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Newsgroups: comp.sources.postscript,comp.answers,news.answers
Path: bloom-beacon.mit.edu!news.media.mit.edu!uhog.mit.edu!sgiblab!brunix!doorknob.cs.brown.edu!jgm
From: Jonathan Monsarrat <postscript-request@cs.brown.edu>
Subject: v02INF3: PostScript Sources monthly FAQ v1.11 12-26-93 [1 of 3]
Content-Type: text
Message-ID: <JGM.94Apr11234719@chekov.cs.brown.edu>
Followup-To: poster
Summary: Useful facts about the PostScript Sources newsgroup
Sender: news@cs.brown.edu
Reply-To: postscript-request@cs.brown.edu (Jonathan Monsarrat)
Organization: Brown University Department of Computer Science
Mime-Version: 1.0
Date: Tue, 12 Apr 1994 04:47:19 GMT
Approved: news-answers-request@MIT.Edu
Expires: Thu, 12 May 1994 00:00:00 GMT
Lines: 608
Xref: bloom-beacon.mit.edu comp.sources.postscript:208 comp.answers:4870 news.answers:17936
Archive-name: postscript/sources
Last-modified: 1993/12/26
Version: 1.11
-- PostScript Sources --
Introduction to comp.sources.postscript
(the comp.sources.postscript FAQ v1.11)
Jonathan Monsarrat
postscript-request@cs.brown.edu
This FAQ is formatted as a digest.
Most news readers can skip from one question
to the next by pressing control-G. GNUs uses
C-c C-n to skip to the next question.
To contribute sources, read the section ``Submitting Sources''.
Newsgroup-related mail that is not a submission should be sent to
me at postscript-request@cs.brown.edu.
Related FAQs: comp.lang.postscript, comp.sources.misc, comp.text,
comp.text.tex, comp.fonts, comp.graphics.
The comp.sources.postscript archives are available by ftp to
ftp.sterling.com in /usenet/comp.sources.postscript/ or
ftp.ips.cs.tu-bs.de in /usenet/comp.sources.postscript. There is an
index in the last section of this FAQ.
This FAQ and the indexes are available by anonymous ftp to
wilma.cs.brown.edu:pub/comp.sources.postscript. You can get the
comp.lang.postscript FAQ by anonymous ftp to
wilma.cs.brown.edu:pub/comp.lang.postscript. Both come in ASCII,
LaTeX, DVI, and PostScript formats.
Table of Contents
1 About comp.sources.postscript
2 What to Expect
3 Getting Sources
3.1 How to Get a Program from Usenet
3.2 Using the Comp.sources.postscript Index and Archive
3.3 Using the PostScript interpreters and utilities index
3.4 How to Display PostScript
3.5 How to Report Bugs
4 Submitting Sources
4.1 Content of Comp.Sources.Postscript
4.2 Where to Post your Source
4.3 Guidelines
4.4 Copyright
4.5 Index and Submission Information
4.6 How to Submit a Program
4.7 Header Lines for Your Posting
4.8 After Posting
5 PostScript Interpreters and Utilities
5.1 How can I find a program?
5.2 How can I browse through PostScript programs?
5.3 Keywords
5.4 Interpreters
5.5 Utilities
6 comp.sources.postscript Index to Volume 1
7 Acknowledgements
Subject: 1 About comp.sources.postscript
This moderated newsgroup is for the distribution of source code for
utilities and pictures in PostScript, and for PostScript-related
programs.
You can post programs here, but they won't show up right away. All
postings to the newsgroup get sent to me, the moderator, for
approval. Then the sources get tested, packaged, and posted. All
other posts (such as requests and discussion) will be returned to
the sender. comp.lang.postscript is the Usenet newsgroup for
discussions. comp.sources.d is the Usenet newsgroup for sources
requests.
Subject: 2 What to Expect
On comp.sources.postscript you will find utilities (in PostScript
and other languages), clip art, fonts, and examples of PostScript
programming. All pictures in PostScript are also programs, so when
I say program or source throughout this document, think ``picture
or utility''.
