[Printing-architecture] Notes of today's telecon

[Printing-architecture] Notes of today's telecon

[Till Kamppeter]

Oi,

here are some notes of what we talked about and what we agreed on today.


Participants
------------

(I hope I did not forget someone)

Ira McDonald
Glen Petrie
Norm Jacobs
Wendy Philips
Claudia Alimpich
Ian Murdock
Till Kamppeter


Directory structure
-------------------

In principle we agreed on what we had worked out last week, but there
are following additional points:

- PPDs should be in directories with language tags, multi-language PPDs
in a special one, preferrably named "mul":

/usr/share/ppd/<supplier>/en/
/usr/share/ppd/<supplier>/fr/
/usr/share/ppd/<supplier>/mul/
...

- Actual printing systems (like CUPS) should access the files via
symbolic links, if possible one link for the whole directory, supplied
by the distro's package of the printing system. For the PPDs for example
CUPS would only need one link:

ln -s /usr/share/ppd /usr/share/cups/model/vendor-ppds

Individual links only if really needed.

Remark (we did not mention this on the call): Reference to driver in the
PPD (for example in "*cupsFilter" line) can have absolute path, so one
would not necessarily need the driver to reside in /usr/lib/cups/filter/.


linuxprinting.org as central resource
-------------------------------------

- Not all printer manufacturers are comfortable with uploading their
drivers/PPDs to a central, external place like linuxprinting.org. To
still have linuxprinting.org being a central place to which you supply
make and model info from the device ID and getting returned a working
driver, we would accept nachine-readable links from the manufacturers
suppliers, so that a printer setup tool could automatically download the
driver. We will not accept links to interactive download dialogs like
'go to www.fooprinters.com and then click "Drivers" and choose your model'.

- linuxprinting.org is moving to FSG. I will soon get a root server
there and then start the activities to move it over. Then
OpenPrinting.org and linuxprinting.org activities can get more closely
together or we even join.


LSB Face to Face next week
--------------------------

We must work out here on the list what I will present next week. What to
suggest for LSB 3.2, what for 4.0. Slides need to be created.

- For 4.0 we should try to get a complete picture of FSG OpenPrinting
standards: PAPI, JTAPI, OPVP, PCM, SM, ...

- For 3.2 the most important are the directories we have agreed on.
Should we also require existing CUPS (1.1.x, 1.2.x?) and GhostScript
(with "cups", "ijs', "opvp" devices) infrastructure? Should we already
suggest PAPI?

We agreed on starting the discussionhere on printing-architecture and
then when we have put something together to cross-post it onto
desktop_printing.

Last-minute updates I can take up to the evening of May 31, Boston time.


Next printing-architecture phone meeting
----------------------------------------

There is no meeting on May 31.

   Till

Re: [Printing-architecture] Notes of today's telecon

[Till Kamppeter]

Here is the link to Giuseppe Ghibò's posting on dektop_printing which
was mentioned on the call:

http://lists.osdl.org/pipermail/desktop_printing/2006/000744.html

It is mostly about following issues of hardware and their manufacturers:

- Linux/free software drivers for Hardware models appear only late after
  the model appears on the market. Often the model is already
  discontinued when the driver appears.

- Firmware is not built in any more into the hardware (on an EEPROM) but
  has to be uploaded every time one turns the device on. This requires
  to have a piece of proprietary software (the firmware file) on the PC
  and so the device cannot run out-of-the-box with free downloadable
  distros.

