docs/65766: [printing] Fdescfs needs to be mounted on FreeBSD 5.x

Marc Fonvieille blackend at FreeBSD.org
Mon Apr 19 19:22:14 UTC 2004


On Mon, Apr 19, 2004 at 11:20:12AM -0700, Simon Barner wrote:
>  
>  I just had another look at the original script:
>  
>      #
>      #  It is PostScript; use Ghostscript to scan-convert and print it.
>      #
>      #  Note that PostScript files are actually interpreted programs,
>      #  and those programs are allowed to write to stdout, which will
>      #  mess up the printed output.  So, we redirect stdout to stderr
>      #  and then make descriptor 3 go to stdout, and have Ghostscript
>      #  write its output there.  Exercise for the clever reader:
>      #  capture the stderr output from Ghostscript and mail it back to
>      #  the user originating the print job.
>      #
>  
>  Your script does not pay attention to the fact that postscript program
>  might mess up stdout, so I guess there is no way around the redirection
>  to fd 3.
>

The script I gave, especially the GS line, is used by a lot of people
without any issue since years.  The problem mentioned in the comments
may occur but I *never* heard about it, the only problem I'm aware of
are the GS bugs.

>  Is there anything bad about having fdecsfs mounted?
>

Well why adding a config operation when you can avoid it?  And when you
can use the same configuration on 3.X, 4.X and 5.X, I think it's a
good thing.

Marc



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