Subject: 3 Getting Sources
There are three ways to get a program from this group:
* directly from Usenet postings,
* through the comp.sources.postscript index and archive,
* and through the PostScript interpreters and utilities index.
Subject: 3.1 How to Get a Program from Usenet
Each posting in comp.sources.postscript is called an ``issue''.
There are generally 100 to 125 issues in a volume. The division is
arbitrary. There are three types of articles in
comp.sources.postscript: source postings, informational postings,
and the monthly summarized request list. They can be distinguished
by the subject line.
Subject: v02INF1: PostScript Sources monthly FAQ v1.00 03-03-93
This first word in the title identifies this as the first
informational posting of volume one. Similarly, the subject line
shown below:
Subject: v02i072: schlep - PostScript interpreter in PostScript, Part01/02
identifies this as the 72nd source article in Volume 1. In the
above example, the Part01/02 indicates that this is the first part
of a two part posting. The first few lines of an article after the
USENET required headers are the auxiliary headers that look like
this:
Submitted-by: j_random_hacker@athena.mit.edu (J. Arthur Random)
Posting-number: Volume 1, Issue 72
Archive-name: schlep/part01
The ``Submitted-by'' line in each issue is the author of the
program. If you have comments about an issue published in
comp.sources.postscript, this is the person to contact.
The ``Archive-name'' is the official name of this source in the
archive.
All source postings are treated as multi-part postings, which are
archived in a subdirectory within the volume directory. Postings
have names that look like this:
Source posting
Archive-name: schlep/part01
Patch posting
Archive-name: schlep/patch01
Informational (INF) postings, such as the posting you are currently
reading, are not stored in a subdirectory as are source postings.
INF postings have archive names such as indx33v02-07 and
patchlog33. From an archiving perspective, archive names for all
INFormational postings are specified so as to store the INF
postings directly in the volume's base directory. Archive names for
source postings are specified so as to store the sources in
subdirectories within the volume's base directory.
When we start having patches, I'll add information here about
patches. They'll look like the ones in comp.sources.misc.
The Environment: auxiliary header line lists the language and
operating system requirements for the program. Check this line
before taking the time to unpack a posting, to make sure you will
be able to run the program.
Environment: syntax
Environment: Keyword [, keyword ..]
Environment: example
Environment: PostScript, GhostScript, PBMPLUS, C++
The keyword's usage is case insensitive. There is also a not
indicator (e.g. !AIX) so that the moderator can specify that the
package runs on everything but the specified keyword.
The following is a list of keywords used within articles that have
been posted to comp.sources.postscript and their meanings. Keywords
are added to this list on a first-use basis.
ANSI C
- Runs in the C programming language. ANSI standard C.
PostScript
- Requires a postscript printer/viewer.
UNIX
- as far as I know, operates on any unix system
Subject: 3.2 Using the Comp.sources.postscript Index and Archive
The first comp.sources.postscript index will be posted next month.
By then, there should be an archive on ftp.uu.net, probably in
/usenet/comp.sources.postscript. If you decide to archive the
rm people that your
archive exists.
Subject: 3.3 Using the PostScript interpreters and utilities index
This index lists all know PostScript programs, regardless of
whether they have been posted to comp.sources.postscript. Unlike
the one-line descriptions of the comp.sources.postscript index,
this index contains full descriptions and references. Look in the
index itself for where to get the programs.
You can find this index in the last section of this FAQ.
Subject: 3.4 How to Display PostScript
If the program is a PostScript picture, just send it to a
PostScript printer, or view it on screen with a PostScript
interpreter. If you have no PostScript printer or interpreter, I
recommend using GhostScript, which is free and reliable.
GhostScript runs on MS-DOS, UNIX, Macintosh, VMS, X windows, and
the Atari-ST. On the Amiga, use Post. Check the PostScript
interpreters and utilities index for more information about these
previewers.
