KDEPrint on other *NIX platforms.

[Nick Bartolotti]

> -----Original Message-----
> From: Kurt Pfeifle [mailto:kpfeifle@danka.de]
> Sent: Monday, March 24, 2003 2:36 PM
> To: kde-print@mail.kde.org
> Subject: Re: KDEPrint on other *NIX platforms.
>=20
> Nick Bartolotti wrote:
>=20
>  > Chris,
>  >
>  > Thanks for the information.  We are considering writing a front end
and
>  > filter chain for CUPS for a specialized printer
>=20
> <curiosity>
>     What sort of filter chain? What sort of specialized printer? (*)
> </curiosity>
>               (*) only answers requested which don't require a signing
of
> an NDA...  ;-)

I can't tell you which printer or vendor yet but can tell you I've been
developing printing systems for over 10 years with most major engine
OEMs.
=20
Most of these are proprietary video interfaces to talk directly to the
engine.  These are engines that typically do not have an internal print
server because of processing horsepower requirements and bandwidth
limitations of current interfaces (parallel, serial, USB, Firewire,
etc.).

>From that point of view, there are no back ends that support the
connection to the engine.

>=20
>  > but I do not want to
>  > force the user to use KDE for the utility if they are on HP-UX 11
or
>  > Solaris 8/9.
>  >
>  > That is, if we write this front end using Qt/KED, how does the
end-user
>  > use the program from within CDE?
>=20
> Just by calling it by name. Or by clicking on a desktop icon. Or by
> selecting
> an item from a program menu....

Does this mean that I can develop a KDE application on Linux, transfer
the application source to Solaris, recompile, and it will run on Solaris
with only the CDE (and possibly libraries for KDE) installed?

>=20
> If it is a GUI wrapper for a "print command": most programs allow for
a
> customized print command...
>=20
>    * in Netscape just use "kprinter" instead of the pre-configured
"lpr"
>    * in StarOffice just setup the "Generic PostScript Printer" to
print
>      using "kprinter"
>    * in "galeon" (the GNOME web browser) just use "kprinter" as a
print
>      command
>    * in Acrobat Reader, just use "kprinter" as the print command
>    * in Mozilla, just use "kprinter" as the print command.
>    * a.s.o., a.s.f.
>=20
> Just some ancient apps using a hard-wired built-in print command
(mostly
> "lpr") aren't as easy to configure. A little trick helps:
>=20
>   * move the "lpr" print command to "lpr.orig": "mv `which lpr` `which
> lpr`.orig"
>   * symlink "lpr" to the "kprinter" command:    "ln -s `which
kprinter`
> `which lpr`"
>=20
> If you can't imagine what I described above, just do a little smoke
test:
> try to get "gtklp". It should be easy to find a pre-compiled package
for
> Solaris (plus the required GNOME libs) -- it is less powerfull than
> KDEPrint, as it is only the GUI to "lpr", but it is also smaller and
> easier to find. Do with "gtklp" what I suggested for "kprinter" and
> you'll see how it works. Then decide which way you go with your
> programming
> effort...

I understand this.

>=20
>  > My guess is that they can't without
>  > first reconfiguring the system to use KDE instead of CDE.
>=20
> Your guess is wrong.

Good. This is answer I was looking for. =20

>=20
> (The most difficult part will be to re-compile the KDEPrint stuff on
your
> platforms if you don't find ready-made packages...)
>=20
>  > If they do
>  > this, what affect will this have with respect to all the other
>  > already-installed GUI applications on the system?
>=20
> None.

Again, Good.

>=20
>  > My guess is they will no longer work.
>=20
> Wrong, because your assumption was wrong.
>=20
>  > So what this boils down to is whether or not I have to develop and
>  > maintain one or two sets of source code for the GUI (ignoring CPU
>=20
> ???
>=20
>  > for
>  > the moment).
>  >
>  > That is,
>  >
>  > Set 1:
>  > GUI for CDE (assuming CDE is *really* common)
>=20
> CDE will be replaced by Sun very soon by GNOME. However, I know (not
just
> one) customers using Solaris (large-scale, going into thousands of
> desktops)
> who *won't* switch to GNOME, but will be using KDE by the end of the
> year, because they like it much more...
>=20

What is the difference between GNOME and KDE?  Are they just different
desktop environments? =20

>  > for HP-UX 11 and Solaris
>  > 8/9.  I expect to have to recompile on each system to get the
>  > appropriate binaries.
>=20
> If you don't find pre-compiled binaries: yes, any compilation needs to
> be done for each platform separately.
>=20

That's OK.  It is what I expected.

>  > I also expect minor differences that may require
>  > conditional compilation.
>  >
>  > Set 2:
>  > GUI for KDE on Redhat 8.0.
>=20
> Huh? I may have missed s.th. --- but where now comes Redhat 8.0 into
play?
> (Anyway, it shouldn't be very difficult to find pre-compiled packages
for
> KDEPrint and complete KDE for any major Linux distro...)

Again, the assumption I made above was wrong.

Thanks again for your input.  It is greatly appreciated.
Nick.

>=20
>  > What do you think?
>  >
>  > Thanks,
>  > Nick.
>=20
> Cheers,
> Kurt
>=20
> _______________________________________________
> kde-print mailing list
> kde-print@mail.kde.org
> http://mail.kde.org/mailman/listinfo/kde-print