HardwareBanter

HardwareBanter (http://www.hardwarebanter.com/index.php)
-   General (http://www.hardwarebanter.com/forumdisplay.php?f=28)
-   -   What extension for a print to file? (http://www.hardwarebanter.com/showthread.php?t=196102)

micky January 14th 16 02:35 PM

What extension for a print to file?
 
I'm not able to print to my newly installed Brother black and white
laser printer so I printed to a file instead. From Firefox.

It asks what the name of the file is, and I don't konw what extension
to give it.

Things were the same with my fully functioning Brother AIO, I don't
knolw what to name the file and the 200 page manual doesn't say a word
about that.

When I gave it a .jpg extension, it was described as damaged or
corrupted. I know it wouldn't take a bribe so it must be damaged, or
I named it wrong.

What extension for a print to file?

Big Al[_3_] January 14th 16 03:11 PM

What extension for a print to file?
 
On 01/14/2016 08:35 AM, Micky wrote:
I'm not able to print to my newly installed Brother black and white
laser printer so I printed to a file instead. From Firefox.

It asks what the name of the file is, and I don't konw what extension
to give it.

Things were the same with my fully functioning Brother AIO, I don't
knolw what to name the file and the 200 page manual doesn't say a word
about that.

When I gave it a .jpg extension, it was described as damaged or
corrupted. I know it wouldn't take a bribe so it must be damaged, or
I named it wrong.

What extension for a print to file?

Normally one would do something like add a print to PDF driver. This
would then by default just print (save) to a .pdf extension without
asking you, it's the only option since it's a narrow minded program.

something like this
http://sourceforge.net/projects/pdfcreator/
Once installed it makes a print driver you just pick from any print
dialog. The resulting PDF file can be printed later if you have your
printer working, or moved to another machine that prints and print from
there. Or just saved for later viewing and use. Paperless office!



David H. Lipman January 14th 16 04:08 PM

What extension for a print to file?
 
From: "Micky"

I'm not able to print to my newly installed Brother black and white
laser printer so I printed to a file instead. From Firefox.

It asks what the name of the file is, and I don't konw what extension
to give it.

Things were the same with my fully functioning Brother AIO, I don't
knolw what to name the file and the 200 page manual doesn't say a word
about that.

When I gave it a .jpg extension, it was described as damaged or
corrupted. I know it wouldn't take a bribe so it must be damaged, or
I named it wrong.

What extension for a print to file?


Standard practice is .PRN

However different printer drivers will generate different code that will be
in the PRN.

For example;
Printers using Printer Control Language ( PCL ) will be in the PCL format.
PostScript printers will be in PostScript format

The reason being whatever would have been sent for the Printer Driver is
redirected to a disk.

One could then send the file to the Printer Port
Example:

copy TEST.PRN /b LPT1:
or
copy TEST.PRN /b PRN:

When you assign an extension to a file the OS uses "File Association" to
load the file into an application, that application assumes the format of
the file is what the file extension indicates.

You can't just name any file as JPG ( JPEG -
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/JPEG ) because a Graphics Program that; views,
renders, alters or edits a JPEG must be given a JPEG formatted file. Disk
Files often use a header which identifies when the contents of the file is
supposed to be.
A JPEG would have JFIF in the header.
A ZIP file would have PK in the header.
A 7zip file would have 7z in the header.
A RAR file would have RAR in the header.
A Windows Executable will have MZ in the header.

If you looked at a file and in the header was "%PDF" what do you think the
file is and what program could read it ?

If you put the contents of a MS Word DOC file in a file named with the
extension JPG, th Default Graphics Program associated with the JPG extension
will say the file is corrupt because it expected a JPEG and you gave it a MS
Word document.

You can't just blindly assign a file extension to any file and think that it
will be readable.

Between the Printer, NTFS and other questions... I am beginning to see a
pattern here.

--
Dave
Multi-AV Scanning Tool - http://multi-av.thespykiller.co.uk
http://www.pctipp.ch/downloads/dl/35905.asp


Don Phillipson[_4_] January 14th 16 04:35 PM

What extension for a print to file?
 
On 01/14/2016 08:35 AM, Micky wrote:

I'm not able to print to my newly installed Brother black and white
laser printer so I printed to a file instead. From Firefox.

It asks what the name of the file is, and I don't konw what extension
to give it.


This depends on what drivers print out the file or which
software you use to display and edit the file. One solution
may be to print to file in several standard formats (e.g.
TXT, PRN and RTF) and then see which best fits your
current system.
--
Don Phillipson
Carlsbad Springs
(Ottawa, Canada)



Paul January 14th 16 05:39 PM

What extension for a print to file?
 