Subject: 3.5 How to Report Bugs
To report bugs, contact the person listed in the Submitted-by:
header. If the bug is important, post also to comp.sources.bugs so
that other people will learn about it. If the bug makes the program
unusable, write me so that I can get the author to correct it and
have a new version posted.
Subject: 4 Submitting Sources
If you'd like to submit a PostScript source, thank you! Please read
this section of happy hints first. The benefits of submitting your
program include: free archiving and distribution, testing (not by
me, but by readers), and the name recognition you deserve for
bringing free software to the world.
Even if you post your program somewhere else, or if it is
commercial or shareware, you should still write me with a
description of the program for the PostScript interpreters and
utilities index, which lists everything in the PostScript world.
Subject: 4.1 Content of Comp.Sources.Postscript
This newsgroup is for posting programs written in PostScript as
well as PostScript-related programs written in other languages.
These programs could be utilities, fonts, or graphic images of use
to a wide audience.
Clip Art:
Hand-made PostScript programs, converted binaries, or the machine
generated output from drawing tools, representing a graphic
image.
Utilities:
Programs written in PostScript, or those written in other
languages that either generate or operate on PostScript programs.
Examples:
"How-to" examples are encouraged.
Fonts:
Fonts that can be used with the PostScript language. This would
include both Type 1 and Type 3 fonts. Since TrueType fonts can't
interact with PostScript, that would preclude them.
Specific information, such as a new weathermap in PostScript posted
daily, is more like a binary than a source, and is not appropriate.
Also, text documents formatted in PostScript are not appropriate.
Subject: 4.2 Where to Post your Source
If you are unsure where to post your program, the closest
newsgroups to comp.lang.postscript are:
comp.sources.misc
will accept source under any programming language, and has a wide
distribution and a large audience.
alt.sources
is an unmoderated source group, which would allow you to
instantly post your source. Unfortunately, it is not as widely
read because alt.* groups are not available at many sites.
comp.sources.unix
accepts UNIX programs of all kinds.
comp.lang.postscript
is a fine newsgroup to post an example program that aids
discussion or answers a question, if it is small (a page or two).
However, please consider posting to comp.sources.postscript, as a
way to have your example archived and available to help people in
the future.
If you have a previously posted program, it is probably best to
continue posting it to the original newsgroup, which is where your
current users will expect to find it. I can put a reference to your
program in the PostScript interpreters and utilities index. Of
course, if you do decide to switch newsgroups, your program will be
welcome here.
Shareware will not be accepted. Try posting to alt.sources or
comp.sources.misc, and give me a reference to place in the
PostScript interpreters and utilities index. Alternatively,
consider making your program free.
Please don't send me executables. There are comp.binaries.*
newsgroups for that. Only send binaries if they are important to
the program and cannot be sent in source format. If your program
goes along with a song or startup picture, its OK to include the
uuencoded song or picture binary.
Subject: 4.3 Guidelines
If your program is a picture, please consider Encapsulated
PostScript and Document Structuring Convention conformance. Little
wood elves will visit you in your sleep and thank you for it. You
can learn about these things from the comp.lang.postscript FAQ.
There are tools which make conformance easy, too. You are welcome
to consider a preview bitmap, which would make an EPS file into an
EPSI file.
Well-commented code is encouraged. It will allow others to learn
from your examples, and to make improvements to the code that you
can use. Thousands of people who do not know you will have their
only contact with you through your program. It's worth making a
good impression.
It would be nice if you included a Makefile, man page (or other
documentation), a README file which describes the project and what
each file does.
If your program is an example of PostScript programming, it should
actually do something. An example of centering a string should be a
program that actually centers a string.
Similarly, if you submit a library, please include example files
which use the library.
You must be (or have permission from) the author of the program you
submit.
Subject: 4.4 Copyright
Your program should have an explicit copyright. If you don't
believe in copyrights, then protect that belief with a copyright
directed towards free software. Otherwise, someone else may steal
your program and claim authorship.
