doc/help/postscript-driver.html

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 442 <!--
 443   PostScript printer driver documentation for CUPS.
 444
 445   Copyright © 2007-2012 by Apple Inc.
 446   Copyright © 1997-2007 by Easy Software Products.
 447
 448   Licensed under Apache License v2.0.  See the file "LICENSE" for more
 449   information.
 450 -->
 451
 452 <h1 class='title'>Developing PostScript Printer Drivers</h1>
 453
 454 <p>This document describes how to develop printer drivers for PostScript printers. Topics include: <a href='#BASICS'>printer driver basics</a>, <a href='#CREATE'>creating new PPD files</a>, <a href='#IMPORT'>importing existing PPD files</a>, <a href='#FILTERS'>using custom filters</a>, <a href='#COLOR'>implementing color management</a>, and <a href='#MACOSX'>adding macOS features</a>.</p>
 455
 456 <div class='summary'><table summary='General Information'>
 457 <tbody>
 458 <tr>
 459         <th>See Also</th>
 460         <td>Programming: <a href='raster-driver.html'>Developing Raster Printer Drivers</a><br>
 461         Programming: <a href='api-filter.html'>Filter and Backend Programming</a><br>
 462         Programming: <a href='ppd-compiler.html'>Introduction to the PPD Compiler</a><br>
 463         Programming: <a href='api-raster.html'>Raster API</a><br>
 464         References: <a href='ref-ppdcfile.html'>PPD Compiler Driver Information File Reference</a><br>
 465         Specifications: <a href='spec-ppd.html'>CUPS PPD Extensions</a></td>
 466 </tr>
 467 </tbody>
 468 </table></div>
 469     <div class="contents">
 470       <h2 class="title">Contents</h2>
 471       <ul class="contents">
 472         <li><a href="#BASICS">Printer Driver Basics</a></li>
 473         <li><a href="#CREATING">Creating New PPD Files</a><ul class="subcontents">
 474           <li><a href="#IMPORT">Importing Existing PPD Files</a></li>
 475         </ul></li>
 476         <li><a href="#FILTERS">Using Custom Filters</a></li>
 477         <li><a href="#COLOR">Implementing Color Management</a></li>
 478         <li><a href="#MACOSX">Adding macOS Features</a></li>
 479       </ul>
 480     </div>
 481     <div class="body">
 482 <h2 class='title'><a name='BASICS'>Printer Driver Basics</a></h2>
 483
 484 <p>A CUPS PostScript printer driver consists of a PostScript Printer Description (PPD) file that describes the features and capabilities of the device, zero or more <em>filter</em> programs that prepare print data for the device, and zero or more support files for color management, online help, and so forth. The PPD file includes references to all of the filters and support files used by the driver.</p>
 485
 486 <p>Every time a user prints something the scheduler program, <a href='man-cupsd.html'>cupsd(8)</a>, determines the format of the print job and the programs required to convert that job into something the printer understands. CUPS includes filter programs for many common formats, for example to convert Portable Document Format (PDF) files into device-independent PostScript, and then from device-independent PostScript to device-dependent PostScript. <a href='#FIGURE_1'>Figure 1</a> shows the data flow of a typical print job.</p>
 487
 488 <div class='figure'><table summary='PostScript Filter Chain'>
 489 <caption>Figure 1: <a name='FIGURE_1'>PostScript Filter Chain</a></caption>
 490 <tr><td><img src='../images/cups-postscript-chain.png' width='700' height='150' alt='PostScript Filter Chain'></td></tr>
 491 </table></div>
 492