Micky wrote:
I'm not able to print to my newly installed Brother black and white
laser printer so I printed to a file instead. From Firefox.

It asks what the name of the file is, and I don't konw what extension
to give it.

Things were the same with my fully functioning Brother AIO, I don't
knolw what to name the file and the 200 page manual doesn't say a word
about that.

When I gave it a .jpg extension, it was described as damaged or
corrupted. I know it wouldn't take a bribe so it must be damaged, or
I named it wrong.

What extension for a print to file?


As David says, try ".prn" as the extension.

Then, change the name like this after printing is complete

someprint.prn.txt

and open with a text editor. There should at least
be a few lines of "header" info at the beginning
and the end, that you can read.

The actual language inside the print job, could be
PCL5, PCL6, PostScript and so on. You will need to
expand your technicians toolkit to work with that stuff.

In this example, the encapsulation sections, you'd
remove those, and the resultant file is then
"standard PostScript". So the print file can consist
of more than one layer, which may be important
if post-processing with other tools, and they
cannot "tolerate" noise. I removed the non-ASCII characters
when copying this, so this isn't a verbatim copy of
what you'll see.

12345X@PJL JOB \___ encapsulation, remove
@PJL ENTER LANGUAGE = POSTSCRIPT /
%!PS-Adobe-3.0
%%Title: f1040.pdf
....
Pscript_WinNT_Min dup /min_terminate get exec
%%EOF
12345X@PJL EOJ \___ encapsulation, remove
12345X /

In the case of a PostScript interpreter, it probably
manages to ignore the encapsulation, and I remove the
header and trailer as a matter of appearances.

But if you're the curious type, examination
with a text editor would be a start.

Paul

Gernot Hassenpflug[_4_] January 15th 16 04:24 AM

What extension for a print to file?
 
Paul writes:

Micky wrote:
I'm not able to print to my newly installed Brother black and white
laser printer so I printed to a file instead. From Firefox.


Use IE, much easier, since it comes up with the OS browse GUI to decide
where to save the file.
In FF, you need to put in the full path to a directory FF has write
permissions to. Simplest would be to open explorer, go to a directory
where your user has write permissions, and then in the URI bar select
the string (this gets around differences in the display names such as
different languages and so on) and paste it into the single-line FF
print to file interface, appending your actual file name after the path.

of explorer
It asks what the name of the file is, and I don't konw what extension
to give it.

Things were the same with my fully functioning Brother AIO, I don't
knolw what to name the file and the 200 page manual doesn't say a word
about that.

When I gave it a .jpg extension, it was described as damaged or
corrupted. I know it wouldn't take a bribe so it must be damaged, or
I named it wrong.

What extension for a print to file?


As David says, try ".prn" as the extension.


Yes, ".prn" is the usual extension for a printjob, use that by all
means.

Regards,
Gernot Hassenpflug
--
NNTP on Emacs 24.3 from Windows 7

micky January 23rd 16 11:19 PM

What extension for a print to file?
 
On Thu, 14 Jan 2016 09:11:17 -0500, Big Al wrote:

On 01/14/2016 08:35 AM, Micky wrote:
I'm not able to print to my newly installed Brother black and white
laser printer so I printed to a file instead. From Firefox.

It asks what the name of the file is, and I don't konw what extension
to give it.

Things were the same with my fully functioning Brother AIO, I don't
knolw what to name the file and the 200 page manual doesn't say a word
about that.

When I gave it a .jpg extension, it was described as damaged or
corrupted. I know it wouldn't take a bribe so it must be damaged, or
I named it wrong.

What extension for a print to file?

Normally one would do something like add a print to PDF driver. This
would then by default just print (save) to a .pdf extension without
asking you, it's the only option since it's a narrow minded program.

something like this
http://sourceforge.net/projects/pdfcreator/


Installing it now. Thanks

Once installed it makes a print driver you just pick from any print
dialog. The resulting PDF file can be printed later if you have your
printer working, or moved to another machine that prints and print from
there. Or just saved for later viewing and use. Paperless office!


micky January 23rd 16 11:19 PM

What extension for a print to file?
 
On Thu, 14 Jan 2016 10:08:14 -0500, "David H. Lipman"
wrote:

From: "Micky"

I'm not able to print to my newly installed Brother black and white
laser printer so I printed to a file instead. From Firefox.

It asks what the name of the file is, and I don't konw what extension
to give it.