Something like the following might be appropriate:
Copyright (C) 1993, J. Arthur Random
Permission to use and modify this software and its
documentation for any purpose other than its incorporation
into a commercial product is hereby granted without fee.
Permission to copy and distribute this software and its
documentation only for non-commercial use is also granted
without fee, provided, however, that the above copyright
notice appear in all copies, that both that copyright
notice and this permission notice appear in supporting
documentation. The author makes no representations about
the suitability of this software for any purpose. It is
provided ``as is'' without express or implied warranty.
Subject: 4.5 Index and Submission Information
When you submit a program, or make a reference to one, please tell
me:
* What is the name of the program?
* What does it claim to do, and does it do it well? Is it worth
using? If not, why not?
* Where is it available? What ftp sites can I get it from?
* How much does it cost? Is it free?
* What kinds of computers does it run on?
* Who is the author and does the author give an email address?
* Does it handle PostScript 2?
* What other software does it rely on?
* If it is clip-art, what is it clip art of?
* If it is an example, what is it an example of?
If the program is a PostScript interpreter, then the I also need to
know:
s one page?
* Does it display the number of pages in the document?
* Does it let you print PostScript to a non-PostScript printer?
* What formats can it convert to?
Subject: 4.6 How to Submit a Program
First, format your program for posting. Please keep filenames to 12
or fewer characters in length.
I don't care what format you submit your program in, although if
you happen to pack your program using shar in chunks of less than
55K, I'd be very happy. cshar would be even better. Otherwise, I
will reformat it myself. If you post in plain ASCII, please make
sure that you give me the right filenames.
Post your program to comp.sources.postscript, and it will
automatically be sent to me. Alternatively, you can just email it
to postscript@cs.brown.edu.
I will notify you by email when I receive your program. If you
don't hear from me within 24 hours, something is probably wrong and
you should try contacting me again. I may not have received your
original post.
Have patience -- your article will not show up in the newsreader
until I approve it and package it. I'll try to do this as quickly
as possible.
Subject: 4.7 Header Lines for Your Posting
The Subject: line should describe the entire program in 60
characters, to be used for the archive index.
The Reply-To: line should list the email address for whomever
comments and questions should be sent to.
The Organization: line is optional. It lists what organization you
belong to. Obviously, you must have the organization's approval if
you post software which belongs to them, even if you helped write
it.
The Summary: line describes in one or two sentences what the
program is. Also please include blurb which describes what the
posting is/does/contains. This should only be a paragraph or two.
Put a blank line and then have the following lines:
The Archive-name: line should have the package name that you want
the submission archived by. The package name should be in the
format packagename/partname. The package name and partname must not
be more than 12 characters long. The package name will be used as a
directory name. The partname should look like a series of files
part01, part02, part03, if there are many parts to your program. If
there is only one part, still make it ``part01''.
The Environment: line lists what operating systems, languages, and
packages are needed. If your program is entirely PostScript, then
the environment is ``PostScript''.
The Keywords: line provides a nice way to search for your program.
I'll make up some standard Keywords when I get an idea what the
types of sources postings are. For now, just pick what you think is
best.
For example, your post might look like this:
Newsgroups: comp.sources.postscript
Subject: schlep - PostScript interpreter in PostScript, Part01/02
Reply-To: j_random_hacker@athena.mit.edu (J. Arthur Random)
Organization: Student Information Processing Board
Summary: schlep is a fully functional PostScript interpreter with
color and PostScript 2 capability, written entirely in
PostScript. Runs as fast as most compiled interpreters!
Archive-name: schlep/part01
Environment: PostScript
Keywords: postscript interpreter, color, level-2
Schlep is a very useful PostScript interpreter. It is every bit as
good as the commercial interpreters, plus it is written in everyone's
favorite language.