 493 <p>The optional PostScript filter can be provided to add printer-specific commands to the PostScript output that cannot be represented in the PPD file or to reorganize the output for special printer features. Typically this is used to support advanced job management or finishing functions on the printer. CUPS includes a generic PostScript filter that handles all PPD-defined commands.</p>
 494
 495 <p>The optional port monitor handles interface-specific protocol or encoding issues. For example, many PostScript printers support the Binary Communications Protocol (BCP) and Tagged Binary Communications Protocol (TBCP) to allow applications to print 8-bit ("binary") PostScript jobs. CUPS includes port monitors for BCP and TBCP, and you can supply your own port monitors as needed.</p>
 496
 497 <p>The backend handles communications with the printer, sending print data from the last filter to the printer and relaying back-channel data from the printer to the upstream filters. CUPS includes backend programs for common direct-connect interfaces and network protocols, and you can provide your own backend to support custom interfaces and protocols.</p>
 498
 499 <p>The scheduler also supports a special "command" file format for sending maintenance commands and status queries to a printer or printer driver. Command print jobs typically use a single command filter program defined in the PPD file to generate the appropriate printer commands and handle any responses from the printer. <a href='#FIGURE_2'>Figure 2</a> shows the data flow of a typical command job.</p>
 500
 501 <div class='figure'><table summary='Command Filter Chain'>
 502 <caption>Figure 2: <a name='FIGURE_2'>Command Filter Chain</a></caption>
 503 <tr><td><img src='../images/cups-command-chain.png' width='575' height='150' alt='Command Filter Chain'></td></tr>
 504 </table></div>
 505
 506 <p>PostScript printer drivers typically do not require their own command filter since CUPS includes a generic PostScript command filter that supports all of the standard functions using PPD-defined commands.</p>
 507
 508
 509 <h2 class='title'><a name='CREATING'>Creating New PPD Files</a></h2>
 510
 511 <p>We recommend using the CUPS PPD compiler, <a href='man-ppdc.html'>ppdc(1)</a>, to create new PPD files since it manages many of the tedious (and error-prone!) details of paper sizes and localization for you. It also allows you to easily support multiple devices from a single source file. For more information see the "<a href='ppd-compiler.html'>Introduction to the PPD Compiler</a>" document. <a href='#LISTING_1'>Listing 1</a> shows a driver information file for a black-and-white PostScript printer.</p>
 512
 513 <p class='example'>Listing 1: <a name='LISTING_1'>"examples/postscript.drv"</a></p>
 514
 515 <pre class='example'>
 516 // Include standard font and media definitions
 517 <a href='ref-ppdcfile.html#_include'>#include</a> &lt;font.defs&gt;
 518 <a href='ref-ppdcfile.html#_include'>#include</a> &lt;media.defs&gt;
 519
 520 // Specify this is a PostScript printer driver
 521 <a href='ref-ppdcfile.html#DriverType'>DriverType</a> ps
 522
 523 // List the fonts that are supported, in this case all standard fonts
 524 <a href='ref-ppdcfile.html#Font'>Font</a> *
 525
 526 // Manufacturer, model name, and version
 527 <a href='ref-ppdcfile.html#Manufacturer'>Manufacturer</a> "Foo"
 528 <a href='ref-ppdcfile.html#ModelName'>ModelName</a> "Foo LaserProofer 2000"
 529 <a href='ref-ppdcfile.html#Version'>Version</a> 1.0
 530
 531 // PostScript printer attributes
 532 <a href='ref-ppdcfile.html#Attribute'>Attribute</a> DefaultColorSpace "" Gray
 533 <a href='ref-ppdcfile.html#Attribute'>Attribute</a> LandscapeOrientation "" Minus90
 534 <a href='ref-ppdcfile.html#Attribute'>Attribute</a> LanguageLevel "" "3"
 535 <a href='ref-ppdcfile.html#Attribute'>Attribute</a> Product "" "(Foo LaserProofer 2000)"
