Initial Query

I have a .ps file that I want to print from my mac. I'm trying to use lpr. But every time I print it all I get is the actual bytes just printed with like hundreds of pages and this is not what I want. I want the printer to just print the ps directly. What command should I use to make this work?

LLM Generation

Query

I have a .ps file that I want to print from my mac. I'm trying to use lpr. But every time I print it all I get is the actual bytes just printed with like hundreds of pages and this is not what I want. I want the printer to just print the ps directly. What command should I use to make this work?

Output

To print a PostScript (.ps) file correctly from your Mac, you need to ensure the printer or your system interprets the file properly. Here's how to fix this: --- ### **1. Check if Your Printer Supports PostScript** Most consumer printers **do not natively support PostScript** (they require a PCL or PDF interpreter). If your printer isn't PostScript-capable, sending the raw `.ps` file will print the literal code (hence the gibberish). To verify: - Check your printer specifications for "PostScript support". - If it lacks PostScript support, **convert the `.ps` file to PDF first** (see Step 3). --- ### **2. Use `lpr` with Explicit Format (For PostScript Printers)** If your printer **does** support PostScript, force the format with: 

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lpr -o document-format=application/postscript yourfile.ps
This tells macOS to send the file as PostScript without conversion. --- ### **3. Convert to PDF (For Non-PostScript Printers)** Convert the `.ps` file to PDF using **Ghostscript** (install via [Homebrew](https://brew.sh) if needed): 
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brew install ghostscript  # Install Ghostscript if missing
gs -q -dNOPAUSE -dBATCH -sDEVICE=pdfwrite -sOutputFile=output.pdf input.ps
Then print the PDF: 
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lpr output.pdf
--- ### **4. Use macOS Preview (Simpler Method)** Open the `.ps` file in Preview, which will auto-convert it to a printable format: 
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open -a Preview yourfile.ps
Then print via Preview’s GUI (⌘P). --- ### **5. Verify the PostScript File** Test with a simple PostScript file to rule out file corruption. Create `test.ps`: 
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%!PS
/Courier findfont 24 scalefont setfont
100 100 moveto (Hello World) show
showpage
Print it. If this works, your original `.ps` file might be malformed. --- ### **Advanced: Check CUPS Configuration** Access the CUPS web interface to verify printer settings: 
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cupsctl WebInterface=yes  # Enable web interface
open http://localhost:631/printers
Check if your printer’s PPD file includes PostScript support. --- ### Summary - **PostScript Printer?** Use `lpr -o document-format=application/postscript`. - **Non-PostScript Printer?** Convert to PDF with Ghostscript first. - **Quick Fix:** Open in Preview and print.

Check if any of the following conditions are true:

Substring Evaluation

Testing if the previous output contains the string -l: False

Substring Evaluation

Testing if the previous output contains the string -o raw: False

Final Answer: False