Things were the same with my fully functioning Brother AIO, I don't
knolw what to name the file and the 200 page manual doesn't say a word
about that.

When I gave it a .jpg extension, it was described as damaged or
corrupted. I know it wouldn't take a bribe so it must be damaged, or
I named it wrong.

What extension for a print to file?


Standard practice is .PRN

However different printer drivers will generate different code that will be
in the PRN.

For example;
Printers using Printer Control Language ( PCL ) will be in the PCL format.
PostScript printers will be in PostScript format

The reason being whatever would have been sent for the Printer Driver is
redirected to a disk.

One could then send the file to the Printer Port
Example:

copy TEST.PRN /b LPT1:
or
copy TEST.PRN /b PRN:

When you assign an extension to a file the OS uses "File Association" to
load the file into an application, that application assumes the format of
the file is what the file extension indicates.

You can't just name any file as JPG ( JPEG -
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/JPEG ) because a Graphics Program that; views,
renders, alters or edits a JPEG must be given a JPEG formatted file. Disk
Files often use a header which identifies when the contents of the file is
supposed to be.
A JPEG would have JFIF in the header.
A ZIP file would have PK in the header.
A 7zip file would have 7z in the header.
A RAR file would have RAR in the header.
A Windows Executable will have MZ in the header.

If you looked at a file and in the header was "%PDF" what do you think the
file is and what program could read it ?

If you put the contents of a MS Word DOC file in a file named with the
extension JPG, th Default Graphics Program associated with the JPG extension
will say the file is corrupt because it expected a JPEG and you gave it a MS
Word document.

You can't just blindly assign a file extension to any file and think that it
will be readable.


LOL. I actually knew that, but jpg was all I could think of.

Thanks for the answer, and thanks eveyrone.

Between the Printer, NTFS and other questions... I am beginning to see a
pattern here.


Paul in Houston TX[_2_] January 24th 16 01:37 AM

What extension for a print to file?
 
Micky wrote:
On Thu, 14 Jan 2016 09:11:17 -0500, Big Al wrote:


something like this
http://sourceforge.net/projects/pdfcreator/


Installing it now. Thanks


btw, pdfcreator will allow saving/printing to about 10 different formats.



micky January 24th 16 02:53 AM

What extension for a print to file?
 
On Sat, 23 Jan 2016 18:37:58 -0600, Paul in Houston TX
wrote:

Micky wrote:
On Thu, 14 Jan 2016 09:11:17 -0500, Big Al wrote:


something like this
http://sourceforge.net/projects/pdfcreator/


Installing it now. Thanks


btw, pdfcreator will allow saving/printing to about 10 different formats.


I saw that it did 4. Ten is reallllly good. but I havent' had
occasion to use it yet.

I'm going to make an effort again to fix that Brother all-in-one laser
(which came with a spare tube of toner), and that will involve
printing to a file, which will use pdfcreator. But much of the
incentive is gone since I got the Samsung laser working and bought a
new drum/toner to go with it, which came in the mail yesterday. And
all of the impatience is gone since now I've been printing my xword
puzzles on the Samsung and not wasting inkjet ink, esp. color ink to
print black and white puzzles.

J. P. Gilliver (John) January 25th 16 09:55 PM

What extension for a print to file?
 
In message , Micky
writes:
On Sat, 23 Jan 2016 18:37:58 -0600, Paul in Houston TX
wrote:

Micky wrote:
On Thu, 14 Jan 2016 09:11:17 -0500, Big Al wrote:


something like this
http://sourceforge.net/projects/pdfcreator/

Installing it now. Thanks


btw, pdfcreator will allow saving/printing to about 10 different formats.


Is that ten different kinds of PDF, or ... ?

I saw that it did 4. Ten is reallllly good. but I havent' had
occasion to use it yet.

I'm going to make an effort again to fix that Brother all-in-one laser
(which came with a spare tube of toner), and that will involve
printing to a file, which will use pdfcreator. But much of the


AIUI, printing to a file doesn't have to use something like PDF creator;
the basic print to file function just sends the raw data that would go
to the particular printer, to a file instead. [Quite how, in XP onwards,
you subsequently send that data to the printer, I don't know: in DOS
days I'd have used "copy /b ... PRN:", but ... (-:]

incentive is gone since I got the Samsung laser working and bought a
new drum/toner to go with it, which came in the mail yesterday. And
all of the impatience is gone since now I've been printing my xword
puzzles on the Samsung and not wasting inkjet ink, esp. color ink to
print black and white puzzles.