 536 <a href='ref-ppdcfile.html#Attribute'>Attribute</a> PSVersion "" "(3010) 0"
 537 <a href='ref-ppdcfile.html#Attribute'>Attribute</a> TTRasterizer "" Type42
 538
 539 // Supported page sizes
 540 *<a href='ref-ppdcfile.html#MediaSize'>MediaSize</a> Letter
 541 <a href='ref-ppdcfile.html#MediaSize'>MediaSize</a> Legal
 542 <a href='ref-ppdcfile.html#MediaSize'>MediaSize</a> A4
 543
 544 // Query command for page size
 545 <a href='ref-ppdcfile.html#Attribute'>Attribute</a> "?PageSize" "" "
 546       save
 547       currentpagedevice /PageSize get aload pop
 548       2 copy gt {exch} if (Unknown)
 549       23 dict
 550               dup [612 792] (Letter) put
 551               dup [612 1008] (Legal) put
 552               dup [595 842] (A4) put
 553               {exch aload pop 4 index sub abs 5 le exch
 554                5 index sub abs 5 le and
 555               {exch pop exit} {pop} ifelse
 556       } bind forall = flush pop pop
 557       restore"
 558
 559 // Specify the name of the PPD file we want to generate
 560 <a href='ref-ppdcfile.html#PCFileName'>PCFileName</a> "fooproof.ppd"
 561 </pre>
 562
 563 <h3>Required Attributes</h3>
 564
 565 <p>PostScript drivers require the attributes listed in <a href='#TABLE_1'>Table 1</a>. If not specified, the defaults for CUPS drivers are used. A typical PostScript driver information file would include the following attributes:</p>
 566
 567 <pre class='example'>
 568 <a href='ref-ppdcfile.html#Attribute'>Attribute</a> DefaultColorSpace "" Gray
 569 <a href='ref-ppdcfile.html#Attribute'>Attribute</a> LandscapeOrientation "" Minus90
 570 <a href='ref-ppdcfile.html#Attribute'>Attribute</a> LanguageLevel "" "3"
 571 <a href='ref-ppdcfile.html#Attribute'>Attribute</a> Product "" "(Foo LaserProofer 2000)"
 572 <a href='ref-ppdcfile.html#Attribute'>Attribute</a> PSVersion "" "(3010) 0"
 573 <a href='ref-ppdcfile.html#Attribute'>Attribute</a> TTRasterizer "" Type42
 574 </pre>
 575
 576 <div class='table'><table summary='Required PostScript Printer Driver Attributes'>
 577 <caption>Table 1: <a name='TABLE_1'>Required PostScript Printer Driver Attributes</a></caption>
 578 <thead>
 579 <tr>
 580         <th>Attribute</th>
 581         <th>Description</th>
 582 </tr>
 583 </thead>
 584 <tbody>
 585 <tr>
 586         <td><tt>DefaultColorSpace</tt></td>
 587         <td>The default colorspace:
 588         <tt>Gray</tt>, <tt>RGB</tt>, <tt>CMY</tt>, or
 589         <tt>CMYK</tt>. If not specified, then <tt>RGB</tt> is
 590         assumed.</td>
 591 </tr>
 592 <tr>
 593         <td><tt>LandscapeOrientation</tt></td>
 594         <td>The preferred landscape
 595         orientation: <tt>Plus90</tt>, <tt>Minus90</tt>, or
 596         <tt>Any</tt>. If not specified, <tt>Plus90</tt> is
 597         assumed.</td>
 598 </tr>
 599 <tr>
 600         <td><tt>LanguageLevel</tt></td>
 601         <td>The PostScript language
 602         level supported by the device: 1, 2, or 3. If not
 603         specified, 2 is assumed.</td>
 604 </tr>
 605 <tr>
 606         <td><tt>Product</tt></td>
 607         <td>The string returned by
 608         the PostScript <tt>product</tt> operator, which
 609         <i>must</i> include parenthesis to conform with
 610         PostScript syntax rules for strings. Multiple
 611         <tt>Product</tt> attributes may be specified to support
 612         multiple products with the same PPD file. If not
 613         specified, "(ESP Ghostscript)" and "(GNU Ghostscript)"
 614         are assumed.</td>
 615 </tr>
 616 <tr>
 617         <td><tt>PSVersion</tt></td>
 618         <td>The PostScript
 619         interpreter version numbers as returned by the
