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
The issue you're encountering is that `lpr` is treating your PostScript file as a text file instead of interpreting it as PostScript code. You need to tell `lpr` to handle it as raw PostScript data.
Here's the corrected command:
The `-l` option (lowercase L) tells `lpr` to pass the file directly to the printer without any filtering or interpretation. This is essential for PostScript files, as they contain the printing instructions themselves.
**Other potential solutions and troubleshooting:**
* **Check printer drivers:** Ensure your printer has PostScript support and the correct drivers are installed. Some printers may require specific drivers or settings to handle PostScript properly. If you're using a generic driver, try switching to a PostScript-specific driver if available.
* **Ghostscript:** If the `-l` option doesn't work, you can try using Ghostscript (`gs`) to convert the PostScript to a format your printer understands. For example:
| gs -sDEVICE=pdfwrite -o output.pdf filename.ps # Convert to PDF
lpr output.pdf
|
or
| gs -sDEVICE=pxlmono -o output.pxl filename.ps # Convert to PXL (depending on your printer)
lpr output.pxl
|
You'll need to experiment with different `-sDEVICE` options based on your printer's capabilities. See the Ghostscript documentation for a list of supported devices.
* **Preview the PostScript:** Use a PostScript viewer (e.g., Ghostscript's `gsview` or Preview on macOS if it supports your specific PostScript) to ensure the .ps file itself is not corrupted.
* **Printer-specific options:** Consult your printer's documentation. Some printers might have their own command-line utilities or specific `lpr` options for handling PostScript.
* **Simplify the PostScript (if possible):** If you have control over the generation of the .ps file, ensure it's not using any overly complex or deprecated PostScript operators that your printer might not support.
If none of these solutions work, provide more details about your printer model and the contents of the .ps file (if possible), and I'll try to provide more specific guidance.
Check if any of the following conditions are true:
Substring Evaluation
Testing if the previous output contains the string -l: True
Substring Evaluation
Testing if the previous output contains the string -o raw: False
Final Answer: True
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
The issue you're encountering is that `lpr` is treating your PostScript file as a text file instead of a PostScript program to be interpreted by the printer. You need to tell `lpr` to handle it as raw PostScript data.
Here's the correct command:
The `-l` option (lowercase L) tells `lpr` to pass the file as-is to the printer, which is essential for PostScript files. The printer will then interpret the PostScript code and generate the correct output.
**Troubleshooting if `-l` doesn't work:**
Sometimes, even with `-l`, printer drivers or configurations might interfere. Here are a few things to try:
1. **Specify the mime type:** This explicitly tells `lpr` the file type.
| lpr -o mimetype=application/postscript filename.ps
|
2. **Check for printer-specific options:** Some printers might have a raw printing mode that needs to be activated through a different option. Consult your printer's documentation.
3. **GhostScript (as a last resort):** If `lpr` continues to be problematic, you can use Ghostscript to convert the PostScript to a PDF, and then print the PDF. This is less direct but often works.
| gs -sDEVICE=pdfwrite -o output.pdf filename.ps
lpr output.pdf
|
4. **CUPS web interface:** Access the CUPS web interface (usually at `http://localhost:631` in your web browser) and try printing the .ps file directly through the interface. This can bypass some `lpr` issues. In the CUPS interface, make sure you select the correct printer and choose "application/postscript" or a similar option for the file type.
By using one of these methods, you should be able to print your PostScript file correctly. If you continue to have problems, providing more details about your printer model and macOS version could help in finding a more specific solution.
Check if any of the following conditions are true:
Substring Evaluation
Testing if the previous output contains the string -l: True
Substring Evaluation
Testing if the previous output contains the string -o raw: False
Final Answer: True
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
The issue you're encountering is that `lpr` is treating your PostScript file as a text file instead of a PostScript program to be interpreted by the printer. You need to tell `lpr` to handle the file as raw PostScript data.
Here's the corrected command:
The `-l` option (lowercase L) tells `lpr` to send the file as-is, without any filtering or interpretation. This is crucial for PostScript files, as they contain instructions that the printer needs to execute directly.
**Alternative using `lp` (if available):**
On some systems, the `lp` command might be preferred. You can use a similar approach:
The `-o raw` option achieves the same result as `-l` with `lpr`, instructing the printing system to treat the file as raw data.
**Troubleshooting:**
* **Printer Driver:** Ensure that your printer has a PostScript driver installed or that it natively supports PostScript. If the printer doesn't understand PostScript, you'll likely get garbage output regardless of the command-line options.
