Can I create PostScript files *.ps with different brightness of the same original document

[Dominik5EF3]

Hello,

1st question:

Does a *.ps file contain information about brightness and if the content is w/b or colour?
The content of the file is text and picture (mixtured)

2nd question:

Detailed: In my Windows 7 VM I use a printer configuration to print via SAMBA to my Linux host. The real printer is connected to the Linux host PC.

What I want is to print from a programme in my Windows guest and create this way a *.ps file via a virtual printer. After I can print this *.ps file in my Linux host.

For this purpose I need a PS driver, that supports the setting "brightness". I have found such a PostScript driver, that has settings that allow to adjust brightness. It is this windows Vista 32bit driver (There is no driver for this printer for Windows 7):

https://www.support.xerox.com/de-ch/product/workcentre-7132/downloads?platform=winvista&category=dri...

Manual:

https://download.support.xerox.com/pub/docs/WC_7132/userdocs/any-os/en/WC7132_PSUG_en.pdf

I do not have this printer. I only use this printer driver for my virtual printer to create *.ps-files.

My expectation was, that when I set the printer setting "brightness" to very bright, that now I will get a *.ps file of my document (It has pictures and text in it), that has a very bright look. But it seems that the setting "brightnesss" of this printer driver has no effect. Why?

(As I have no Postscript viewer I have first converted this *.ps file into PDF, to show how it looks like.)

This is my resulting *.ps file:

https://filehorst.de/d/ducoszJl

Would be very interested in this. Help is very appreciated. Thank you.

[Test Screen Name]

"Does a *.ps file contain information about brightness and if the content is w/b or colour?
The content of the file is text and picture (mixtured)"

Brightness is not a graphical property or setting. Rather, it is just the colour of each element. For something to become more bright or less bright is done by changing all of the colours of all of the elements, perhaps using a LUT or CMM.

[Test Screen Name]

By the way, I don't think any app exists to change brightness once you have PS file. You need to change it FIRST in  the original format.

[Dominik5EF3]

For something to become more bright or less bright is done by changing all of the colours of all of the elements, [...]
[... ] I don't think any app exists to change brightness once you have PS file. You need to change it FIRST in  the original format.

By @Test Screen Name

Thank you.

As I print with this PS-driver from Windows Wordpad, my origianl format is a Wordpad document.

My expectation was, that the process that creates the *.ps file with this SP-driver does make the colour changes to make it brighter.

[Dominik5EF3]

So: Why has the setting brightness of this ps-driver no effect in the creating process of the *.ps file?

And also when I choose the setting black-white: The created *.ps file nevertheless is in colour. Why does the setting colour/ w/b of this driver not work?

[Test Screen Name]

I have no idea what PS driver you are using, or how it would implement a brightness setting, or how it would work. Clearly, a PS driver COULD set brightness, because it converts all text, pictures and graphics to PostScript, which means it knows every colour used and could adjust it.

You need to ask the maker of the driver why it doesn't work as you expect or wish. Fixing it later is not really feasable.

[Dominik5EF3]

Clearly, a PS driver COULD set brightness, because it converts all text, pictures and graphics to PostScript, which means it knows every colour used and could adjust it.

By @Test Screen Name

Thank you.

It's this driver:

https://www.support.xerox.com/de-ch/product/workcentre-7132/downloads?platform=winvista&category=dri...

But maybe someone can give me another PS-Driver that can adjust brightness, that works?

[Test Screen Name]

Are you using the correct printer (that is, the printer that the driver is specifically made for)? 

[Dominik5EF3]

You mean the real hardware printer?

[Test Screen Name]

Yes, the real hardware printer. Are you using the exact correct driver for the real hardware printer? That is, are you printing to a real Xerox WC 7132?

[Dominik5EF3]

No. I have not a Xerox printer. In the creation process of the *.ps file there is no real hardware printer involved.

[Test Screen Name]

Ok, I believe this cannot work. I now think it likely that the PostScript driver does NOT set brightness or convert to black and white. If it did this, you would see the results.

Instead, I believe it includes Xerox 7132 control commands in the PostScript, to adjust printer features for brightness and colour. So this is certain to fail if you are not sending directly to the correct Xerox device. 

You should use the most generic PostScript driver you can find, not once for fancy workstations. Your quest to convert PostScript brightness and colour, however, is not likely to succeed.

[Dominik5EF3]

I have already tried out other PS-drivers I have found. But those PS-drivers did not have the setting brightness in there properties. So I was very happy fially having found this Xerox 7132 PS driver.

But maybe you are right with:

I believe it includes Xerox 7132 control commands in the PostScript, to adjust printer features for brightness and colour. So this is certain to fail if you are not sending directly to the correct Xerox device.

By @Test Screen Name

Thank you @Test Screen Name .

So does anybody else know any PS-driver that has the setting brightness and does directly adjust the brightness into the PS-file? And not only include commandes for the real hardware printer?

[Brad @ Roaring Mouse]

I think you are misunderstanding where the brigtness setting is in the chain of events.

The brightness setting in a printer driver (I have a Xerox printer so I can speak to this, but it would apply to any other printer driver) sends command to the printer to configure it. It has nothing to do with the Postscript created using it outside of it including what is called a JobPatchFile or a Xerox-specific Feature command (in the case of my specific Xerox printer "%%BeginFeature: *XRBrightness XXXX", where the XXXX is the setting required. e.g. "bright5" (increase brightness +5). This merely tells the printer how to be configured. It does not in any way alter the Postscript otherwise. And, as a Xerox-specific code it would not be understood by another printer or affect any PDF you might attempt to make out of it.

Frankly, you should just make a PDF, then print that PDF on your Linux machine so you can use the settings for your actual printer. But if you're keen on your current workflow, you need to get a driver/PPD for your actual printer so the Postscript you create in your VM  includes the specfic command necessary. OR, if your printer is consistently dark, change the setting ON the printer.

[Brad @ Roaring Mouse]

What is the printer you actually ARE using?