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Date:      Sun, 24 Nov 2002 22:11:24 -0800
From:      "Lin Jianfong" <ljfong@hotmail.com>
To:        bsd@hitmedia.com
Cc:        freebsd-questions@freebsd.org
Subject:   Re: any advice before I buy a printer for FreeBSD?
Message-ID:  <F50qGWEnEltXIObpw7m0001e2e9@hotmail.com>

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Try to avoid any so-called "winprinters", i.e. the one that rely 
specifically on the existence of Microsoft Windows OS to function. One good 
example of "winprinters" are some of the older HP series printers that uses 
Performance Printing Architecture (PPA), in which case much of the 
computational ability of the printer is being relegated to the OS instead of 
being done by the printer internally, much like "dumb" terminals. Although 
thru the use of special filters, and there's such filter, you can set up 
"winprinters" to function with FreeBSD, that's highly not recommended.

As for printing batches and batches of PDF files, set up apsfilter on your 
printer, and write a script that automates the printing job, set up the 
printing daemon lpd to handle the job priorities, spooling, etc. The FreeBSD 
handbook described how to do all these tasks in great details. I assume you 
know at least some shell scriptings if you're using FreeBSD. X11 AcroReader 
is only needed when you need to view the PDF files without printing them.

And, the most important of all, check the hardware compatibility list of 
printers suitable for FreeBSD.

Fong

>From: BSD baby <bsd@hitmedia.com>
>To: freebsd-questions@freebsd.org
>Subject: any advice before I buy a printer for FreeBSD?
>Date: Sun, 24 Nov 2002 19:45:20 -0800
>
>Any advice before I buy a printer for FreeBSD?
>
>I'm finally going to get a printer for my FreeBSD devbox this week.
>
>Are they all pretty much FreeBSD-compatible?
>or is there some spec I need to look for?
>
>I assume parallel port is still the way to go
>or is USB really ready on FreeBSD?
>
>Main thing I want to do is print PDF files, in batches.
>(Send a directory of 300 different PDF files to the printer at once.)
>
>Are there any command-line tools to do that?
>or do you need an X11 Adobe Acrobat app?
>
>Any advice appreciated.
>
>Thanks!
>
>
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