* **File Integrity:** Double-check that your `.ps` file is not corrupted. Try opening it in a PostScript viewer (e.g., Ghostscript, Preview on macOS) to verify its contents.
* **Printer Connection:** Make sure your printer is properly connected and online. Basic connectivity issues can sometimes manifest as strange print output.
* **Specific Printer Options:** Some printers might require additional options. Consult your printer's documentation or your system's printing documentation for specific settings. You might need to specify the printer name using the `-P` option (e.g., `lpr -l -P MyPrinter filename.ps`).
If you're still having trouble after trying these suggestions, provide more details about your printer model and macOS version, and we can try to provide more specific guidance.
Check if any of the following conditions are true:
Substring Evaluation
Testing if the previous output contains the string -l: True
Substring Evaluation
Testing if the previous output contains the string -o raw: True
Final Answer: True
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
The issue you're encountering is that `lpr` is treating your PostScript file as a text file instead of a PostScript program to be interpreted by the printer. You need to tell `lpr` to send the file as raw PostScript.
Here's the corrected command:
The `-l` option (lowercase L) tells `lpr` to pass the file as-is, without any filtering or interpretation. This is crucial for PostScript files, as they contain instructions that the printer needs to execute.
**Other potentially helpful options:**
* `-P printer_name`: If you want to specify a particular printer (if you have multiple printers configured). Replace `printer_name` with the actual name of your printer. You can find the printer names using `lpstat -p`.
* `-# num_copies`: To print multiple copies. Replace `num_copies` with the desired number.
**Example:** To print 3 copies of `mydocument.ps` to a printer named `My_Laser_Printer`:
| lpr -l -P My_Laser_Printer -# 3 mydocument.ps
|
**If `-l` still doesn't work:**
In some rare cases, even `-l` might not be enough. You might need to try the `-o raw` option:
If you continue to have problems, double-check:
1. **File Integrity:** Make sure your `.ps` file is not corrupted. Try opening it in a PostScript viewer (e.g., Ghostscript, Preview on macOS) to verify its contents.
2. **Printer Drivers:** Ensure that your printer has proper PostScript support and that the correct drivers are installed on your Mac. Some printers might require specific PPD files (PostScript Printer Description).
3. **Printer Settings:** Check your printer's settings (usually accessible through System Preferences > Printers & Scanners) to see if there are any options related to PostScript handling that might interfere.
If none of these solutions work, providing more details about your printer model and macOS version might help in troubleshooting further.
Check if any of the following conditions are true:
Substring Evaluation
Testing if the previous output contains the string -l: True
Substring Evaluation
Testing if the previous output contains the string -o raw: True
Final Answer: True
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
The issue you're encountering is that `lpr` is treating your PostScript file as a text file instead of interpreting it as PostScript code. You need to tell `lpr` that the file is PostScript.
Here's the correct command:
The `-l` option (lowercase L) tells `lpr` to treat the input file as literal PostScript. This prevents it from trying to interpret the file as text and instead sends the raw PostScript code directly to the printer, which is what you want.
**Alternative (if -l doesn't work):**
Some systems might require specifying the MIME type:
| lpr -o mimetype=application/postscript filename.ps
|
This explicitly tells `lpr` that the file is PostScript.
**Troubleshooting:**
* **Printer Driver:** Make sure your printer has a PostScript-compatible driver installed. Most modern printers do, but if you have a very old or basic printer, it might not.
* **File Corruption:** Double-check that your .ps file is not corrupted. Try opening it in a PostScript viewer (e.g., Ghostscript, Preview on macOS) to make sure it renders correctly.
* **Printer Settings:** If you're still having issues, check your printer's settings directly (usually through a web interface or control panel). There might be a setting that needs to be adjusted related to PostScript handling.
* **Ghostscript (for non-PostScript printers):** If your printer *doesn't* support PostScript, you can use Ghostscript to convert the .ps file to a format your printer understands (like PDF or PCL):
| gs -sDEVICE=pdfwrite -o output.pdf filename.ps # Convert to PDF
lpr output.pdf
|
By using the `-l` option or specifying the MIME type, you should be able to print your PostScript file correctly. If not, the troubleshooting steps should help you pinpoint the problem.
Check if any of the following conditions are true:
Substring Evaluation
Testing if the previous output contains the string -l: True
Substring Evaluation
Testing if the previous output contains the string -o raw: False
Final Answer: True