AdobePS 4.3 PostScript Driver Available for Download

[Joe Miller <joemiller -at- CANBERRA -dot- COM>]

This is a reproduction of a message Dov Isaacs has posted publically on
several NGs and Lists.

----------------------------------------------------------------------
Subject: AdobePS 4.3 PostScript Driver (English) for Windows'9X Now
Available From: Dov Isaacs Date: Tue, 18 May 1999 19:19:38 -0700

Members of various Acrobat, FrameMaker, & Computer-to-Plate Pressroom
lists:

The English language version of the AdobePS 4.3 PostScript Driver for
Windows'9X is now available for download from Adobe Systems at the
following address:

http://www.adobe.com/supportservice/custsupport/LIBRARY/5712.htm

AdobePS 4.3 for other languages will be available from the Adobe web site
in the near future.

It is this version of the driver that fixes the infamous text layout and
dropped characters problems when printing to printers with PPDs indicating
a PostScript version less than 2015 with AdobePS 4.2.4 through 4.2.6. In
other words, "hacked" PPD files should no longer be required (finally!).
However you need not undo those PPD changes for AdobePS 4.3 to work
correctly.

In conjunction with use of Acrobat 4.0, this driver version also finally
fully fixes the problem of Acrobat text searchability when text is
formatted using TrueType (Type 42) fonts.

AdobePS 4.3 provides full support for Windows 98 -- including Windows 98
Image Color Management 2.0, full sRGB color support with Office97, and
conversion of sRGB input profiles into CRDs (Color Rendering Dictionaries)
for Windows 98. It allows users to override application settings for Image
Color Management processing; provides a new, easy-to-use,
InstallShield-based installer; provides support for printing the Euro
character currency symbol for printers that support it; and supports remote
 printing to WebReady printers connected to the internet. Finally, AdobePS
4.3 provides easy access to Adobe's Web site via Adobe Online.

=====================================================================
Some very critical issues that you all should be aware of BEFORE attempting
 to installing this driver: ===============================================
======================

(1) To simply upgrade your existing AdobePS 4.1.x or 4.2.x drivers, run the
 installation program and select the "upgrade driver only" option. You
should delete any previous AdobePS 4.x setup programs (and shortcuts)
thereto from your system.

(2) Contrary to any readme files, the installer only allows one printer to
be setup at a time. Rerun the installer as many times as necessary to add
additional printer/driver instances.

(3) When simply updating the driver from AdobePS 4.1.x or 4.2.x, be sure to
 examine all your standard printer settings and record them for later use.
The AdobePS 4.3 upgrade process resets many of the device settings to
"default" values that are very likely NOT what you want and/or need. For
example, information about available memory, optional trays, duplexors,
etc. may all get reset to default values. Image color management may be
enabled although you don't necessarily want it on. The advanced PostScript
options for data transmission may be reset to ASCII with CTRL-D instead of
TBCP or pure binary. That is why it is so important that you manually
record all these settings BEFORE you do the upgrade and reset those values
after the upgrade. Failure to reset the values could cause total job
failure, print job performance degradation, and/or unexpected colors (or
lack thereof) in output.

(4) The number of copies to be printed has been removed as a global
property of a particular printer/driver instance. Most applications allow
you to set this value, though, for the current job, via their print menu.

(5) The ability to set particular image screening frequencies and angles
has been totally removed from the printer properties. This functionality
was removed for a number of reasons including the fact that a large number
of PostScript printers ignore these settings and substitute their own
screening algorithms and that for critical applications that generate their
 own PostScript (PageMaker, Quark XPress, Illustrator, Photoshop, Freehand,
 CorelDraw, etc.), these settings were totally ignored. Depending upon the
target printer, screen settings in EPS files generated by Photoshop,
Illustrator, Freehand, CorelDraw, Acrobat, etc. may be honored but that is
not and hasn't been a function of the driver.

(6) When setting up an HP LaserJet 8500 with this driver, the available
memory setting will indicate an error when you set it to high values, but
it will "take" anyway.

As with previous versions of AdobePS, the license for this driver, to which
 your acceptance is required during the installation process for each
printer instance, limits its to use with printers with Adobe PostScript
software (i.e., no clones) or with Adobe application programs with which it
 is explicitly bundled (i.e., AdobePS 4.3.x will be explicitly required by
and will be bundled with InDesign 1.0 for Windows'98).

=====================================================================
Some personal notes:
=====================================================================

I have been personally running with this driver now for approximately eight
 weeks under a wide variety of conditions including both GDI apps (such as
Microsoft Office and FrameMaker) as well as applications that generate
their own PostScript (per list above) as well as with both Type 1 and
TrueType fonts from a wide range of sources (and in multiple languages). My
 target printers have been a wide range of devices with Adobe PostScript
Level 2 and Adobe PostScript 3. It appears to be at least as stable as any
previous AdobePS 4.x version and has significant pluses as indicated above.
 I most strongly recommend it if you are running any version of AdobePS
4.2.x. But please, take heed of point (3) above.

No flames, please! I am just a messenger here!

- Dov


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