Following is a driver (filter, postprocessor?) for getting ditroff
output on the HP LaserJet printer. It is by no means a finished
product. It still needs a lot of work, partly for cleanup and partly
for making it really usable.

The major drawback of the filter is that the output is GIGANTIC,
because it issues positioning commands for EVERY character. This also
makes the printing EXTREMELY SLOW.  (but don't get discouraged, it's
still usable ...)

The only fix to that problem is to use the LaserJet's default spacing
for characters, and add width tables for troff to handle the different
spacings of the LaserJet. This has the advantage of reducing the output
size considerably, along with the time required to print it, BUT - you
also have to settle for the LaserJet's spacing, which is rather wide
and unattractive (*my opinion*).  Also, the width tables I have don't
agree TOO well with vfont - they expect the Sys 5 stuff - so that could
use some work too.

The 'draw' functions are not implemented in this filter. I was too lazy
to add them since it's a bit of work and I am not using pic for
anything right now, but if you have the 'draw.c' file that came with
DWB (or maybe the equivalent from Berkeley, which I don't have) than
you can do this yourself.

The fonts in rasti10 look nicer than the ones in vfont.  However, the
glyphs are placed in different positions in the font file, so they need
code tables to drive them. I never got around to adding the code
tables, but if I do I'll make them available.

There is a 'bug' that I haven't fixed yet - the Laserjet barfs on long
pages. It will not take a positioning command to go to vertical 7600,
for example, even though it's less than 11 inches. I haven't had enough
time to look into this and find out exactly how much it WILL let me
use, but instead I massage all my input files to use a page length
of 10 inches ...
This should not be hard to fix, and if you do, let me know about it.

Many people asked for the ^S/^Q filter. I have received many responses
telling me that this can be achieved via the LITOUT bit, and as many
telling me that it can't be achieved through LITOUT because of a bug in
the device driver. I have also received a few versions of fixes for
this problem. I am therefore leaving out this problem, as it seems to
have been dealt with extensively. If anybody REALLY wants it, drop me a
line and I'll mail it to you (along with all the other proposed
solutions I received).

Finally, I have lost my HP LaserJet to an AT&T 6300 in an adjacent
office. Rumors are we are getting an X2700 (II), but financial
decisions have not been completed yet. Therefore it seems that
enhancements to this filter will not be top priority in the near future
(anybody want to donate a LaserJet to an educational institute ? :-)

If you wish to add the width tables yourself, the information is
available from Hewlet Packard. Just call them.  If you need any info
from me, feel free to contact  me either through the net (uucp address
below) or through the phone...

And just one thing. If you do make modifications/enhancements/etc,
PLEASE let me know? send over whatever you have so that we could share
it with the rest of the net?

------------the opinions expressed above etc. etc.  --------------

					Ron Saad  (4Z4UY) Sys Adm -
					Center for Advanced Technology
					in Telecommunications
					Polytechnic Institute of New York

UUCP:   ...{ihnp4,seismo}!{philabs,cmcl2}!ron1!ron
MAIL:   333 Jay St.  Brooklyn, N.Y. 11201
PHONE:  (718) 643-7303
