[Scribus] ghostscript crash

[Peter Linnell]

On Sun, 2003-10-05 at 15:51, Yann CANTIN wrote:
> Salut
> 
> Some test documents i made with scribus crash ghostscript 7.05 (stock
> mdk9 and 9.1), either in preview, gv, or cups.
> 
> Here is the gv output for example :
> Error: /rangecheckESP Ghostscript 7.05.6: Unrecoverable error, exit code
> 1
>  in --.type42execchar--
> Operand stack:
>    --nostringval--   --dict:13/17(ro)(L)--   F   F   41
> Execution stack:
>    %interp_exit   .runexec2   --nostringval--   --nostringval--  
> --nostringval--   2   %stopped_push   --nostringval--  
> --nostringval--   --nostringval--   false   1   %stopped_push   1   3  
> %oparray_pop   1   3   %oparray_pop   .runexec2   --nostringval--  
> --nostringval--   --nostringval--   2   %stopped_push  
> --nostringval--   %finish_show   --nostringval--   --nostringval--   5  
> 4   1   -
> Error: PostScript interpreter faild in main window.
> 
> I get certainly the same error (no detail in the log) on my print server
> with mdk9.
> 
> I try with a home-compiled ghostscript 8.11, and the same doc display
> fine.
> 
> Is there a known way to get 7.05 ok or to put the 8.11 inplace, without
> messing up the cups system on my print server (no 8.11 rpm are
> available) ?

There is an updated ghostscript package for 9.1: Changelog:

A number of printer-related fixes have been made:  

- Ghostscript now supports PNG again; the Ghostscript shipped with 9.1
was missing PNG support.  

- Many HP LaserJet printers had two "Duplex" options when used with the
"ljet4d" or "Postscript" drivers.

- The "PrintoutMode" option of the "pxlmono" driver (PCL 6, most newer 
non-PostScript laser printers) did not set the resolution.

- Problems printing on the HP LaserJet 1000 should be solved now.

- The Lexmark Z31 printed only bi-directionally giving very poor 
quality, now it prints uni-directionally by default (much better 
quality), and bi-directional printing is an option.

- ICC profile support (color correction) for the Minolta MagiColor
2200/2300 DL printers.

- All Foomatic printer IDs are clear-text now; no more cryptic numbers
when using "foomatic-configure" to set up printers on the command line.
Users can now setup printers without looking up the ID number first.

- Changes were made so that upgrading from 9.0 and older would not
require a regeneration of the Foomatic print queues.

%description
The "printer-drivers" package is a pseudo-package which does not
produce any binary package called "printer-drivers". It builds all
packages containing either printer driver code or printer driver
descriptions: GhostScript, GIMP-Print, Foomatic, ... This way
duplicate source code (as GIMP-Print) is avoided in the distro. So
once space is saved and second, and that is even more important,
maintenance is simplified.

That said, it is very difficult to build Ghostscript 8+ based on existing rpm 
spec files: 

1. There are a number of changes to the makefiles and resource directories
in 8+.

2. Most distros heavily patch Ghostscript with additional drivers and configuration
changes. Red Hat's adds a whole bunch of drivers, plus adds patches to support 
Japanese fonts and vfs.

3.From what I have seen Mandrake and Redhat base their ghostscript  on the ESP
version 7.05.6 and then add drivers etc.

4. All of these rpms are based on the old way of compiling ghostscript by adding 
patches which directly the unix-gcc.mak makefiles. Now Ghostscript has autoconfigure.
But this can miss many drivers and it is tricky to add cups support without breaking.

So what would I do:

1. See if the updated package fixes the gs crashes.

2. Test install the latest ESP ghostscript from here:
 http://sourceforge.net/project/showfiles.php?group_id=18073

The problem with Scribus is generates the kind of high level PS3, which only
the latest GS 8.x is able to support. There are still bugs listed in bugs.ghostscript.com
which are related.

As alternative, export PDF and print from Acro reader via kprinter. I have found this
the best workaround.

On my wish list is to get a working rpm build of GS 8.11 which will replace the 7.0x 
versions without breaking everything else.

Regards,
Peter