Print integration with other applications

To integrate EasyPlot, the data must of course be in a format understood by EasyPlot, like PostScript, EMF, PDF, or CGM.

PCL or other printer specific formats are not understood.

Some applications lets you specify a command to which it will pipe print data (often PostScript). In this case you simply specify:

easyplot –

(don’t forget the minus sign) and when you then print, “easyplot” will startup in the Print dialog and will close down after you press Print or Cancel.
Other applications like f.ex. Catia will create a print data file and you then use this file ($CATOUT in the case of Catia) in your print command:

cat $CATOUT | easyplot –

You can also just give the file as an argument:

easyplot $CATOUT

You can also tell “easyplot” to use a spefific printer that you have already configured in the product:

easyplot -printer hpz2100rtl -print $CATOUT

If you don’t need to make any changes to your printer setup before printing, you can tell “easyplot” to run without showing the GUI:

easyplot -nogui -printer hpz2100rtl -print $CATOUT

As an alternative to using “easyplot” you can use “ecprint” directly and then pipe data on to the spool system (lp, lpr, or other command):

ecprint -pd generic.ppd -pagesize a4 -resize 100 | lpr -P MYQUEUE

However you need to make this setup for each printer you want to use and for each printer configuration of paper size and output tray etc., which makes it rather complex to use, but it will print without bringing up any graphical user interface.

You can also integrate with EasyCopy like:

easycopy $CATOUT

and EasyCopy will open the image, and let you use other functionality than just printing.