fanning, Ph.D.
Fanning Software Consulting
E-Mail: davidf@dfanning.com
Phone: 970-221-0438
Coyote's Guide to IDL Programming: http://www.dfanning.com/
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