(OT) Open source PCL to PDF converters?

[Chris Rendall]

> On Mon, Mar 12, 2007 at 01:52:18PM -0400, after drawing runes in
goat's
> blood,
> Walter Vaughan cast forth these immortal, mystical words:
> > I don't have a solution, but just a comment that we accept a system
that
> > generates PCL5 code as "normal", but pdf creation as something
> "abnormal" and
> > needs a converter.
> >
> > What has happened to us to allow this as normal?
> >
> > Golly it's 2007. I accepted it in 1997. But come on, what happened
to
> us?
> 
> Blame Adobe.  The same was true of PostScript for years.  I remember
when
> PS-enabled printers cost an extra $1k for the module that let them do
it.
> 
> Adobe came up with a new document format that has no relationship to
the
> printer, and -something- has to sit as a shim between the PDF and the
> print
> spool.  You don't have that problem with PCL5 because it can go
directly
> to
> the printer.  You did have that problem with PS because unless you had
a
> PS-enabled printer, you needed something, again, to translate.
> 
> Find a PDF-enabled printer, then.  I'd swear I've heard such creatures
> exist.  Goodbye problems.

I print PDF documents within SUSE Enterprise Linux using just the lp
command.  

We have our CAD drawings saved as PDF documents and when a batch is
ready to go to the shop to be manufactured the user selects a menu
option in filePro and filePro prints the batch of drawings that are in
PDF format using the lp command.  I also use the watermark feature in
the HP 2430 and print information directly on the drawing as it's being
printed so no one has to stamp the drawings by hand anymore.

Chris
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