POSTER(1) | General Commands Manual | POSTER(1) |
NAME¶
poster - Scale and tile a postscript image to print on multiple pagesSYNOPSIS¶
poster <options> infile
DESCRIPTION¶
Poster can be used to create a large poster by building it from multiple pages and/or printing it on large media. It expects as input a generic (encapsulated) postscript file, normally printing on a single page. The output is again a postscript file, maybe containing multiple pages together building the poster. The output pages bear cutmarks and have slightly overlapping images for easier assembling. The input picture will be scaled to obtain the desired size. The program uses a brute-force method: it copies the entire input file for each output page, hence the output file can be very large. Since the program does not really bother about the input file contents, it clearly works for both black-and-white and color postscript. To control its operation, you need to specify either the size of the desired poster or a scale factor for the image:- -
- Given the poster size, it calculates the required number of sheets to print on, and from that a scale factor to fill these sheets optimally with the input image.
- -
- Given a scale factor, it derives the required number of pages from the input image size, and positions the scaled image centered on this area.
OPTIONS¶
- -v
- Be verbose. Tell about scaling, rotation and number of
pages.
- -f
- Ask manual media feed on the plotting/printing device,
instead of using its standard paper tray.
- -i <box>
- Specify the size of the input image.
- -m <box>
- Specify the desired media size to print on. See below for
<box>.
- -p <box>
- Specify the poster size. See below for <box>. Since
poster will autonomously choose for rotation, always specify a
`portrait' poster size (i.e. higher then wide).
- -s <number>
- Specify a linear scaling factor to produce the poster.
Together with the input image size and optional margins, this induces an
output poster size. So don't specify both -s and -p.
- -c <box> or -c <number>%
-
- -w <box> or -w <number>%
-
- -P <pagespec>
-
- -o <outputfile>
- Specify the name of the file to write the output into.
<box> = [<multiplier>][<offset>]<unit>
<multiplier> = <number>*<number>
<offset> = +<number>,<number>
<unit> = <medianame> or <distancename> Many international media names are recognised by the program, in upper and lower case, and can be shortened to their first few characters, as long as unique. For instance `A0', `Let'.
EXAMPLES¶
The following command prints an A4 input file on 8 A3 pages, forming an A0 poster:poster -v -iA4 -mA3 -pA0 infile >outfile
poster -v -mLet -p3x3Let image.eps > outfile
poster -v -mA0 -w2x2i image.eps > outfile
poster -v -s4 image.eps > outfile
poster -v -mLegal -p1x1m -w10% infile.ps >outfile
PROBLEMS & QUESTIONS¶
I get a blurry image and/or interference patterns¶
If your input file contains -or consists of- pixel images (as opposed to just vector data which is essentially resolution independent), you might have this problem. Such pixel images are normally made to fit well to standard 300 (or 600) dpi devices. Scaling such a picture with an carelessly chosen factor, can easily lead to hazy edges and interference patterns on the output. The solution is to provide poster with an exact scaling factor (with the -s option), chosen as an integer. If integer scaling is impractical for your purpose, choose a fractional number made from a small integer denominator (2, 3, 4).Can I select only a small part of a given input picture?¶
Yes, for this purpose you can define both the size (width and height) and offset (from left and bottom) of a window on the input image. Specify these numbers as argument to a `-i' command line option.Poster doesn't seem to work properly, output pages are empty¶
The major cause for poster not to work correctly, is giving it postscript files which don't conform to proper 'eps' behaviour. Try whether your application (or printer driver) cannot generate real 'encapsulated postscript'.If I ask for a 50x50cm poster, it always generates something bigger¶
Yes, probably. When specifying a desired output size with the `-p' option, poster first determines an array of sheets to cover such an area. Then it determines a scale factor for the picture to fill these sheets upto their edge. As result your requested size is used as rough guess only. If you want an exact output size, specify the scaling factor yourself with the `-s' option (and omit the `-p').I want to keep the white space around the poster as in my original¶
Poster will as default use the input image bounding box, and scale/translate that to the edges of your poster. If the program which generated your input file specifies an exact and tight %%BoundingBox, you will indeed loose your white margin. To keep the original margin, specify a `-i' option with as argument the papersize on which the original document was formatted (such as `-iA4'). Alternatively specify a smaller scale factor (with -s) or an explicit new margin (with -w).POSTER ASSEMBLY¶
Our preferred method for the assembly of a poster from multiple sheets is as follows:- -
- Arrange the sheets in the proper order on a large table or on the floor.
- -
- Remove from all sheets, except from those in the leftmost column or bottom row, their left and bottom cutmargin.
- -
- In left-to-right and bottom-to-top order, glue the right (and top) cutmargin and stick the right (and upper) neighbouring page on top of that.
- -
- Turn the glued-together poster face bottom, and put adhesive tape on the sheet edges (on the backside of the poster) for more strength.
- -
- Remove the remaining cutmargin around the poster.
DEVICE SETTINGS¶
For postscript level-2 capable printers/plotters, which is about all modern postscript devices today, poster will send device settings in its output file. This consists of a `setpagedevice' call, setting:- -
- the media size.
- -
- duplexing off.
- -
- manual media feed.
DSC CONFORMANCE¶
Poster will generate its own DSC header and other DSC lines in the output file, according the `Document Structuring Conventions - version 3.0', as written down in the `Postscript Language Reference Manual, 2nd ed.' from Adobe Systems Inc, Addison Wesley Publ comp., 1990. It will copy any `%%Document...' line from the input file DSC header to its own header output. This is used here in particular for required nonresident fonts. However the copy(s) of the input file included in the output, are stripped from all lines starting with a `%%', since they tend to disturb our `ghostview' previewer and take useless space anyhow.SEE ALSO¶
ghostview(1), papersize(5)CONTRIBUTED BY¶
Jos van Eijndhoven (email: J.T.J.v.Eijndhoven@ele.tue.nl) Design Automation Section (http://www.es.ele.tue.nl) Dept. of Elec. Eng. Eindhoven Univ of Technology The Netherlands 24 August, 1995