Indeed!

(Have you looked into refilling toner cartridges?)
--
J. P. Gilliver. UMRA: 1960/1985 MB++G()AL-IS-Ch++(p)Ar@T+H+Sh0!:`)DNAf

After a typical day at the BBC you want something to take your mind off work,
although in the end, decent people being eaten alive by heartless monsters
running amok proved no distraction. - Eddie Mair, RT 2015/7/4-10

Paul in Houston TX[_2_] January 26th 16 01:12 AM

What extension for a print to file?
 
J. P. Gilliver (John) wrote:
In message , Micky
writes:
On Sat, 23 Jan 2016 18:37:58 -0600, Paul in Houston TX
wrote:

Micky wrote:
On Thu, 14 Jan 2016 09:11:17 -0500, Big Al wrote:

something like this
http://sourceforge.net/projects/pdfcreator/

Installing it now. Thanks

btw, pdfcreator will allow saving/printing to about 10 different formats.


Is that ten different kinds of PDF, or ... ?


pfd,png,jpeg,bmp,pcx,tiff,ps,eps,txt,psd,pcl,raw,s vg.


J. P. Gilliver (John) January 26th 16 02:42 AM

What extension for a print to file?
 
In message , Paul in Houston TX
writes:
J. P. Gilliver (John) wrote:
In message , Micky

writes:
On Sat, 23 Jan 2016 18:37:58 -0600, Paul in Houston TX
wrote:

Micky wrote:
On Thu, 14 Jan 2016 09:11:17 -0500, Big Al wrote:

something like this
http://sourceforge.net/projects/pdfcreator/

Installing it now. Thanks

btw, pdfcreator will allow saving/printing to about 10 different formats.


Is that ten different kinds of PDF, or ... ?


pfd,png,jpeg,bmp,pcx,tiff,ps,eps,txt,psd,pcl,raw, svg.

Thanks. I presume the first one was PDF itself.
PNG, JP(E)G, BMP, PCX, and TIFF, are raster images (some with
compression). RAW _could_ be.
PS, EPS, and PCL, are sort of typesetting forms (though I think can
include images).
TXT is of course just text, without any images or fonts.
I don't know PSD or SVG.

Sounds like a useful utility!
--
J. P. Gilliver. UMRA: 1960/1985 MB++G()AL-IS-Ch++(p)Ar@T+H+Sh0!:`)DNAf

You can't abdicate and eat it - attributed to Wallis Simpson, in Radio Times
14-20 January 2012.

Paul in Houston TX[_2_] January 26th 16 02:58 AM

What extension for a print to file?
 
J. P. Gilliver (John) wrote:
In message , Paul in Houston TX writes:
J. P. Gilliver (John) wrote:
In message , Micky
writes:
On Sat, 23 Jan 2016 18:37:58 -0600, Paul in Houston TX
wrote:

Micky wrote:
On Thu, 14 Jan 2016 09:11:17 -0500, Big Al wrote:

something like this
http://sourceforge.net/projects/pdfcreator/

Installing it now. Thanks

btw, pdfcreator will allow saving/printing to about 10 different formats.

Is that ten different kinds of PDF, or ... ?


pfd,png,jpeg,bmp,pcx,tiff,ps,eps,txt,psd,pcl,raw,s vg.

Thanks. I presume the first one was PDF itself.
PNG, JP(E)G, BMP, PCX, and TIFF, are raster images (some with compression). RAW _could_ be.
PS, EPS, and PCL, are sort of typesetting forms (though I think can include images).
TXT is of course just text, without any images or fonts.
I don't know PSD or SVG.

Sounds like a useful utility!


I do a lot of pdf-ing but once in a great while a non compressed raster is useful.


Mark Lloyd[_6_] January 26th 16 06:57 PM

What extension for a print to file?
 
On 01/25/2016 07:42 PM, J. P. Gilliver (John) wrote:

[snip]

Thanks. I presume the first one was PDF itself.
PNG, JP(E)G, BMP, PCX, and TIFF, are raster images (some with
compression). RAW _could_ be.
PS, EPS, and PCL, are sort of typesetting forms (though I think can
include images).
TXT is of course just text, without any images or fonts.
I don't know PSD or SVG.


SVG should be vector graphics.

Sounds like a useful utility!



--
Mark Lloyd
http://notstupid.us/

"I have not the slightest confidence in 'spiritual manifestations.'"
[Robert G. Ingersoll]


All times are GMT +1. The time now is 01:59 PM.

Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.6.4
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.
HardwareBanter.com