   Adding a Printer Configuration to ifhp.conf
             Patrick Powell
        Thu Jun 13 07:36:36 PDT 2002

Introduction

  This note discusses how to add a printer to the ifhp configuration
file.  There are extensive notes on the details of the various
steps covered here in the ifhp.conf file as well as the IFHP
HOWTO documentation.

Step 1 - Adding To An Existing Printer Entry

  Determine if the printer is one of several in a family.
This is usually the case,  and it is surprising how often
printers obey the same command set as another printer,  with
only a few new or added commands.

  If this is the case, then you can usually just put an alias
in the ifhp.conf file:

# PRINTER raster99 - Raster Blaster 99 - PS, PCL
[ raster99 ]
  ...

# PRINTER raster99 - Raster Blaster 99 - PS, PCL
# PRINTER raster1099 - Raster Blaster 1099 - PS, PCL
[ raster99 raster1099 ]
  ...

Now you need to regenerate the ifhp.conf file:

  cd .../ifhp
  make update
  config.status  (or rerun configure)

Step 2 - Creating A New Printer Entry

The level of complexity of this process depends on how
sophisticated your printer is and the level of control
over the various options you want to exercise.

The following is a list of the things needed to be done.

2.1 - PostScript Not Supported
  You will need to find a way to convert PostScript
to the printer language.  Start by looking at the
latest version of the GhostScript interpreter.  You can
then use one of the entries in the ifhp.conf file
as a template.

2.3 - PCL Not Supported
  Good luck if you need PCL. You can try GhostPCL and see
if it works for you: http://www.artifex.com/

 ---------  Work In Progress ----
  More to be added.

Patrick Powell
