Re: Printing PS on Windows: Optimize for speed or portability?

[Dov Isaacs <isaacs@xxxxxxxxx>]

You are hereby enlightened (I hope):

ANSWERS:

(1) In most circumstances, the "extra" information (i.e., redundant
PostScript) is distilled away. The name "Distiller" was taken from
the fact that this software takes the PostScript stream and retains
only the essence of it in terms of the actual imaged objects, not
all the rattletrap of the PostScript used to get there. Obviously,
the distilling process might take longer, though.

(2) Absolutely NOT! PDF is PDF per above. The extra stuff is gone.

(3) The "portability" mode attempts to make the PostScript as
page independent as possible. Font definitions are repeated on each
page, etc. Certain driver optimizations are turned off which has the
side effect of fixing some bad interactions between some applications
that partly generate their own PostScript and the driver itself
(i.e., it covers over both some application and driver bugs!).
FrameMaker 5.5.6 with current AdobePS versions generally doesn't 
exhibit this type of problem as much as earlier versions of FrameMaker
did with earlier driver versions. We have seen some rare circumstances
in which FrameMaker 5.5.6 documents with EPS graphics that reference
fonts work only with "portability" and not with "speed".

(4) Generally speaking, with current FrameMaker and driver versions
with Windows'9x, "optimize for speed" is the recommended setting.

         - Dov


At 3/23/00 11:29 AM, Jason Aiken wrote:
>We're undergoing exhaustive testing to maximize our Distiller job
>options and printer driver settings for upgrading to the current
>technology. Can someone please explain what the history, current
>development, and true importance of this setting is? Dov, what do you
>recommend?
>
>Frame 5.5.6 on W95/8
>AdobePS 4.3.1
>Distiller 4.05a
>
>I kind of know the answer to this already, but I want more information
>to assuage an internal debate. During the debate, we've ended up
>wrestling between speed and portability.
>
>I've looked in the Adobe support documents and found that the different
>settings essentially break down to this:
>
>Speed-
>builds PS for device only (Distiller in this case)
>PS files written faster
>PS files usually smaller
>with earlier 4.2.x drivers, would bomb out in Distiller
>recommended for current printer drivers by renown experts
>
>Portability-
>builds page oriented PS for multiple devices
>recommended for sophisticated scooters with advanced printer settings
>PS files written slower
>PS files quite larger
>has proven track record
>
>QUESTIONS:
>1. What happens to the extra information when the portability setting
>is used and a PS file is distilled to PDF?
>
>2. Is there any way an imagesetter could benefit from having PS written
>with the portability setting if that imagesetter is using the PDF file
>for the RIP software?
>
>3. What are the real differences between PS developed one way vs. the
>other?
>
>4. Which is recommended and why?
>
>Thanks for any enlightenment on the subject.
>
>Jason Aiken
>The weary Templar


** To unsubscribe, send a message to majordomo@omsys.com **
** with "unsubscribe framers" (no quotes) in the body.   **