How to Install PostScript© Printers, Printer Drivers and PPDs

© 2001, Bevi Chagnon, PubCom
Click here to download a PDF of these instructions [1.7MB]

Successful desktop publishing on the Windows or Macintosh platforms requires PostScript compliance:

PostScript laser or inkjet printer
PostScript fonts
PostScript compatible page layout (desktop publishing) software
PostScript compatible graphics (drawing) software
Graphic files in EPS (encapsulated PostScript) format for vector graphics, and TIF format for bitmapped images such as photos.

All things PostScript!

Why PostScript®? PostScript is a computer programming language that was created to get our job (graphic design and desktop publishing) done.

PostScript is what makes desktop publishing work. There simply isn't any other language that does ALL the things that we in graphic arts need to do. Click here for a helpful article on PostScript.

Most desktop publishing problems with fonts, graphics and text reflow are resolved by installing the correct PostScript printer drivers on your workstation. Remember, since your desktop publishing files will be transmitted to the print shop's service bureau for hi-res film output, these problems can cost you hundreds of dollars in additional film and labor at the service bureau, in addition to substantially delaying your job.

This article shows how to correctly install and configure a PostScript printer on your workstation so that you can minimize these costly problems.

Note: Since these procedures install software drivers on your system, please be sure to check wih your IT team about permissions and requirements for changing your workstation.

Overview

These instructions guide you through the process of installing PostScript printers and PPDs on your Windows workstation because we’ve found that the regular Windows “Add Printer” command doesn’t always install PostScript printers correctly, often leaving out critical drivers or PPDs. It takes three pieces of information to properly install a PostScript printer:

the latest version of the Adobe PostScript driver for your operating system;
the Adobe Universal Installer utility that installs PostScript printers; and
the PPD (PostScript Printer Definition file) for your specific PostScript laser or inkjet printer.

Your computer may already have a PostScript printer driver installed. But there's a good chance that it's not configured properly or that the PPDs for your printer is missing or mis-installed.

So even if you already have the PostScript driver installed, it's best to download the latest version from Adobe and reinstall it. Here's how to check your system to see if the PostScript driver is already installed and which version it is.

From Windows Explorer or My Computer:

Go to the following directory:
[Win NT/2000] C:/WINNT/ system32 / spool / drivers
[Win 95/98] C:/WIN/ system
Look for one of the following files (depending upon your operating system, you may need to look inside subfolders to find them):
       Adobeps4.drv (PS ver 4 for Win98/95)
       Adobeps5.dll   (PS ver 5 for WinNT/2000)

And you’ll need to make sure that you USE the printer correctly, too. That means that when you’re in your desktop publishing software and you select the FILE | Print command to print your work, you must select the PostScript version of your printer from the list of printers, not the regular PCL version of your printer.

Many people will have both a PCL (non-PostScript) driver and a PostScript driver as shown in the example at below for the HP 2500C printer. So be sure to select the correct version when printing desktop publishing files. Usually the the words "PS" or "PostScript" will be in the printer's name.

You can use your PostScript printer to print jobs not only from your desktop publishing programs, but also from your regular office programs, such as word processing and email. So you can have just one PostScript printer installed to handle all your printing needs.

Instructions

1. Make sure you can see file extensions on your computer.

For example, when you view your files in Windows Explorer, if you only see “myfile” rather than “myfile.jpg” you need to adjust Windows to show file extensions.

In Windows Explorer or My Computer, select VIEW | OPTIONS.
Then UNCHECK the box that says “Hide file extensions for known file types.” You do not want the file extensions to be hidden from view.

2. Download the latest PostScript driver and installation utility

Go to www.adobe.com/support/downloads/pdrvwin.htm to download the free PostScript driver for your operating system. The website lists the Universal Installer in various languages.

Download: Adobe Universal PostScript Windows Driver Installer 1.0.6 - English to your hard drive. In LAN environments with serveral workstations, you can store it on a central file server and install it locally onto individual workstations. The Universal Installer automatically installs the correct version of PostScript for your operating system.

Note: Adobe updates this webpage quite frequently, so you might see different version than the one above.

3. Download your printer's PPD

From Adobe's website www.adobe.com/support/downloads/pdrvwin.htm, you also can download PPDs (PostScript Printer Definition files) for older model PostScript printers and imagesetters. They’re located at the bottom of the webpage.

If you have a newer PostScript printer or imagesetter, most likely it won't be listed on Adobe's website. Visit your printer manufacturer’s website to download the latest PPDs, or check to see if it's on the software CDs that shipped with your printer.

Note: Many of Adobe’s software CD-ROMs, including those for Adobe InDesign 1.5, Illustrator 9, and Adobe Type Manager Deluxe, have PostScript drivers on them, along with the Printer Installer utility for Windows 95/98. If you have these CDs, you can use their drivers.

4. Install the PostScript driver

This step will run the Universal Installer utility that will install not only the PostScript driver, but also the PPD for your PostScript printer.

To install additional PostScript printers, just launch and run the utility again and select your other printers when prompted.

Desktop publishers should make sure that the driver for a generic PostScript imagesetter is installed on their workstation so that they can create their DTP files correctly and prevent text reflow problems. We recommend that DTPers install the drivers for a Linotronic 500, 530 or 930 on their workstations (set to the LPT1 port and default settings) so that they can mimic the settings at service bureaus.

Double-click on the file you downloaded from Adobe’s website and it will launch the driver installation utility program. As of June 2001, that file is:

winsteng.exe
When prompted, select whether your printer is on a LAN or directly connected to your workstation (local). Note: If you’re installing the Linitronic imagesetter driver, select “local.”

For network printers…

Browse your network to select the printer. Be sure to select the PostScript version of your printer, not the PCL version. Continue to follow the screen prompts until the installation is complete.
Note: If you're installing a networked PostScript printer on a workstation, you may need to first install the printer correctly on your server using this same procedure before you can install it on the workstation.

For local, directly-connected printers:

Also select this option when installing the drivers for Linotronic imagesetters.

For most installations, you'll select the LPT1 local printer port.

When prompted, select the PostScript printer you want to install.
If your printer is not in the list, then select the BROWSE button to navigate to a CD-ROM drive or a location on your computer where the printer manufacturer’s software, .INF files or PPDs are located.

Continue to follow the screen prompts until the installation is complete.

5. PageMaker users: Copy the PPD into the PM65 / 7 folder.

PageMaker users must follow an additional step—copying, by hand, the PPDs for their PostScript printers (including the Linotronic imagesetter above) into the following folder:

C:\ PM65 \ RSRC \ USENGLISH \ PPD4

or: C:\Program Files \ Adobe \ PageMaker 7.0 \ RSRC \ USENGLISH \ PPD4

Remember, since the steps outlined above install software drivers on your system, be certain to check with your IT department before you begin. Correctly installing the appropriate PostScript printer drivers on your workstation will resolve many of the desktop publishing problems that involve printers, fonts and text reflow.