1POSTER(1)                   General Commands Manual                  POSTER(1)
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NAME

6       poster - Scale and tile a postscript image to print on multiple pages
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SYNOPSIS

9       poster <options> infile
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DESCRIPTION

12       Poster  can be used to create a large poster by building it from multi‐
13       ple pages and/or printing it on large media.  It  expects  as  input  a
14       generic  (encapsulated)  postscript file, normally printing on a single
15       page.  The output is again a postscript file, maybe containing multiple
16       pages together building the poster.  The output pages bear cutmarks and
17       have slightly overlapping images for easier assembling.  The input pic‐
18       ture will be scaled to obtain the desired size.
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20       The  program uses a brute-force method: it copies the entire input file
21       for each output page, hence the output file can be very  large.   Since
22       the  program  does  not really bother about the input file contents, it
23       clearly works for both black-and-white and color postscript.
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25       To control its operation, you need to specify either the  size  of  the
26       desired poster or a scale factor for the image:
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28       - Given the poster size, it calculates the required number of sheets to
29         print on, and from that a scale factor to fill these sheets optimally
30         with the input image.
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32       - Given  a  scale  factor, it derives the required number of pages from
33         the input image size, and positions the scaled image centered on this
34         area.
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36       Its  input  file  should  best be a real `Encapsulated Postscript' file
37       (often denoted with the extension .eps or .epsf).  Such  files  can  be
38       generated from about all current drawing applications, and text proces‐
39       sors like Word, Interleaf and Framemaker.
40       However poster tries to behave properly also on more  relaxed,  general
41       postscript files containing a single page definition.  Proper operation
42       is obtained for instance on pages generated by (La)TeX and (g)troff.
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44       The media to print on can be  selected  independently  from  the  input
45       image  size  and/or  the  poster  size. Poster will determine by itself
46       whether it is beneficial to rotate the output image on the media.
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48       To preview the output results of poster and/or to (re-)print individual
49       output pages, you should use a postscript previewer like ghostview(1).
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OPTIONS

53       -v Be verbose. Tell about scaling, rotation and number of pages.
54          Default is silent operation.
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56       -f Ask  manual  media  feed on the plotting/printing device, instead of
57          using its standard paper tray.
58          Default is adhering to the device settings.
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60       -i <box>
61          Specify the size of the input image.
62          Default is reading the image size from the `%%BoundingBox'  specifi‐
63          cation in the input file header.
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65       -m <box>
66          Specify the desired media size to print on. See below for <box>.
67          The  default  is set at compile time, being A4 in the standard pack‐
68          age.
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70       -p <box>
71          Specify the poster size. See below for  <box>.   Since  poster  will
72          autonomously choose for rotation, always specify a `portrait' poster
73          size (i.e. higher then wide).
74          If you give neither the -s nor the -p  option,  the  default  poster
75          size is identical to the media size.
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77       -s <number>
78          Specify  a  linear  scaling  factor to produce the poster.  Together
79          with the input image size and optional margins, this induces an out‐
80          put poster size. So don't specify both -s and -p.
81          Default is deriving the scale factor to fit a given poster size.
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83       -c <box> or -c <number>%
84          Specify  the  cut  margin. This is the distance between the cutmarks
85          and the paper edge. If  the  output  is  really  tiled  on  multiple
86          sheets,  the cut marks indicate where to cut the paper for assembly.
87          This margin must be big enough to  cover  the  non-printable  margin
88          which almost all printers have. For <box> see below.
89          Default  is  5%.  Only  when  you specify identical poster and media
90          sizes, the default cut margin becomes 0,  effectively  removing  the
91          cutmarks.
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93       -w <box> or -w <number>%
94          Specify a white margin around the output image.
95          In  the  `ideal'  situation  (when  an input `eps' file specifies an
96          exact BoundingBox in its header), the output image  will  be  scaled
97          exactly  to the edges of the resulting poster (minus cut margin). If
98          you desire a certain margin  to  remain  around  the  picture  after
99          poster assembly, you can specify this with `-w'.
100          (This  option  is  actually redundant, since you can obtain the same
101          result using -s or -i. However some  might  find  this  more  conve‐
102          nient.)
103          Default is 0.
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105       -C <number>
106          Select the clipping facilities you want to see on the page margin.
107          Clipping  facilities are the cut marks, consisting of cut mark line,
108          cut mark arrow head and the grid labels.
109          The following bits in the argument represent  one  of  the  clipping
110          facilities:
111               bit 1 (value = 1): cutmark lines
112               bit 2 (value = 2): cutmark arrow heads
113               bit 3 (value = 4): grid label
114          Default is printing all clipping facilities.
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116       -O <number>
117          Specify  how  many  Postscript  dots the content of the output pages
118          shall overlap.
119          Overlapping content makes it easier to  glue  together  pages  seam‐
120          lessly, but it consumes printing space.
121          Default is 6.
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123       -P <pagespec>
124          Specify  which pages of the poster to print. It consists of a comma-
125          separated list of single pages or page ranges (using the dash).  The
126          order  in  which page number appears determines the final page order
127          in the result PostScript file. Page numbering starts at 1, from left
128          to right and bottom-up.
129          Examples: 1-2 or 1,3-4,7
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131       -o <outputfile>
132          Specify the name of the file to write the output into.
133          (Only  added  for  those poor people who cannot specify output redi‐
134          rection from their command line due to a silly OS.)
135          Default is writing to standard output.
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137       The <box> mentioned above is a specification of horizontal and vertical
138       size.   Only  in  combination  with  the  `-i' option, the program also
139       understands the offset specification in the <box>.
140       In general:
141            <box> = [<multiplier>][<offset>]<unit>
142       with multipier and offset being specified optionally.
143            <multiplier> = <number>x<number>
144            <offset> = +<number>,<number>
145            <unit> = <medianame> or <distancename>
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147       Many international media names are recognised by the program, in  upper
148       and  lower case, and can be shortened to their first few characters, as
149       long as unique.  For instance `A0', `Let'.
150       Distance names are like `cm', `i', `ft'.
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EXAMPLES