   Till





Till Kamppeter wrote:
> Oi,
> 
> here are some notes of what we talked about and what we agreed on today.
> 
> 
> Participants
> ------------
> 
> (I hope I did not forget someone)
> 
> Ira McDonald
> Glen Petrie
> Norm Jacobs
> Wendy Philips
> Claudia Alimpich
> Ian Murdock
> Till Kamppeter
> 
> 
> Directory structure
> -------------------
> 
> In principle we agreed on what we had worked out last week, but there
> are following additional points:
> 
> - PPDs should be in directories with language tags, multi-language PPDs
> in a special one, preferrably named "mul":
> 
> /usr/share/ppd/<supplier>/en/
> /usr/share/ppd/<supplier>/fr/
> /usr/share/ppd/<supplier>/mul/
> ...
> 
> - Actual printing systems (like CUPS) should access the files via
> symbolic links, if possible one link for the whole directory, supplied
> by the distro's package of the printing system. For the PPDs for example
> CUPS would only need one link:
> 
> ln -s /usr/share/ppd /usr/share/cups/model/vendor-ppds
> 
> Individual links only if really needed.
> 
> Remark (we did not mention this on the call): Reference to driver in the
> PPD (for example in "*cupsFilter" line) can have absolute path, so one
> would not necessarily need the driver to reside in /usr/lib/cups/filter/.
> 
> 
> linuxprinting.org as central resource
> -------------------------------------
> 
> - Not all printer manufacturers are comfortable with uploading their
> drivers/PPDs to a central, external place like linuxprinting.org. To
> still have linuxprinting.org being a central place to which you supply
> make and model info from the device ID and getting returned a working
> driver, we would accept nachine-readable links from the manufacturers
> suppliers, so that a printer setup tool could automatically download the
> driver. We will not accept links to interactive download dialogs like
> 'go to www.fooprinters.com and then click "Drivers" and choose your model'.
> 
> - linuxprinting.org is moving to FSG. I will soon get a root server
> there and then start the activities to move it over. Then
> OpenPrinting.org and linuxprinting.org activities can get more closely
> together or we even join.
> 
> 
> LSB Face to Face next week
> --------------------------
> 
> We must work out here on the list what I will present next week. What to
> suggest for LSB 3.2, what for 4.0. Slides need to be created.
> 
> - For 4.0 we should try to get a complete picture of FSG OpenPrinting
> standards: PAPI, JTAPI, OPVP, PCM, SM, ...
> 
> - For 3.2 the most important are the directories we have agreed on.
> Should we also require existing CUPS (1.1.x, 1.2.x?) and GhostScript
> (with "cups", "ijs', "opvp" devices) infrastructure? Should we already
> suggest PAPI?
> 
> We agreed on starting the discussionhere on printing-architecture and
> then when we have put something together to cross-post it onto
> desktop_printing.
> 
> Last-minute updates I can take up to the evening of May 31, Boston time.
> 
> 
> Next printing-architecture phone meeting
> ----------------------------------------
> 
> There is no meeting on May 31.
> 
>    Till
> 
> _______________________________________________
> Printing-architecture mailing list
> Printing-architecture@lists.freestandards.org
> http://lists.freestandards.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/printing-architecture
> 
> 

Re: [Printing-architecture] Notes of today's telecon

[Till Kamppeter]

Wendy Phillips wrote:
> I recall the ppd path differently:
> 
> /usr/share/ppd/<supplier>/<make>/<model>/<language tag>
> 

I remember that it was

/usr/share/ppd/<supplier>/<language tag>/<make>-<model>-<extra info>.ppd

> Comment on PPD files at Linuxprinting.org
>     As the user, if I select printer abc model 123, would I get a choice
> of suppliers? Such as, print vendor abc, gutenprint, linuxprinting.org,
> ... or is this for printer vendors exclusively?

You will get a choice of suppliers. Currently you can already choose
various drivers for one and the same model, and these are usually from
different suppliers. What will change in the future is that there will
be hosted or linked machine-installable binary packages of drivers for
automatization of installation of printers which are not (yet) known to
the actually installed distro.

   Till

RE: [Printing-architecture] Notes of today's telecon

[McDonald, Ira]

Hi,

I agree with Wendy that I had been proposing language tag
as the least significant directory, but looking at the two
paths I prefer Till's specification (after supplier, but 
before make-model-extra).

Cheers,
- Ira

Ira McDonald (Musician / Software Architect)
Blue Roof Music / High North Inc
PO Box 221  Grand Marais, MI  49839
phone: +1-906-494-2434
email: imcdonald@sharplabs.com

