I use a2ps to print plain text files from my Raw Hide 20010122 x86 system via LPRng-3.7.4-3 to a remote LPD print queue. I use a2ps with no command-line options; e.g. a2ps ~/.bashrc The PostScript generated by a2ps is spooled to a remote LPR print spooler system running Irix, which then sends the job via Ethernet to a HP LaserJet 5siMX-PS printer with a JetDirect controller. This setup has worked perfectly with all versions of a2ps up to and including a2ps-4.13b-3. When I upgraded from a2ps-4.13b-3 to a2ps-4.13b-7, a2ps appeared to use a larger text size, without changing the number of characters per line (80) before wrapping. As a result, the formatted output from a2ps expanded in width to the point that the rightmost part of the output (including the right-side vertical line) extended beyond the physical page boundary, resulting in a "cut-off" appearance. I believe that basic PostScript printing is working properly in my environment. The PostScript test page from printtool prints correctly (centered on the page) in this setup. When I went back to a2ps-4.13b-3 again, everything worked properly again. This could well be related to some peculiarity of my system configuration of my local spooling/printing environment, but I decided to file a bug just in case it really is an a2ps problem. Further details, if necessary, available upon request.
Did you upgrade anything else at the same time that might have had an effect on this? LPRng, etc?
twaugh writes: >Did you upgrade anything else at the same time that might have had an effect on this? LPRng, etc? The only variable I'm changing here is the version of a2ps. I can use rpm -Uv to switch back and forth between a2ps-4.13b-3 and a2ps-4.13b-7, and whenever the former is installed, I get correct behavior; whenever a2ps-4.13b-7 is installed, I see the problem. I have, indeed, upgraded my entire system from Raw Hide 20010122 to Raw Hide 20010131, which includes an upgrade to LPRng-3.7.4-3 to LPRng-3.7.4-6, since I filed the original bug report. I'm still seeing the same behavior with a2ps-4.13b-3 and a2ps-4.13b-7 -- the former works, the latter doesn't. Of course, I don't think that necessarily means that a2ps-4.13b-7 is "broken"; perhaps it's just that there is some default setting that changed, and I need to research it to find out what to set it to. It has been nice, however, to get correct output without needing to set any parameters.
Does this continue to happen with the current rawhide? I believe you are seeing a2ps trying to use A4 paper. There is some changes to make it be 'smart' about this now. Try mucking with a2ps's --medium option, using things like: a2ps --medium=Letter
I just tried a2ps-4.13b-13.i386.rpm on my Raw Hide 20010310 system, and the problem I was seeing seems to have gone away. It now seems to work like it used to; I did not need to use the --medium option to get it to work correctly. Thanks for the help!