Click on the link and wait for your browser to present you with a new window (the contents of a PostScript file will not display in your browser window). There are two kinds of windows that will appear:
If you see the contents of the PostScript file, then your browser has launched another file-viewing application (called a plug-in application) that can interpret and display PostScript. Follow step 2a to view and print the PostScript file.
If you see a file-transfer window (called a popup), then you need to save the file on your local computer (PC, Macintosh, or UNIX workstation) and print it from there. Follow step 2b to transfer the file, then follow step 3 to print it.
2a. View and print the file with the plug-in
application
A new window that displays the contents of the PostScript file allows
you to view its contents on your computer screen. This window also
provides menus for acting on the file. Most plug-in applications have
a "Print" function in a "File" menu.
To print the PostScript file, click and hold on "File", move the cursor to the "Print" option, and release the mouse button. Either the file will be sent immediately to your default printer or you will receive another menu allowing you print only parts of the file, print to another printer, etc.
2b. Save the file to your local computer
If a popup file-transfer window appears, it is typically labeled "Save
As" or "Save this document as". Fill in the fields provided by this
window to specify where you want to hold the file on your local
computer. Many of the fields will already be filled in with default
values. If any fields are blank and it's not obvious how to fill them
in, just leave them blank and proceed. Not all fields are required to
save a file.
The most important field is the one that specifies where you want to hold the PostScript file. The default value will be the directory (or folder) from which your browser was launched. If you have used the browser's Save function since you launched it, the default directory will be the one to which your most recent save was made.
Click the "OK" or "Save" button in the file-transfer window. You should see some confirmation that the save operation is working or has succeeded. Depending on the size of the PostScript file, this confirmation notice may display quickly and then disappear, or it may display for a long time. When the operation is successful, the file-transfer window disappears.
If the operation is not successful, you receive an error message in another popup window. Read the error message and follow its instructions. If it does not provide instructions for what to do next, try to interpret the information it provides. If you can't interpret the error message, write it down and consult someone who is knowledgeable about the browser and computer platform you are using. There are many kinds of problems with the interactions between browsers, networks, computer platforms, and software versions that can cause this operation to fail, and they cannot all be explained here.
Open the directory (or folder) into which you saved the PostScript file to verify the transfer. View the size information for the file to verify that all of its contents were transferred; PostScript files are typically tens to hundreds of kilobytes in size.
3. Print the PostScript file
For UNIX workstations
Use the lpr command to send the PostScript file to a printer:
lpr filename.ps
lpr -Pprintername filename.ps
(to specify a printer other than your default printer)
To learn more about the lpr command, see the lpr man page:
man lpr
For Macintosh computers
Click once on the PostScript file name (or icon) to highlight it. Select
"Print" from the "File" menu. This operation will succeed if your
computer has a PostScript printing utility such as "Laser Writer Font
Utility," "Laser Writer Utility," or Adobe PStool. On some versions of
the Macintosh operating system, you can drag-and-drop the file icon
on the printer icon to print the file.
If this does not work, then your computer does not have a PostScript printing utility installed. You can print the file by using an FTP (File Transfer Protocol) utility (such as Fetch) to move the file to your account on a UNIX system (such as niwot). You then use a terminal emulator utility (such as Telnet) to log on to your UNIX account and print the PostScript file with the lpr command as described in the For UNIX workstations section. If you don't want to keep the PostScript file(s) on your Macintosh (and in your UNIX directory), be sure to delete the unwanted PostScript file(s).
Open your FTP utility and follow the menus to put the file from your Macintosh to an appropriate directory on your UNIX system. Open your terminal emulator utility and log on to your UNIX account. Change to the directory into which you put the PostScript file, then verify the transfer and view the size information for the file (ls -l command). Print the file using the lpr command as described in the For UNIX workstations section. Delete any unwanted PostScript files on your Macintosh and on your UNIX system. Close any applications that you no longer need.
For PC computers
Print the file using your regular printing procedure. This operation
will succeed if your computer has a PostScript printing utility
installed. On some PC operating systems, you can drag-and-drop
the file icon on the printer icon to print the file.
If this does not work, then your PC does not have a PostScript printing utility installed. You can print the file by using an FTP (File Transfer Protocol) utility (such as Winsock FTP) to move the file to your account on a UNIX system (such as niwot). You then use a terminal emulator utility (such as Telnet) to log on to your UNIX account and print the PostScript file with the lpr command as described in the For UNIX workstations section. If you don't want to keep the PostScript file(s) on your PC (and in your UNIX directory), be sure to delete the unwanted PostScript file(s).
Open your FTP utility and follow the menus to put the file from your PC to an appropriate directory on your UNIX system. Open your terminal emulator utility and log on to your UNIX account. Change to the directory into which you put the PostScript file, then verify the transfer and view the size information for the file ("ls -l" command). Print the file using the lpr command as described in the For UNIX workstations section. Delete any PostScript files on your PC and on your UNIX system. Close any applications that you no longer need.
Send comments about this page to dig@ncar.ucar.edu