> -----Original Message-----
> From: printing-architecture-bounces@lists.freestandards.org
> [mailto:printing-architecture-bounces@lists.freestandards.org]
> On Behalf
> Of Till Kamppeter
> Sent: Thursday, May 25, 2006 10:33 AM
> To: Wendy Phillips
> Cc: printing-architecture
> Subject: Re: [Printing-architecture] Notes of today's telecon
> 
> 
> Wendy Phillips wrote:
> > I recall the ppd path differently:
> > 
> > /usr/share/ppd/<supplier>/<make>/<model>/<language tag>
> > 
> 
> I remember that it was
> 
> /usr/share/ppd/<supplier>/<language 
> tag>/<make>-<model>-<extra info>.ppd
> 
> > Comment on PPD files at Linuxprinting.org
> >     As the user, if I select printer abc model 123, would I 
> get a choice
> > of suppliers? Such as, print vendor abc, gutenprint, 
> linuxprinting.org,
> > ... or is this for printer vendors exclusively?
> 
> You will get a choice of suppliers. Currently you can already choose
> various drivers for one and the same model, and these are usually from
> different suppliers. What will change in the future is that there will
> be hosted or linked machine-installable binary packages of drivers for
> automatization of installation of printers which are not 
> (yet) known to
> the actually installed distro.
> 
>    Till
> 
> _______________________________________________
> Printing-architecture mailing list
> Printing-architecture@lists.freestandards.org
> http://lists.freestandards.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/printi
> ng-architecture
> 
> -- 
> No virus found in this incoming message.
> Checked by AVG Free Edition.
> Version: 7.1.394 / Virus Database: 268.7.1/347 - Release 
> Date: 5/24/2006
>  
> 

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Re: [Printing-architecture] Notes of today's telecon

[Norm Jacobs]

This is from Wendy.  It bounced on the printing-architecture list.

       -Norm


Hi -

We were discussing disk layout without notes from the previous week. I'm 
including them below.

SO,

    Till suggested /usr/share/ppd/supplier/language-tag

I would like to suggest:

    /usr/share/ppd/{supplier}/{manufacturer}/{manufacturer}-{model}-{language-tag}-{extra}.ppd 



My thinking is:

    The main reason to search for a ppd file is to find support for the 
target printer, ie need to know if support is present for that 
make-model. Only then does language become the point of interest. I'm 
not looking for all the printers which support <name your favorite 
language> but if support for the target printer is available. Only once 
I have this does the language selection process occur.

    Also, if we divide all the printers by the various languages, the 
directory tree cam become large with some directories containing just a 
few files.

    Till also suggested the "extra" tag. I'm not clear why. Till?

Comments?

-Wendy

---------------------  Notes from 15th
PPD

/usr/share/ppd/{supplier}/{manufacturer}-{model}.ppd

where whitespace and dash(-) are replaced with with unserscore(_)
supplier is the ppd file supplier (gutenprint, hplip, cups, epson,
                                              hp, ...)
manufacturer is the print manufacturer name from the IEEE 1284  Device ID
model is the printer model from the IEEE 1284 Device ID
        Eg.

/usr/share/ppd/gutenprint/Hewlett_Packard-hp_color_LaserJet_4650.ppd
           /usr/share/ppd/HP/Hewlett_Packard-hp_color_LaserJet_4650.ppd

     Driver
        /usr/lib/printerdriver/{supplier}/...
           where whitespace and dash(-) are replaced with with 
unserscore(_)
           supplier is the ppd file supplier (gutenprint, hplip, cups, 
epson,
                                              hp, ...)
        /usr/lib/printerdriver/bin/{supplier-executable(s)}
           links to executables in the {supplier} directory

        Eg.
           /usr/lib/prinerdriver/gutenprint/...
           /usr/lib/printerdriver/bin/gutenprintijs-5.0 -> 
../gutenprint/gutenprintijs-5.0
---------------------------



