From:	CRDGW2::CRDGW2::MRGATE::"SMTP::CRVAX.SRI.COM::RELAY-INFO-VAX"  8-OCT-1989 11:33
To:	MRGATE::"ARISIA::EVERHART"
Subj:	Re: Sixel format (Printing from DECw)

Message-Id:  <8910081523.AA03047@crdgw1.ge.com>
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Date:           Sun, 8 Oct 89  15:53 BST
From: Nick de Smith <"PSI%JANET.000000000040::NICK%ncdlab.ulcc.ac.uk"@NSFnet-Relay.AC.UK>
To: INFO-VAX <@NSFnet-Relay.AC.UK:INFO-VAX@crvax.sri.com>
Subject:        Re: Sixel format (Printing from DECw)

> Date: 4 Oct 89 02:11:52 GMT
> From: P Samuel Odoms <cs.utexas.edu!ut-emx!pso@edu.ohio-state.cis.tut>
> Organization: The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas
> Subject: Sixel format
> Message-Id: <19120@ut-emx.UUCP>
> 
> Where can I get the format of a sixel file?  This is for a VaxStation 2000
> running VMS 5.1-1 with a VR-260 monochrome monitor.  I need to convert to
> Apple Imagewriter II format for doing screen dumps ("Write portion of
> Workstation" menu selection).
> 
> Thanks,
> Sam
> 

Well, you can try the "VT330/VT340 Programmer's Reference Manual", Volume 2
(Graphics Progamming), Part 3 (Sixel Programming), Chapter 4 (Sixel Graphics),
order number EK-VT3XX-GP-001. This is the best reference that I've found.

If, as I suspect you want a "deamon" that intercepts a "print portion of screen"
action under DECwindows, I have just the thing (written in C). It is a detached
process that catches the sixel data from DECw and parses/decodes all known (by
me) sixel formats, including scaling etc. The code has been running several
months without problems. Boy, does it save on documentation effort.

A mailbox (system wide) is created. All you have to do is redirect the sixel
data to this mailbox (by editing DECW$USER_DEFAULTS:DECW$SM_GENERAL.DAT to
contain the lines:
	sm.printer.filename:		DECW_SPOOLER:
	sm.printer.storage_format:	sixel
(note the trailing ":" on the filename - this is *important*).

What it does is to convert the sixel data into your favourite format (in a file
in your login directory - there is a neat piece of code to do this because
several people can use the deamon at once, and as it is a deamon it has to know
the username of the current user), and then to submit the file to your favourite
symbiont (/PASSTHRU/DELETE). The symbiont we use is a HP LaserJet symbiont (also
in house but on VMS SIG Spring '89 tapes, [.ATG.LASER]).

The output routine is currently tailored for HP LaserJet+ data, but would be
very easy to change for, say an Apple Imagewriter. I am currently doing a
version for *.PCX output so that you can cut from DECw into Ventura etc.

If you are interested, let me know. I tried to mail you direct, but couldn't.
If there is sufficient interest, it'll go on the Fall '89 tapes.

Note that DECw sixel dumps do not contain colour information (at least, I've
never seen any), but the parser handles the decode just in case. One day...
(voice from the bean counters: "NO! you can't have a colour laser printer...").

Also, DECw seems to sometimes decide to rotate (into landscape mode) images that
I cut. This can be annoying. Why does it do this?

rgds,

nick	(my address in in the signature, NOT in this message's header!)
	(why, oh why? what is it about mailers?)

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