PostScript Parameters

EPSF=1|2|3

Forces print-to-file and PostScript. If PRINTFILE is not specified, the default filename is FRACT001.EPS. The number determines how 'well- behaved' a .EPS file is. 1 means by-the-book. 2 allows some EPS 'no-nos' like settransfer and setscreen - BUT includes code that should make the code still work without affecting the rest of the non-EPS document. 3 is a free-for-all.

COLORPS=YES|NO - Enable or disable the color extensions.

RLEPS=YES|NO

Enable or disable run length encoding of the PostScript file. Run length encoding will make the PostScript file much smaller, but it may take longer to print. The run length encoding code is based on pnmtops, which is copyright (C) 1989 by Jef Poskanzer, and carries the following notice: "Permission to use, copy, modify, and distribute this software and its documentation for any purpose and without fee is hereby granted, provided that the above copyright notice appear in all copies and that both that copyright notice and this permission notice appear in supporting documentation. This software is provided "as is" without express or implied warranty."

TRANSLATE=yes|-n|n

Translate=yes prints the negative image of the fractal. Translate=n reduces the image to that many colors. A negative value causes a color reduction as well as a negative image.

HALFTONE=frq/ang/sty[/f/a/s/f/a/s/f/a/s]

Tells the PostScript printer how to define its halftone screen. The first value, frequency, defines the number of halftone lines per inch. The second chooses the angle (in degrees) that the screen lies at. The third option chooses the halftone 'spot' style. Good default frequencies are between 60 and 80; Good default angles are 45 and 0; the default style is 0. If the halftone= option is not specified, Fractint will print using the printer's default halftone screen, which should have been already set to do a fine job on the printer.

These are the only three used when colorps=no. When color PS printing is being used, the other nine options specify the red, green, then blue screens. A negative number in any of these places will cause it to use the previous (or default) value for that parameter. NOTE: Especially when using color, the built-in screens in the printer's ROM may be the best choice for printing. The default values are as follows: halftone=45/45/1/45/75/1/45/15/1/45/0/1 and these will be used if Fractint's halftone is chosen over the printer's built-in screen.

  Current halftone styles:
      0 Dot
      1 Dot (Smoother)
      2 Dot (Inverted)
      3 Ring (Black)
      4 Ring (White)
      5 Triangle (Right)
      6 Triangle (Isosceles)
      7 Grid
      8 Diamond
      9 Line
     10 Microwaves
     11 Ellipse
     12 Rounded Box
     13 Custom
     14 Star
     15 Random
     16 Line (slightly different)

This mode of printing can now be done much more quickly, and takes a lot less file space. Just set EPSF=0 PRINTER=PSx/nnn COLORPS=NO RLEPS=YES TRANSLATE=m, where x is P or L for portrait/landscape, nnn is your printer's resolution, m is 2 or -2 for positive or negative printing respectively. This combination of parameters will print exactly one printer pixel per each image pixel and it will keep the proportions of the picture, if both your screen and printer have square pixels (or the same pixel-aspect). Choose a proper (read large) window size to fill as much of the paper as possible for the most spectacular results. 2048 by 2048 is barely enough to fill the width of a letter size page with 300 dpi printer resolution. For higher resolution printers, you can use fractint's new larger disk video sizes, up to 32k x 32k.

A word from the author (Scott Taylor)

Color PostScript printing is new to me. I don't even have a color printer to test it on. (Don't want money. Want a Color PostScript printer!) The initial tests seem to have worked. I am still testing and don't know whether or not some sort of gamma correction will be needed. I'll have to wait and see about that one.