McDonald, Ira wrote:
> Hi,
>
> I agree with Wendy that I had been proposing language tag
> as the least significant directory, but looking at the two
> paths I prefer Till's specification (after supplier, but before 
> make-model-extra).
>
> Cheers,
> - Ira
>
> Ira McDonald (Musician / Software Architect)
> Blue Roof Music / High North Inc
> PO Box 221  Grand Marais, MI  49839
> phone: +1-906-494-2434
> email: imcdonald@sharplabs.com
>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: printing-architecture-bounces@lists.freestandards.org
>> [mailto:printing-architecture-bounces@lists.freestandards.org]
>> On Behalf
>> Of Till Kamppeter
>> Sent: Thursday, May 25, 2006 10:33 AM
>> To: Wendy Phillips
>> Cc: printing-architecture
>> Subject: Re: [Printing-architecture] Notes of today's telecon
>>
>>
>> Wendy Phillips wrote:
>>> I recall the ppd path differently:
>>>
>>> /usr/share/ppd/<supplier>/<make>/<model>/<language tag>
>>>
>> I remember that it was
>>
>> /usr/share/ppd/<supplier>/<language tag>/<make>-<model>-<extra info>.ppd
>>
>>> Comment on PPD files at Linuxprinting.org
>>>     As the user, if I select printer abc model 123, would I 
>> get a choice
>>> of suppliers? Such as, print vendor abc, gutenprint, 
>> linuxprinting.org,
>>> ... or is this for printer vendors exclusively?
>> You will get a choice of suppliers. Currently you can already choose
>> various drivers for one and the same model, and these are usually from
>> different suppliers. What will change in the future is that there will
>> be hosted or linked machine-installable binary packages of drivers for
>> automatization of installation of printers which are not (yet) known to
>> the actually installed distro.
>>
>>    Till
>>
>> _______________________________________________
>> Printing-architecture mailing list
>> Printing-architecture@lists.freestandards.org
>> http://lists.freestandards.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/printi
>> ng-architecture
>>
>> -- 
>> No virus found in this incoming message.
>> Checked by AVG Free Edition.
>> Version: 7.1.394 / Virus Database: 268.7.1/347 - Release Date: 5/24/2006
>>  
>>
>

Re: [Printing-architecture] Notes of today's telecon

[Till Kamppeter]

Norm Jacobs wrote:
> 
>    Till also suggested the "extra" tag. I'm not clear why. Till?
> 

For one and the same printer there can be more than one driver but the
PPDs come from the same supplier. There are PPDs from Foomatic for the
HP LaserJet 4050 for the "ljet4", the "pxlmono", and the "hpijs" driver
for example. Gutenprint has standard (full option set) and simplified
(reduced option set) PPDs.

Then we can do

/usr/share/ppd/foomatic/HP/HP-LaserJet_4050-ljet4-en.ppd
/usr/share/ppd/foomatic/HP/HP-LaserJet_4050-pxlmono-en.ppd
/usr/share/ppd/foomatic/HP/HP-LaserJet_4050-hpijs-en.ppd
/usr/share/ppd/gutenprint/HP/HP-LaserJet_4050-standard-en.ppd
/usr/share/ppd/gutenprint/HP/HP-LaserJet_4050-simplified-en.ppd

   Till

RE: [Printing-architecture] Notes of today's telecon

[Petrie, Glen]

After looking at the last several emails I am worried that the "extra" may
get out of control with some "guidelines".

I concur with Till's recommendation about the language tag at the end of the
name.  It is easy for both humans and machine to quickly identify the
language (after using the first part to get the model).

/usr/share/ppd/{supplier}/{manufacturer}/{manufacturer}-{model}-{extra}-{lan
guage-tag}.ppd

So I think we should focus on the "extra".   Idea's

I understand that my suggestions below will increase the length and
complexity of the filename.  But I feel that the User (via a directory
listing) may want to understand/identify specific PPD files without the need
to look into each one.  Therefore, just like font files, we
may-have-to/should add extra/more information in the filename.  Also, the
extra information has to be easy to identify not just by an application.  I
feel that if we don't define the "extra" fields early in the game, then it
will be come impossible later to fix. 

1. If the extra tag information is a qualifier on the model, then the
information becomes part of the model tag.  For example,

/usr/share/ppd/foomatic/HP/HP-LaserJet_4050_ljet4-en.ppd
/usr/share/ppd/foomatic/HP/HP-LaserJet_4050_pxlmono-en.ppd

If you want to change it slightly, one could put the information in the
extra tag denoted as a model option.

2. If there are model options, it is denoted as "o_<model-options>.  For
example,

/usr/share/ppd/foomatic/HP/HP-LaserJet_4050-o_pxlmono-en.ppd
 
Since ijs is driver type (not a print supplier).  Beyond ijs, what is there?
(Note, CUPS, Guten, etc are supplier and will have a high level directory
level.)  (Are there really separate PPD's for IJS?  If so, why?)

3. If there is a driver-type extra tag, it is denoted as "d_<driver-type>";
for example 

/usr/share/ppd/foomatic/HP/HP-LaserJet_4050-d_hpijs-en.ppd

Some of the extra-tags Till illustrated are really supplier specific.  For
example, qutenprint's standard and simplified.

