Printing multiple post script files

Michael S. Lorrey (mike@lorrey.com)
Wed, 19 May 1999 22:06:31 -0400

I know that a lot of the people on the list who work with academic papers deal with distributing and/or downloading post script files from other sources, but don't like the problem with having to first print up a copy then get that copy duplicated x number of times at the copier. I just wrote a little batch file for my NT 4.0 PC that allows me to ftp a post script or PCL 'print' file (or any file for that matter) to any printer on my network that has its own IP address as many times as I specify.

Since I brought the printing of our software manuals in house to save money, I keep PS files of the manuals on hand and tell the batch file to send (x) many copies of the file to the network printer at the end of the day when I leave, so the night guy can just keep the printer fed with paper as it hums away... I set this up cause this new printer has a duplexer and I figured out that we can cut the cost of our manual production by half doing it this way rather than sending it out to the local Docutech shop. NT refuses let you drag and drop postscript files to the printers on the GUI printer driver interface, so I needed to simplify things on the command line level.

I've got a similar version for older versions of windows/dos batch language, and they both require that the user have the vedit editor installed (I'm working on a version that uses just the standard dos editor). I'm also thinking of one that allows the user to send copies to a whole list of IP addresses, to ease distribution over the wire.

If anyone finds this useful, please let me know that you'd like a copy of the batch program and its parameter file. The file is internally documented as well as a readme file, so it should be easy to customize for your needs. Oh, yeah, and its free too...... ;)

Mike Lorrey