Raw Print Server 1.0 review

Raw Print Server project is a "raw" print server that makes it possible for a computer to act as a "Socket API" or "AppSocket" print

License: BSD License File size: 0K Developer: Chris Gonnerman

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Raw Print Server project is a "raw" print server that makes it possible for a computer to act as a "Socket API" or "AppSocket" print server.

This software would not exist without Sam Rushing's excellent asyncore module, nor would it exist without Steve Holden's excellent explanation of that module (in his book "Python Web Programming" from New Riders, a truly outstanding book that I can't recommend enough) from which I learned enough to write this server. I'm also indebted to Guido van Rossum for Python itself, which has made my life SO much easier, and to Mark Hammond for the win32all modules which are essential parts of the Windows version of the print server.

This is version 0.1 of the Raw Print Server. There are no installation instructions to speak of; I plan to write an install script to assist with getting the software up and running, but for now it's all manual.

You will need a working Python 2.x system to run the print server itself, and if you are installing on Windows you'll need a working set of the win32all modules from Mark Hammond (which you really ought to have anyway). To run the GUI properties program, you'll need a working PyGTK module set, and on Windows that means finding a compatible GTK+ runtime also.

Finding all of the above is left as an exercise for the reader.

Okay. If you are on a recent Linux system, or any of the BSD family, you should be able to install all of the above from your original installation media, or download them from the appropriate website for your distribution.

If you are running Windows, start by getting a recent Python build from www.python.org; follow the links from that site to the win32all downloads (currently somewhere on Sourceforge).

After that, go to www.pygtk.org and follow their links to the downloads you need for Windows. Note that as of this time (October 2005), the GTK libraries normally used for the Gimp don't work with PyGTK (despite notes on the PyGTK for Windows site saying that they do), at least, not on Win9x.

Get the runtime or development libraries referenced from the PyGTK for Windows site. If you already have the Gimp installed, uninstall the GTK+ libraries you got with it before installing the alternate runtime. My Gimp still works, so it must be okay, right?

What's New in This Release:
close printer when done