4. If there is supplier specific qualifier tag, it is denoted by
"s_<supplier-specific-qualifier>".  For example,

/usr/share/ppd/gutenprint/HP/HP-LaserJet_4050-s_standard-en.ppd
/usr/share/ppd/gutenprint/HP/HP-LaserJet_4050-s_simplified-en.ppd

---------


-----Original Message-----
From: printing-architecture-bounces@lists.freestandards.org
[mailto:printing-architecture-bounces@lists.freestandards.org] On Behalf Of
Till Kamppeter
Sent: Thursday, May 25, 2006 5:19 PM
To: Wendy Phillips
Cc: Norm Jacobs; printing-architecture
Subject: Re: [Printing-architecture] Notes of today's telecon

Norm Jacobs wrote:
> 
>    Till also suggested the "extra" tag. I'm not clear why. Till?
> 

For one and the same printer there can be more than one driver but the
PPDs come from the same supplier. There are PPDs from Foomatic for the
HP LaserJet 4050 for the "ljet4", the "pxlmono", and the "hpijs" driver
for example. Gutenprint has standard (full option set) and simplified
(reduced option set) PPDs.

Then we can do

/usr/share/ppd/foomatic/HP/HP-LaserJet_4050-ljet4-en.ppd
/usr/share/ppd/foomatic/HP/HP-LaserJet_4050-pxlmono-en.ppd
/usr/share/ppd/foomatic/HP/HP-LaserJet_4050-hpijs-en.ppd
/usr/share/ppd/gutenprint/HP/HP-LaserJet_4050-standard-en.ppd
/usr/share/ppd/gutenprint/HP/HP-LaserJet_4050-simplified-en.ppd

   Till

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e

Re: [Printing-architecture] Notes of today's telecon

[Michael Sweet]

Till Kamppeter wrote:
> Norm Jacobs wrote:
>>    Till also suggested the "extra" tag. I'm not clear why. Till?
>>
> 
> For one and the same printer there can be more than one driver but the
> PPDs come from the same supplier. There are PPDs from Foomatic for the
> HP LaserJet 4050 for the "ljet4", the "pxlmono", and the "hpijs" driver
> for example. Gutenprint has standard (full option set) and simplified
> (reduced option set) PPDs.
> 
> Then we can do
> 
> /usr/share/ppd/foomatic/HP/HP-LaserJet_4050-ljet4-en.ppd
> /usr/share/ppd/foomatic/HP/HP-LaserJet_4050-pxlmono-en.ppd
> /usr/share/ppd/foomatic/HP/HP-LaserJet_4050-hpijs-en.ppd
> /usr/share/ppd/gutenprint/HP/HP-LaserJet_4050-standard-en.ppd
> /usr/share/ppd/gutenprint/HP/HP-LaserJet_4050-simplified-en.ppd

FWIW, I'm not keen on putting multiple languages in a single
directory.  Most file systems don't like to deal with 60k+ files
in a single directory, and the CUPS globalized/multiple-language
PPD files don't need the suffix (or if they did use a suffix, you'd
list all of the supported locales...)

-- 
______________________________________________________________________
Michael Sweet, Easy Software Products           mike at easysw dot com
Internet Printing and Document Software          http://www.easysw.com

RE: [Printing-architecture] Notes of today's telecon

[McDonald, Ira]

Hi,

I'm going to support Michael's point here.  The prevailing
usage in the localization industry and in most file systems
is to use language tag directories immediately _before_ the
terminal filename in a path.

And leaving aside "extra" entirely (not that we should),
10,000 printers with typically 10 languages supported
makes a directory of 100,000 PPDs with the language tag 
as a suffix in the terminal filename - awful performance
for search and installation tools.

Though an installation tool MIGHT have to search multiple
directories for a given model, it could easily check the
user's current locale and present as the default (before
ANY other searching) a PPD for the current locale.

I sympathize with Glen about standardizing "extra", but
I tend to think it's mostly hopeless - syntax yes, content
not worth the effort.

