[texhax] METAFONT mode mismatch 1200 vs 600

Pierre MacKay pierre.mackay at comcast.net
Sat Nov 3 19:04:39 CET 2007


Dani Infante wrote:

> Hi,
>
> When trying to print my .dvi file I got that message on the window
> Miktex Problem Report in Yap.
> I have found out what is the problem: I had to reduce the printing
> resolution to 600 d.p.i. However, the document is blurred at that low
> resolution and I would like to be able to print it at 1200 d.p.i. or
> even at higher resolutions.
>
This is more a matter of managing the printer than of TeX.  If the 
printer is
capable of no more than 600dpi, the rounding errors resulting from reduction
of a 1200dpi bitmap can be peculiar.

If you have a GUI printer management system, you will have to explore
the various options to find out where you can set the target resolution.
Command line options are harder, but even more flexible.

Since PCL desktop printers far outnumber PostScript, you are probably
using one of those.  Fuzzy output often results from using an old driver.
The improvement in output from my HP1022 when I stopped using the
earliest generic HP driver and upgraded was spectacular. 

There is also the issue of whether the higher resolutions ostensibly 
available
on the printer are true hardware resolutions or software enhancements.

Finally, if you are still using PK files, watch out for non-square 
resolutions.
Many printers compromise on vertical resolution, sometimes allowing only
half of the best horizontal resolution.  1200 x 600, e. g.  If that is 
the case,
the only thing to do is make up a special Metafont output configuration,
if you want to run the printer at its optimal resolution. 

Pierre MacKay



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