From: VAXN::FREEMANJ
Date: 15-OCT-1993  14:02:00
Description: DISSPOP Metafile Translator

Using DISSPOP on the VAX to Translate DISSPLA Metafiles         updated 7 Oct 94
-------------------------------------------------------
 
DISSPOP is a DISSPLA graphics metafile translator program available on the VAX.
Its purpose is to translate a (device-independent) DISSPLA metafile into a
(device-dependent) plotfile; optionally that plotfile can also be printed.
For screen-oriented plotting devices like X terminals or Tektronix graphics
terminals and emulators, DISSPOP displays the plots on the screen rather than
actually creating and printing a plotfile.
 
If you define a DCL global symbol DISSPOP in your LOGIN.COM file this way:
 
    $ SETUP DISSPOP
 
then you can run DISSPOP on the VAX as if it were a regular DCL command.  (This
construct is known as a "foreign command".)  Remember to execute your LOGIN.COM
with @LOGIN after editing, to activate the new definition of the DISSPOP symbol.
 
Two help screens are available.  To get one screenful of help on the format for
the DISSPOP command, type:
 
    $ DISSPOP ?
 
To get one screenful of help on the output devices supported by DISSPOP, type:
 
    $ DISSPOP DEVICES
 
For example, to translate a DISSPLA metafile into a PostScript file, this should
do the job:
 
    $ DISSPOP POSTSCRIPT input_DISSPLA_metafile output_PostScript_plotfile
 
If you want the output PostScript file to be automatically queued to the LPS20
printer in room 13-522 (the default PostScript printer), append the word QUEUE
or LPS3 (the name of the main PostScript queue on the LPS20) to the preceding
command.  Note that several of our HTA printers now also support PostScript;
for example, to queue to HTA10 in Building 34, append the word HTA10 instead of
QUEUE to the above command.  For four plots per page on the LPS20 (only our four
DEC printers can do this), use LPS3_PACK instead of LPS3 or QUEUE. Check the
help screens above for other information, like defaults.
 
DISSPOP uses the dot "." as a (default-invoking) placeholder for any of the
parameters.  Supposing your metafile was named R12345.MET, and you wanted to
plot a PostScript file to HTA10, your DISSPOP command might be:
 
    $ DISSPOP/VERBOSE/NOTIFY PS R12345.MET . HTA10
 
where the plotfile default name of POSTSCRIPT.PLT would be invoked.  See the
main help screen for explanations of the two qualifiers in the above command
line.  Also, remember that PostScript files are exceptionally large and so you
might temporarily exceed your disk quota.  Working in your scratch area should
alleviate this problem.  Also, by default all plotfiles are deleted after they
are printed; the /RETAIN qualifier may be used to suppress this action.
 
If you have any questions on the above or would like additional information,
please contact Joe Freeman, extension 4221, room 13-368, email FREEMANJ on the
USC VAXcluster (or freemanj@gav.gat.com on Internet).
 
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APPENDIX 1:  The main help screen
 
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DISSPOP    Translate a DISSPOP metafile into a plotfile and optionally print it.
 
  Format:       DISSPOP  device  [metafile]  [plotfile]  [queue]
 
    device ---- graphics device; choose from:  X11 (or X), 4006, 4010 (DEFAULT),
                4012, 4014, 4105, 4207, QMS (or QUIC), T800, T1590 (or EXCL),
                POSTSCRIPT (or PS or PHASER or DESKJET or LASERJET)
    metafile -- OPTIONAL name of DISSPLA metafile (input file) to be read
                DEFAULT:  Read from metafile named DISSPOP.MET.
    plotfile -- OPTIONAL name of plotfile (output file) to be written
                DEFAULT:  Write  to plotfile named device.PLT (or the screen).
    queue ----- OPTIONAL name of queue where plotfile is to be sent (or QUEUE)
                DEFAULT:  DISSPOP will not queue the plotfile for printing.
                If QUEUE is entered, DISSPOP will send file to a suitable queue.
 
    Use a dot "." as a (DEFAULT-invoking) placeholder for any of the parameters.
 
    /EXCLUDE    exclude flag page (identification header) when printing plots
    /NOTIFY     notify user     when printing has completed
    /OVERRIDE   override device/queue check, eliminating queue restrictions
    /RETAIN     retain plotfile when printing has completed, otherwise delete it
    /SOLICIT    solicit user for input of post-processor directives
    /VERBOSE    issue detailed informational messages
    /WIDTH=n    width of fundamental PostScript line, in thousandths of an inch
    /2UP  /4UP  place 2 plot frames (4 plot frames) on each physical page
 
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APPENDIX 2:  The "devices" help screen
 
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The devices supported by DISSPOP are the following:
 
----------   ------------------------------------   ----------------------------
Device       Description of Plotting Device         Corresponding Print Queue(s)
----------   ------------------------------------   ----------------------------
PS           * any PostScript       output device   LPS1,2,3,4 and _PACK, others
X11          * any X Window System display device   plots go to terminal display
4006         Tektronix 4006   monochrome terminal   plots go to terminal display
4010         Tektronix 4010   monochrome terminal   plots go to terminal display
4012         Tektronix 4012   monochrome terminal   plots go to terminal display
4014         Tektronix 4014   monochrome terminal   plots go to terminal display
4105         Tektronix 4105        color terminal   plots go to terminal display
4207         Tektronix 4207        color terminal   plots go to terminal display
QMS          Talaris 800           laser printers   HTA1,3,6,7,9,10,16
T800         Talaris 800           laser printers   HTA1,3,6,7,9,10,16
T1590        Talaris 1590-T        laser printers   HTA3,9,10,16 (HTA9->SYS_QMS)
PHASER       Tektronix Phaser 200i color printer    PHASER, PHASER_TRANS, any PS
DESKJET      HP  DeskJet 1200C/PS  color printer    HPDJ1, HPDJ2, PHASER, any PS
LASERJET     HP LaserJet 4Si MX    laser printer    HPLJ1, HPLJ2, HPLJ3 , any PS
POSTSCRIPT   DEC turbo PrintServer 20    printer    LPS3, LPS3_PACK     , any PS
----------   ------------------------------------   ----------------------------
 
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