Cheers,
- Ira

Ira McDonald (Musician / Software Architect)
Blue Roof Music / High North Inc
PO Box 221  Grand Marais, MI  49839
phone: +1-906-494-2434
email: imcdonald@sharplabs.com

> -----Original Message-----
> From: printing-architecture-bounces@lists.freestandards.org
> [mailto:printing-architecture-bounces@lists.freestandards.org]
> On Behalf
> Of Michael Sweet
> Sent: Friday, May 26, 2006 10:44 AM
> To: Till Kamppeter
> Cc: Wendy Phillips; Norm Jacobs; printing-architecture
> Subject: Re: [Printing-architecture] Notes of today's telecon
> 
> 
> Till Kamppeter wrote:
> > Norm Jacobs wrote:
> >>    Till also suggested the "extra" tag. I'm not clear why. Till?
> >>
> > 
> > For one and the same printer there can be more than one 
> driver but the
> > PPDs come from the same supplier. There are PPDs from 
> Foomatic for the
> > HP LaserJet 4050 for the "ljet4", the "pxlmono", and the 
> "hpijs" driver
> > for example. Gutenprint has standard (full option set) and 
> simplified
> > (reduced option set) PPDs.
> > 
> > Then we can do
> > 
> > /usr/share/ppd/foomatic/HP/HP-LaserJet_4050-ljet4-en.ppd
> > /usr/share/ppd/foomatic/HP/HP-LaserJet_4050-pxlmono-en.ppd
> > /usr/share/ppd/foomatic/HP/HP-LaserJet_4050-hpijs-en.ppd
> > /usr/share/ppd/gutenprint/HP/HP-LaserJet_4050-standard-en.ppd
> > /usr/share/ppd/gutenprint/HP/HP-LaserJet_4050-simplified-en.ppd
> 
> FWIW, I'm not keen on putting multiple languages in a single
> directory.  Most file systems don't like to deal with 60k+ files
> in a single directory, and the CUPS globalized/multiple-language
> PPD files don't need the suffix (or if they did use a suffix, you'd
> list all of the supported locales...)
> 
> -- 
> ______________________________________________________________________
> Michael Sweet, Easy Software Products           mike at easysw dot com
> Internet Printing and Document Software          http://www.easysw.com
> 
> _______________________________________________
> Printing-architecture mailing list
> Printing-architecture@lists.freestandards.org
> http://lists.freestandards.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/printi
> ng-architecture
> 
> -- 
> No virus found in this incoming message.
> Checked by AVG Free Edition.
> Version: 7.1.394 / Virus Database: 268.7.2/349 - Release 
> Date: 5/26/2006
>  
> 

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Checked by AVG Free Edition.
Version: 7.1.394 / Virus Database: 268.7.2/349 - Release Date: 5/26/2006
 

Re: [Printing-architecture] Notes of today's telecon

[Till Kamppeter]

McDonald, Ira wrote:
> Hi,
> 
> I'm going to support Michael's point here.  The prevailing
> usage in the localization industry and in most file systems
> is to use language tag directories immediately _before_ the
> terminal filename in a path.
> 

So you suggest

/usr/share/ppd/foomatic/HP/en/HP-LaserJet_4050-ljet4-en.ppd
/usr/share/ppd/foomatic/HP/en/HP-LaserJet_4050-pxlmono-en.ppd
/usr/share/ppd/foomatic/HP/en/HP-LaserJet_4050-hpijs-en.ppd
/usr/share/ppd/gutenprint/HP/en/HP-LaserJet_4050-standard-en.ppd
/usr/share/ppd/gutenprint/HP/en/HP-LaserJet_4050-simplified-en.ppd
/usr/share/ppd/gutenprint/HP/de/HP-LaserJet_4050-simplified-de.ppd

Is this what you mean?

Having the language directory as the last level makes it also easier to
install (and also to uninstall) selected languages.

> And leaving aside "extra" entirely (not that we should),
> 10,000 printers with typically 10 languages supported
> makes a directory of 100,000 PPDs with the language tag 
> as a suffix in the terminal filename - awful performance
> for search and installation tools.
>

Or should we do

/usr/share/ppd/gutenprint/HP/LaserJet_4050/simplified/de/HP-LaserJet_4050-simplified-de.ppd

but we must read the PPDs anyway to match the detected printer against
the device ID strings in them.

> Though an installation tool MIGHT have to search multiple
> directories for a given model, it could easily check the
> user's current locale and present as the default (before
> ANY other searching) a PPD for the current locale.
> 

This reduces search time a lot, and by not installing unneeded language
directories one can save a lot of disk space.

> I sympathize with Glen about standardizing "extra", but
> I tend to think it's mostly hopeless - syntax yes, content
> not worth the effort.

