Install Ghostscript on online.interlisp.org, package it with Medley

[hjellinek]

Install Ghostscript on online.interlisp.org so PDFSTREAM works.

Package the PS-to-PDF converter with Medley on platforms/OSes where that's possible.

Document how to install it on platforms where we can't package it with Medley.

[fghalasz]

Fixed for online in PR#63 in online repo. Currently up and running online.

[hjellinek]

@abhikhasnain1 , please try creating a PDF file on online.interlisp.org and report back here.

[abhikhasnain1]

No .pdf extension is added to the file name when the user selects "Pdf" from the "File type?" menu, so the file isn’t automatically recognized as a PDF and won’t open in-browser. It works without errors if the extension is manually added when naming the file, or if the file is explicitly opened with a PDF reader once downloaded. It might be confusing for newcomers.

[hjellinek]

No .pdf extension is added to the file name when the user selects "Pdf" from the "File type?" menu, so the file isn’t automatically recognized as a PDF and won’t open in-browser. It works without errors if the extension is manually added when naming the file, or if the file is explicitly opened with a PDF reader once downloaded. It might be confusing for newcomers.

In our email correspondence you reported an error when trying to produce PDF output from TEdit. What is the context of the problem you're now reporting? What produces the "File type?" menu you mentioned? A screen shot might help.

[rmkaplan]

I have also noticed that, as I have been running through all the different ways of creating image files and dealing with printers. That particular problem should be fixed as part of the roll out of the more general revisions.

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On Sep 15, 2025, at 1:30 PM, Herb Jellinek ***@***.***> wrote: hjellinek left a comment (Interlisp/medley#2285) <#2285 (comment)> No .pdf extension is added to the file name when the user selects "Pdf" from the "File type?" menu, so the file isn’t automatically recognized as a PDF and won’t open in-browser. It works without errors if the extension is manually added when naming the file, or if the file is explicitly opened with a PDF reader once downloaded. It might be confusing for newcomers. In our email correspondence you reported an error when trying to produce PDF output from TEdit. What is the context of the problem you're now reporting? What produces the "File type?" menu you mentioned? A screen shot might help. — Reply to this email directly, view it on GitHub <#2285 (comment)>, or unsubscribe <https://github.com/notifications/unsubscribe-auth/AQSTUJIGWME4VZNBT3TYLKL3S4OV7AVCNFSM6AAAAACGFFMXCKVHI2DSMVQWIX3LMV43OSLTON2WKQ3PNVWWK3TUHMZTEOJTHAZTENZYGU>. You are receiving this because you are subscribed to this thread.

[abhikhasnain1]

No .pdf extension is added to the file name when the user selects "Pdf" from the "File type?" menu, so the file isn’t automatically recognized as a PDF and won’t open in-browser. It works without errors if the extension is manually added when naming the file, or if the file is explicitly opened with a PDF reader once downloaded. It might be confusing for newcomers.

In our email correspondence you reported an error when trying to produce PDF output from TEdit. What is the context of the problem you're now reporting? What produces the "File type?" menu you mentioned? A screen shot might help.

Same context. Screenshots attached. I assumed this was the recommended method for producing a PDF from TEdit.

[hjellinek]

I see! I have never tried typing the name without an extension.

"Pdf" should be "PDF" in that menu, and (arguably) we might append the official file extension onto the typed name. I generally assume users type file names exactly as they want them and prefer not to second-guess them in code.

[nbriggs]

@hjellinek beat me to it, but, I was just typing: If you give it a file name with an extension, and it's appropriate for one of the types it could generate, then it won't ask you for the file type. The assumption is that you gave the file the name you meant. If it automatically added an extension based on the lack of type information in the name then it would be hard to create the file with the content you wanted and no extension.

[rmkaplan]

Yes, that's the interface where I saw that particular problem. The other way of doing hardcopy from Tedit is to type meta-P when the caret is blinking in the Tedit window. It brings up a menu that lets you select the destination file or printer. There the suggested file name does have the default extension (pdf).

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On Sep 15, 2025, at 1:43 PM, Abhik Hasnain ***@***.***> wrote: abhikhasnain1 left a comment (Interlisp/medley#2285) <#2285 (comment)> No .pdf extension is added to the file name when the user selects "Pdf" from the "File type?" menu, so the file isn’t automatically recognized as a PDF and won’t open in-browser. It works without errors if the extension is manually added when naming the file, or if the file is explicitly opened with a PDF reader once downloaded. It might be confusing for newcomers. In our email correspondence you reported an error when trying to produce PDF output from TEdit. What is the context of the problem you're now reporting? What produces the "File type?" menu you mentioned? A screen shot might help. Same context. Screenshots attached. I assumed this was the recommended method for producing a PDF from TEdit. 1.png (view on web) <https://github.com/user-attachments/assets/dc3fcbaa-6587-41bb-9861-5f93e17249dd> 2.png (view on web) <https://github.com/user-attachments/assets/488d9775-d9d8-413e-b71a-2e244a75d6a7> 3.png (view on web) <https://github.com/user-attachments/assets/c7036a46-19d1-4b4a-8b99-45774dc190dc> — Reply to this email directly, view it on GitHub <#2285 (comment)>, or unsubscribe <https://github.com/notifications/unsubscribe-auth/AQSTUJLG357M37QMMBX3CSD3S4QFLAVCNFSM6AAAAACGFFMXCKVHI2DSMVQWIX3LMV43OSLTON2WKQ3PNVWWK3TUHMZTEOJTHA4TENJYGY>. You are receiving this because you commented.

[abhikhasnain1]

@hjellinek beat me to it, but, I was just typing: If you give it a file name with an extension, and it's appropriate for one of the types it could generate, then it won't ask you for the file type. The assumption is that you gave the file the name you meant. If it automatically added an extension based on the lack of type information in the name then it would be hard to create the file with the content you wanted and no extension.

Makes sense. However, the extension should be added after the user is prompted for a file type and selects one. Otherwise, the "File type?" menu has no effect on the process. This is what the user sees: "test.pdf" is produced if explicitly written as the file name and "test" is produced when "Pdf" is selected from the "File type?" menu. New users will be confused by it at first glance.

[hjellinek]

Otherwise, the "File type?" menu has no effect on the process. This is what the user sees: "test.pdf" is produced if explicitly written as the file name and "test" is produced when "Pdf" is selected from the "File type?" menu.

On the contrary, selecting a file type tells the hardcopy subsystem what kind of file to produce: PDF, Postscript, Interpress, etc. Adding an extension can tell it what kind of output you want, if there is an extension and it's known to correspond to a hardcopy type.

[hjellinek]

@fghalasz, you're still planning to package this with Cygwin but haven't yet, correct?