 620         <tt>version</tt> and <tt>revision</tt> operators. The
 621         required format is "(version) revision". Multiple
 622         <tt>PSVersion</tt> attributes may be specified to
 623         support multiple interpreter version numbers. If not
 624         specified, "(3010) 705" and "(3010) 707" are
 625         assumed.</td>
 626 </tr>
 627 <tr>
 628         <td><tt>TTRasterizer</tt></td>
 629         <td>The type of TrueType
 630         font rasterizer supported by the device, if any. The
 631         supported values are <tt>None</tt>, <tt>Accept68k</tt>,
 632         <tt>Type42</tt>, and <tt>TrueImage</tt>. If not
 633         specified, <tt>None</tt> is assumed.</td>
 634 </tr>
 635 </table></div>
 636
 637 <h3>Query Commands</h3>
 638
 639 <p>Most PostScript printer PPD files include query commands (<tt>?PageSize</tt>, etc.) that allow applications to query the printer for its current settings and configuration. Query commands are included in driver information files as attributes. For example, the example in <a href='#LISTING_1'>Listing 1</a> uses the following definition for the <tt>PageSize</tt> query command:</p>
 640
 641 <pre class='example'>
 642 <a href='ref-ppdcfile.html#Attribute'>Attribute</a> "?PageSize" "" "
 643       save
 644       currentpagedevice /PageSize get aload pop
 645       2 copy gt {exch} if (Unknown)
 646       23 dict
 647               dup [612 792] (Letter) put
 648               dup [612 1008] (Legal) put
 649               dup [595 842] (A4) put
 650               {exch aload pop 4 index sub abs 5 le exch
 651                5 index sub abs 5 le and
 652               {exch pop exit} {pop} ifelse
 653       } bind forall = flush pop pop
 654       restore"
 655 </pre>
 656
 657 <p>Query commands can span multiple lines, however no single line may contain more than 255 characters.</p>
 658
 659 <h3><a name='IMPORT'>Importing Existing PPD Files</a></h3>
 660
 661 <P>CUPS includes a utility called <a href='man-ppdi.html'>ppdi(1)</a>
 662 which allows you to import existing PPD files into the driver information file
 663 format used by the PPD compiler <a href='man-ppdc.html'>ppdc(1)</a>. Once
 664 imported, you can modify, localize, and regenerate the PPD files easily. Type
 665 the following command to import the PPD file <VAR>mydevice.ppd</VAR> into the
 666 driver information file <VAR>mydevice.drv</VAR>:</P>
 667
 668 <pre class='command'>
 669 ppdi -o mydevice.drv mydevice.ppd
 670 </pre>
 671
 672 <P>If you have a whole directory of PPD files that you would like to import,
 673 you can list multiple filenames or use shell wildcards to import more than one
 674 PPD file on the command-line:</P>
 675
 676 <pre class='command'>
 677 ppdi -o mydevice.drv mydevice1.ppd mydevice2.ppd
 678 ppdi -o mydevice.drv *.ppd
 679 </pre>
 680
 681 <P>If the driver information file already exists, the new PPD
 682 file entries are appended to the end of the file. Each PPD file
 683 is placed in its own group of curly braces within the driver
 684 information file.</P>
 685
 686
 687 <h2 class='title'><a name='FILTERS'>Using Custom Filters</a></h2>
 688
 689 <p>Normally a PostScript printer driver will not utilize any additional print filters. For drivers that provide additional filters such as a CUPS command file filter for doing printer maintenance, you must also list the following <tt>Filter</tt> directive to handle printing PostScript files:</p>
 690
 691 <pre class='example'>
 692 <a href='ref-ppdcfile.html#Filter'>Filter</a> application/vnd.cups-postscript 0 -
 693 </pre>
 694
 695 <h3>Custom Command Filters</h3>
 696