154       The following command prints an A4 input file on 8 A3 pages, forming an
155       A0 poster:
156                poster -v -iA4 -mA3 -pA0 infile > outfile
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158       The  next  command  prints an eps input image on a poster of 3x3 Letter
159       pages:
160                poster -v -mLet -p3x3Let  image.eps > outfile
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162       The next command enlarges an eps input image to print on a  large-media
163       A0 capable device, maintaining 2 inch margins:
164                poster -v -mA0 -w2x2i image.eps > outfile
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166       Enlarge  a  postscript  image  exactly 4 times, print on the default A4
167       media, and let poster determine the number of pages required:
168                poster -v -s4 image.eps > outfile
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170       Scale a postscript image to a poster of about 1 square meter,  printing
171       on  `Legal'  media,  maintaining  a 10% of `Legal' size as white margin
172       around the poster. Print cutmark lines and grid labels, but don't print
173       cut mark arrow heads.
174                poster -v -mLegal -p1x1m -w10% -C5 infile.ps > outfile
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PROBLEMS & QUESTIONS

178   I get a blurry image and/or interference patterns
179       If  your  input file contains -or consists of- pixel images (as opposed
180       to just vector data which is essentially resolution  independent),  you
181       might  have  this  problem.  Such pixel images are normally made to fit
182       well to standard 300 (or 600) dpi devices.  Scaling such a picture with
183       an  uncarefully chosen factor, can easily lead to hazy edges and inter‐
184       ference patterns on the output.  The solution is to provide poster with
185       an  exact scaling factor (with the -s option), chosen as an integer. If
186       integer scaling is unpractical for your purpose,  choose  a  fractional
187       number made from a small integer denominator (2, 3, 4).
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189   Can I select only a small part of a given input picture?
190       Yes,  for  this purpose you can define both the size (width and height)
191       and offset (from left and bottom) of  a  window  on  the  input  image.
192       Specify these numbers as argument to a `-i' command line option.
193       One  way  to  obtain such numbers is previewing the original image with
194       ghostview, and observing the coordinate numbers  which  it  continually
195       displays.   These  numbers  are  in postscript units (points), named by
196       poster as just `p'.
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198   Poster doesn't seem to work properly, output pages are empty
199       The major cause for poster not to work correctly, is  giving  it  post‐
200       script  files  which  don't  conform  to  proper  'eps' behaviour.  Try
201       whether your application  (or  printer  driver)  cannot  generate  real
202       'encapsulated postscript'.
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204   If I ask for a 50x50cm poster, it always generates something bigger
205       Yes,  probably.  When  specifying  a  desired output size with the `-p'
206       option, poster first determines an array of sheets  to  cover  such  an
207       area.   Then it determines a scale factor for the picture to fill these
208       sheets upto their edge. As result your requested size is used as  rough
209       guess only.  If you want an exact output size, specify the scaling fac‐
210       tor yourself with the `-s' option (and omit the `-p').
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212   I want to keep the white space around the poster as in my original
213       Poster  will  as  default  use  the  input  image  bounding  box,   and
214       scale/translate that to the edges of your poster.  If the program which
215       generated your input file specifies an exact and  tight  %%BoundingBox,
216       you  will indeed loose your white margin.  To keep the original margin,
217       specify a `-i' option with as argument the papersize on which the orig‐