Some tag in "Extra" telling the meaning of the content (like a "d_" for
a driver name) could make things easier, but it is not absolutely needed.

   Till

Re: [Printing-architecture] Notes of today's telecon

[Michael Sweet]

Till Kamppeter wrote:
> McDonald, Ira wrote:
>> Hi,
>>
>> I'm going to support Michael's point here.  The prevailing
>> usage in the localization industry and in most file systems
>> is to use language tag directories immediately _before_ the
>> terminal filename in a path.
>>
> 
> So you suggest
> 
> /usr/share/ppd/foomatic/HP/en/HP-LaserJet_4050-ljet4-en.ppd
> /usr/share/ppd/foomatic/HP/en/HP-LaserJet_4050-pxlmono-en.ppd
> /usr/share/ppd/foomatic/HP/en/HP-LaserJet_4050-hpijs-en.ppd
> /usr/share/ppd/gutenprint/HP/en/HP-LaserJet_4050-standard-en.ppd
> /usr/share/ppd/gutenprint/HP/en/HP-LaserJet_4050-simplified-en.ppd
> /usr/share/ppd/gutenprint/HP/de/HP-LaserJet_4050-simplified-de.ppd
> 
> Is this what you mean?

I'd actually suggest having the language first, e.g.:

     /usr/share/ppd/gutenprint/de/HP/HP-LaserJet_4050-simplified-de.ppd

> Having the language directory as the last level makes it also easier to
> install (and also to uninstall) selected languages.
 > ...

Putting the language first makes this trivial; burying it a few
levels deep makes things more difficult, which is why we (and Apple)
make it first...

-- 
______________________________________________________________________
Michael Sweet, Easy Software Products           mike at easysw dot com
Internet Printing and Document Software          http://www.easysw.com

RE: [Printing-architecture] Notes of today's telecon

[McDonald, Ira]

Hi,

I agree with Michael.  Put language tag early in the
path - right after 'supplier' (e.g., Gutenprint) and
right before 'manufacturer' (e.g., HP) - this is the
most friendly position from the point of view of clean
localization.

Cheers,
- Ira

Ira McDonald (Musician / Software Architect)
Blue Roof Music / High North Inc
PO Box 221  Grand Marais, MI  49839
phone: +1-906-494-2434
email: imcdonald@sharplabs.com

> -----Original Message-----
> From: Michael Sweet [mailto:mike@easysw.com]
> Sent: Friday, May 26, 2006 1:52 PM
> To: Till Kamppeter
> Cc: McDonald, Ira; Wendy Phillips; Norm Jacobs; printing-architecture
> Subject: Re: [Printing-architecture] Notes of today's telecon
> 
> 
> Till Kamppeter wrote:
> > McDonald, Ira wrote:
> >> Hi,
> >>
> >> I'm going to support Michael's point here.  The prevailing
> >> usage in the localization industry and in most file systems
> >> is to use language tag directories immediately _before_ the
> >> terminal filename in a path.
> >>
> > 
> > So you suggest
> > 
> > /usr/share/ppd/foomatic/HP/en/HP-LaserJet_4050-ljet4-en.ppd
> > /usr/share/ppd/foomatic/HP/en/HP-LaserJet_4050-pxlmono-en.ppd
> > /usr/share/ppd/foomatic/HP/en/HP-LaserJet_4050-hpijs-en.ppd
> > /usr/share/ppd/gutenprint/HP/en/HP-LaserJet_4050-standard-en.ppd
> > /usr/share/ppd/gutenprint/HP/en/HP-LaserJet_4050-simplified-en.ppd
> > /usr/share/ppd/gutenprint/HP/de/HP-LaserJet_4050-simplified-de.ppd
> > 
> > Is this what you mean?
> 
> I'd actually suggest having the language first, e.g.:
> 
>      
> /usr/share/ppd/gutenprint/de/HP/HP-LaserJet_4050-simplified-de.ppd
> 
> > Having the language directory as the last level makes it 
> also easier to
> > install (and also to uninstall) selected languages.
>  > ...
> 
> Putting the language first makes this trivial; burying it a few
> levels deep makes things more difficult, which is why we (and Apple)
> make it first...
> 
> -- 
> ______________________________________________________________________
> Michael Sweet, Easy Software Products           mike at easysw dot com
> Internet Printing and Document Software          http://www.easysw.com
> 
> -- 
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>  
> 

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