TUTORIALS

 Printer Tutorial:
Converting PDF to PCL or Postscript

As easy as 1, 2, 3...

This tutorial shows you how to use jPDF Printer to convert PDF documents directly into a PCL or Postscript equivalent. The trick only works for JDK 1.4 and better.

Introduction

We will see in this tutorial how it is possible to convert a PDF document to its PCL or Postscript equivalent using the Java Print API and Crionics jPDF Printer.

The trick consists in using the OS native print driver to print the document to a local file.

Of course, in order for the conversion to work, you will need an OS print driver that can generate either PCL or Postscript.Actually , many modern drivers can  do both. Typically, though, if you have an HP Laserjet printer setup in your OS, chances are it will accept PCL. Even in a worst case scenario, you may be able to configure your driver to accept Postscript.

Looking up a compatible printer

The new Print API offers some very powerful lookup methods. In the code below we will be looking for any printer accepting a PCL input.

// Look for a PCL printer:
PrintService service = lookforPrinterAccepting(DocFlavor.INPUT_STREAM.PCL);

// Find a printer accepting PostScript:
// PrintService service = lookforPrinterAccepting(DocFlavor.INPUT_STREAM.POSTSCRIPT);

if (service == null)
{
System.err.println("There are no printers for the selected flavor");
return;
}

static public PrintService lookforPrinterAccepting(DocFlavor flavor)
{
PrintService services[] = PrintServiceLookup.lookupPrintServices(flavor, null);
if (services.length == 0)
return null;

// More than one printer might be returned:
PrintService service = services[0];
System.out.println("Printer " + service.getName() + " is accepting " + flavor.getMediaType());
return service;
}

Forcing output to a file

The following attribute tells the print driver to save the generated raw data to a file. If the printer talks PCL, you will get a PCL file; if it talks Postscript you will get a PS file. In fact, if it talks any other language - you will get the raw data.

IMPORTANT: Make sure you pick the file destination correctly. It must be a writable folder/file.

Converting

Now comes the easy part: opening the document; getting the module; and starting the print/conversion request.

 // Open the document:
PdfDocument doc = new PdfDocument("mydoc.pdf");

// Get the printer module:
PrinterModule pm = doc.getPrinterModule();

// Monitor print job events for completion:
PrintJobWatcher pjDone = new PrintJobWatcher(job);

// Print it:
pm.print(job, attributes);

// Wait for the print job to complete:
pjDone.waitForDone();

// It is now safe to close the document:
doc.close();