218       inal  document was formatted (such as `-iA4').  Alternatively specify a
219       smaller scale factor (with -s) or an explicit new margin (with -w).
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221

POSTER ASSEMBLY

223       Our preferred method for the assembly of a poster from multiple  sheets
224       is as follows:
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226       - Arrange  the  sheets  in  the proper order on a large table or on the
227         floor.
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229       - Remove from all sheets, except from those in the leftmost  column  or
230         bottom row, their left and bottom cutmargin.
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232       - In  left-to-right  and  bottom-to-top order, glue the right (and top)
233         cutmargin and stick the right (and upper) neighbouring page on top of
234         that.
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236       - Turn  the glued-together poster face bottom, and put adhesive tape on
237         the sheet edges (on the backside of the poster) for more strength.
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239       - Remove the remaining cutmargin around the poster.
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DEVICE SETTINGS

243       For postscript level-2 capable printers/plotters, which  is  about  all
244       modern  postscript  devices  today, poster will send device settings in
245       its output file.  This consists of a `setpagedevice' call, setting:
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247       - the media size.
248         This is required for all printers I know to get correct behaviour  on
249         different media/picture sizes.
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251       - duplexing off.
252         Some printers will otherwise perform double-side printing by default.
253         Clearly that is not what you want to print a poster.
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255       - manual media feed.
256         This is given only when poster was executed  with  the  `-f'  command
257         line  option.  This is a convenient feature if you want to print your
258         job on different media than normally installed in the paper tray, and
259         you  are  submitting  your  job  through  a multi-user networking and
260         spooling environment.
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262       These settings cause proper device behaviour, without the need to manu‐
263       ally  interact  with  the  printer  settings, and has been here locally
264       tested to work on devices like the HP300XL and HP650C.
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266       The settings thus passed in the postscript file, will affect the device
267       for this job only.
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269

DSC CONFORMANCE

271       Poster will generate its own DSC header and other DSC lines in the out‐
272       put file, according the `Document  Structuring  Conventions  -  version
273       3.0', as written down in the `Postscript Language Reference Manual, 2nd
274       ed.' from Adobe Systems Inc, Addison Wesley Publ comp., 1990.
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276       It will copy any `%%Document...' line from the input file DSC header to
277       its  own  header  output.  This is used here in particular for required
278       nonresident fonts.
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280       However the copy(s) of the input  file  included  in  the  output,  are
281       stripped from all lines starting with a `%', since they tend to disturb
282       our `ghostview' previewer and take useless space anyhow.
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SEE ALSO

286       ghostview(1)
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CONTRIBUTED BY

290       Jos van Eijndhoven (email: J.T.J.v.Eijndhoven@ele.tue.nl)
291       Design Automation Section (http://www.es.ele.tue.nl)
292       Dept. of Elec. Eng.
293       Eindhoven Univ of Technology
294       The Netherlands
295       24 August, 1995
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