#! /bin/sh
# This is a shell archive. Remove anything before this line, then unpack
# it by saving it into a file and typing "sh file". To overwrite existing
# files, type "sh file -c". You can also feed this as standard input via
# unshar, or by typing "sh <file", e.g.. If this archive is complete, you
# will see the following message at the end:
# "End of shell archive."
# Contents: schlep.ps
# Wrapped by j_arthur_random@binkley.mit.edu on Wed Mar 3 12:26:38 1993
PATH=/bin:/usr/bin:/usr/ucb ; export PATH
if test -f 'schlep.ps' -a "${1}" != "-c" ; then
echo shar: Will not clobber existing file \"'schlep.ps'\"
else
echo shar: Extracting \"'schlep.ps'\" (84 characters)
sed "s/^X//" >'schlep.ps' <<'END_OF_FILE'
X(Schlep Version 1.00 by J. Arthur Hacker\n) print
X(Processing your program\n) print
END_OF_FILE
if test 84 -ne `wc -c <'schlep.ps'`; then
echo shar: \"'schlep.ps'\" unpacked with wrong size!
fi
# end of 'schlep.ps'
fi
echo shar: End of shell archive.
exit 0
Again, note the blank line between Summary and Archive-name. The
second posting might look like (shown for completeness):
Newsgroups: comp.sources.postscript
Subject: schlep - PostScript interpreter in PostScript, Part02/02
Reply-To: j_random_hacker@athena.mit.edu (J. Arthur Random)
Organization: Student Information Processing Board
Summary: schlep is a fully functional PostScript interpreter with
color and PostScript 2 capability, written entirely in
PostScript. Runs as fast as most compiled interpreters!
Archive-name: schlep/part02
Environment: PostScript
Keywords: postscript interpreter, color, level-2
#! /bin/sh
# This is a shell archive. Remove anything before this line, then unpack
# it by saving it into a file and typing "sh file". To overwrite existing
# files, type "sh file -c". You can also feed this as standard input via
# unshar, or by typing "sh <file", e.g.. If this archive is complete, you
# will see the following message at the end:
# "End of shell archive."
# Contents: schlep.doc
# Wrapped by j_arthur_random@binkley.mit.edu on Wed Mar 3 12:26:38 1993
PATH=/bin:/usr/bin:/usr/ucb ; export PATH
if test -f 'schlep.doc' -a "${1}" != "-c" ; then
echo shar: Will not clobber existing file \"'schlep.doc'\"
else
echo shar: Extracting \"'schlep.doc'\" (238 characters)
sed "s/^X//" >'schlep.doc' <<'END_OF_FILE'
XBasically, just prepend schlep.ps to the PostScript program that you
Xwant to interpret, and run the schlep program in an interpreter.
XNote how quickly schlep interprets your program, even though it is
Xwritten in an interpreted language!
X
END_OF_FILE
if test 238 -ne `wc -c <'schlep.doc'`; then
echo shar: \"'schlep.doc'\" unpacked with wrong size!
fi
# end of 'schlep.doc'
fi
echo shar: End of shell archive.
exit 0
Subject: 4.8 After Posting
You should subscribe to comp.sources.bugs and comp.sources.d to
learn about problems with and comments on your program, and even
improvements made to it.
Subject: 7 Acknowledgements
I am indebted to Kent Landfield, the comp.sources.misc moderator,
for his help in forming the newsgroup and making this FAQ (parts of
which are copied from his with permission). Thanks also to Allen
Braunsdorf, the back-up moderator for this newsgroup, for his
suggestions and assistance.
This FAQ is copyright (C) 1994 by Jonathan Monsarrat. Permission is
granted to freely edit and distribute as long as this copyright
notice is included.
This document was written with the LaTeX language and formatted by
LameTeX, the PostScript hacker's LaTeX.
%! Jon Monsarrat jgm@cs.brown.edu moderator, comp.sources.postscript %!
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90 rotate 0 -612 p 1 1.8 scale 36 144 moveto <50532020202020207B484F4E4B7D2069
66> show gsave 220 130 p {0 0 moveto 29 58 29 -45 180 arc} cvx dup 0 y -1 1
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