 697 <p>The <tt>application/vnd.cups-command</tt> file type is used for CUPS command files. Use the following <tt>Filter</tt> directive to handle CUPS command files:</p>
 698
 699 <pre class='example'>
 700 <a href='ref-ppdcfile.html#Filter'>Filter</a> application/vnd.cups-command 100 /path/to/command/filter
 701 </pre>
 702
 703 <p>To use the standard PostScript command filter, specify <var>commandtops</var> as the path to the command filter.</p>
 704
 705 <h3>Custom PDF Filters</h3>
 706
 707 <p>The <tt>application/pdf</tt> file type is used for unfiltered PDF files while the <tt>application/vnd.cups-pdf</tt> file type is used for filtered PDF files. Use the following <tt>Filter</tt> directive to handle filtered PDF files:</p>
 708
 709 <pre class='example'>
 710 <a href='ref-ppdcfile.html#Filter'>Filter</a> application/vnd.cups-pdf 100 /path/to/pdf/filter
 711 </pre>
 712
 713 <p>For unfiltered PDF files, use:</p>
 714
 715 <pre class='example'>
 716 <a href='ref-ppdcfile.html#Filter'>Filter</a> application/pdf 100 /path/to/pdf/filter
 717 </pre>
 718
 719 <p>Custom PDF filters that accept filtered data do not need to perform number-up processing and other types of page imposition, while those that accept unfiltered data MUST do the number-up processing themselves.</p>
 720
 721 <h3>Custom PostScript Filters</h3>
 722
 723 <p>The <tt>application/vnd.cups-postscript</tt> file type is used for filtered PostScript files. Use the following <tt>Filter</tt> directive to handle PostScript files:</p>
 724
 725 <pre class='example'>
 726 <a href='ref-ppdcfile.html#Filter'>Filter</a> application/vnd.cups-postscript 100 /path/to/postscript/filter
 727 </pre>
 728
 729
 730 <h2 class='title'><a name='COLOR'>Implementing Color Management</a></h2>
 731
 732 <p>CUPS uses ICC color profiles to provide more accurate color reproduction. The <a href='spec-ppd.html#cupsICCProfile'><tt>cupsICCProfile</tt></a> attribute defines the color profiles that are available for a given printer, for example:</p>
 733
 734 <pre class='example'>
 735 <a href='ref-ppdcfile.html#Attribute'>Attribute</a> cupsICCProfile "ColorModel.MediaType.Resolution/Description" /path/to/ICC/profile
 736 </pre>
 737
 738 <p>where "ColorModel.MediaType.Resolution" defines a selector based on the corresponding option selections. A simple driver might only define profiles for the color models that are supported, for example a printer supporting Gray and RGB might use:</p>
 739
 740 <pre class='example'>
 741 <a href='ref-ppdcfile.html#Attribute'>Attribute</a> cupsICCProfile "Gray../Grayscale Profile" /path/to/ICC/gray-profile
 742 <a href='ref-ppdcfile.html#Attribute'>Attribute</a> cupsICCProfile "RGB../Full Color Profile" /path/to/ICC/rgb-profile
 743 </pre>
 744
 745 <p>The options used for profile selection can be customized using the <tt>cupsICCQualifier2</tt> and <tt>cupsICCQualifier3</tt> attributes.</p>
 746
 747
 748 <h2 class='title'><a name='MACOSX'>Adding macOS Features</a></h2>
 749
 750 <p>macOS printer drivers can provide <a href='spec-ppd.html#MACOSX'>additional attributes</a> to specify additional option panes in the print dialog, an image of the printer, a help book, and option presets for the driver software:</p>
 751
 752 <pre class='example'>
 753 <a href='ref-ppdcfile.html#Attribute'>Attribute</a> APDialogExtension "" /Library/Printers/Vendor/filename.plugin
 754 <a href='ref-ppdcfile.html#Attribute'>Attribute</a> APHelpBook "" /Library/Printers/Vendor/filename.bundle
 755 <a href='ref-ppdcfile.html#Attribute'>Attribute</a> APPrinterIconPath "" /Library/Printers/Vendor/filename.icns
 756 <a href='ref-ppdcfile.html#Attribute'>Attribute</a> APPrinterPreset "name/text" "*option choice ..."
 757 </pre>
 758     </div>
 759   </body>
 760 </html>