1 | <!-- $Id$ --> |
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2 | |
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3 | <chapter> |
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4 | <title id="pykotme">Get print quotes before printing for real with <command>pykotme</command></title> |
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5 | <para>Last modified on $Date$</para> |
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6 | |
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7 | <para> |
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8 | PyKota features a print quote generator, named <command>pykotme</command>. |
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9 | This command line tool can be used to learn in advance how much a print job |
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10 | will cost to you if you really send it to a printer. |
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11 | You can then decide if printing your document is a good idea or not, and do it |
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12 | knowingly. |
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13 | </para> |
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14 | |
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15 | <para> |
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16 | To get a print quote, you have to launch <command>pykotme</command> |
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17 | from the command line, passing your print job's content in any format |
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18 | recognized by PyKota |
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19 | <footnote><para>PyKota currently recognizes PostScript (both binary and DSC compliant), |
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20 | PCLXL (aka PCL6), PDF, PCL3/4/5, and ESC/P2 |
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21 | </para></footnote>, either in the form of one or more file names on the command line, |
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22 | or on its standard input (i.e. in a shell pipe or redirection). |
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23 | </para> |
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24 | |
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25 | <para> |
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26 | Without any command line argument, <command>pykotme</command> |
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27 | automatically reads your job's data from its standard input. |
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28 | </para> |
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29 | |
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30 | <para> |
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31 | By default, <command>pykotme</command> |
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32 | will display a quote for your job on all printers. You can restrict |
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33 | this by using the <literal>-p | --printer</literal> command line |
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34 | option followed with either a printer's name or a wildcard |
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35 | which will be used to search all printers which name matches. |
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36 | You can pass more than one printer name wildcard, separating |
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37 | them with commas. |
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38 | </para> |
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39 | |
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40 | <para> |
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41 | <command>pykotme</command>'s functionnality is also available through the |
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42 | use of the <filename>pykotme.cgi</filename> <acronym>CGI</acronym> script. |
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43 | However without authentication <filename>pykotme.cgi</filename> will only |
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44 | return the print job's size and not its cost, because the cost depends on |
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45 | the value of the user's overcharging factor. That's why if you want to |
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46 | obtain the same functionnality with the <acronym>CGI</acronym> script than |
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47 | with the command line tool, you must configure your web server to force |
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48 | users to authenticate whevenver they access to <filename>pykotme.cgi</filename>. |
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49 | </para> |
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50 | |
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51 | <sect1> |
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52 | <title>Examples</title> |
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53 | <para> |
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54 | Here are some examples of <command>pykotme</command> usage. |
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55 | </para> |
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56 | |
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57 | <para> |
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58 | The simplest form : |
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59 | <screen> |
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60 | port50-2:~$ pykotme pykota.ps |
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61 | Your account balance : 16.25 |
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62 | Job size : 22 pages |
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63 | Cost on printer apple : 1.35 |
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64 | port50-2:~$ |
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65 | </screen> |
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66 | </para> |
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67 | |
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68 | <para> |
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69 | More complex, with printer name wildcard and within a pipe : |
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70 | <screen> |
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71 | port50-2:~$ a2ps -o - pykota/README | pykotme --printer "a*" |
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72 | [pykota/README (plain): 6 pages on 3 sheets] |
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73 | [Total: 6 pages on 3 sheets] sent to the standard output |
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74 | Your account balance : 16.25 |
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75 | Job size : 3 pages |
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76 | Cost on printer apple : 0.40 |
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77 | port50-2:~$ |
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78 | </screen> |
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79 | </para> |
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80 | </sect1> |
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81 | |
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82 | <sect1> |
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83 | <title>Reference</title> |
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84 | <para> |
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85 | <cmdsynopsis> |
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86 | <command>pykotme</command> |
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87 | <group choice="opt"><arg>-v</arg><arg>--version</arg></group> |
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88 | <group choice="opt"><arg>-h</arg><arg>--help</arg></group> |
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89 | <group choice="opt"> |
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90 | <arg>-P <replaceable>printername</replaceable></arg> |
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91 | <arg>--printer <replaceable>printername</replaceable></arg> |
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92 | </group> |
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93 | <group choice="opt"> |
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94 | <arg><replaceable>filename1</replaceable></arg> |
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95 | <arg><replaceable>filename2</replaceable></arg> |
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96 | <arg><replaceable>...</replaceable></arg> |
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97 | <arg><replaceable>filenameN</replaceable></arg> |
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98 | </group> |
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99 | </cmdsynopsis> |
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100 | </para> |
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101 | </sect1> |
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102 | </chapter> |
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103 | |
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