RedMon can be used with any program that accepts data on standard input.
Using RedMon you create redirected printer ports. If you connect a Windows printer driver to the redirected printer port, all data sent to the redirected port will be forwarded by RedMon to the standard input of a program. This program is then responsible for processing the data and producing new output.
PostScript written to a RedMon port can be converted to a PDF file using Ghostscript.
RedMon supports Windows 7, Vista and XP SP3.
For older versions of Windows including Windows XP SP1, Windows 2000, NT 4.0, NT 3.51, and 95/98/Me, use RedMon version 1.7.
Configuring RedMon is not a job for novices.
Installation
Uninstallation
Add Port
Configure Port
Log File Properties
What is Ghostscript?
Ghostscript Example
Common Problems
Copyright
Installing RedMon requires Administrator privileges.
Follow the Ghostscript Example for the rest of the configuration.
After adding a port, you need to configure it with Configure Port. Enable bidirectional support must be disabled.
You cannot use the same port name as an existing port. In particular, you cannot create a redirected port named LPT1:
The Output from the program can be set to one of Program handles output, Prompt for filename, Copy stdout to printer, Copy temporary file to printer or Copy pipe to printer. If one of the latter three, you need to select a Printer.
If you select Print Errors, an error report page will be printed.
The program can be run Normal, Minimized or Hidden.
Run as User should be enabled. It should be disabled on Windows 2000 or earlier.
A Log File can be configured to receive standard output and standard error. With a log file, you can view error messages that were written to standard output or standard error.
See the Ghostscript Example and Common Problems.
Program handles output
Prompt for filename
Copy stdout to printer
Copy temporary file to printer
Copy pipe to printer
Print Errors
Environment Variables
Run as User
Shut down delay
For example, the program arguments might include:
-sOutputFile="%1"
This method is recommended for use with Ghostscript, and is commonly used with a PostScript printer driver and the Ghostscript pdfwrite device to create a PDF writer.
Do not share a printer which uses RedMon with Prompt for filename. RedMon will not allow this because the Save as dialog box would appear on the server computer, not the client which submitted the print job.
If using Windows 7 or Vista or later, you must use Run as User with Prompt for filename.
This method should not be used with Ghostscript 5.50 or earlier.
For example, the program arguments might include:
-sOutputFile="%1"
This method is recommended for use with any version of Ghostscript.
For example, the program arguments might include:
-sOutputFile="%%handle%%%h"
This method is recommended for use with Ghostscript and requires Ghostscript 6.0 or later.
Print Errors is most useful when a redirection program writes an error message to standard output, which is captured by the log file.
Print Errors is ignored if Program handles output is selected.
REDMON_PORT is the port name, typically "RPT1:".
REDMON_JOB is the job number, an integer.
REDMON_PRINTER is the name of the printer (e.g. "HP DeskJet 500").
REDMON_OUTPUTPRINTER is the name of the output printer used by the output options Copy stdout to printer, Copy temporary file to printer or Copy pipe to printer.
REDMON_MACHINE is the name of the machine that created the job (e.g. "\\Desktop").
REDMON_USER is the name of the user who owns the job (e.g. "JCITIZEN"). %u in the program arguments will be replaced by the name of user.
REDMON_DOCNAME is the name of the print job (e.g. "Printer Test Page"). %d in the program arguments will be replaced by the name of print job.
REDMON_BASENAME is the name of the print job, with any path and file extension removed. %b in the program arguments will be replaced by this.
REDMON_FILENAME is the file name of the output file if Prompt for filename is used, or the temporary file if Copy temporary file to printer is used.
REDMON_SESSIONID is the session id of the Windows Terminal Server client session. This will be zero if Windows Terminal Server is not used.
TEMP and TMP are directories for temporary files.
Note that under Windows NT, the redirection program runs in the environment of the SYSTEM account. Apart from the above environment variables, very few are set. The registry HKEY_CURRENT_USER and user profile are that of "Default User". If using Run as user, an attempt is made to load the user environment variables, but this may not work.
"Run as User" is only available for NT 4 or later. Do not enable this if the printer is shared on a network. Remote users can't run programs on your computer. If a remote user tries to submit a job, the EXE will fail with a message like
Initialization of dynamic link library C:\WINNT4\system32\kernel32.dll failed. The process is terminating abnormally.
The spooler service will then be locked up until you stop and restart it.
Run as User should be enabled for Windows Vista, Windows 7 or later. It was originally intended for launching a GUI program such as GSview locally via RedRun.
If using Run as user, an attempt is made to load the user environment variables. If this fails, it will have the environment of the SYSTEM account. User profile information may not be correct.
To use a log file, you must check Use Log File and then specify a valid file name for the log file.
If you check Debug, RedMon will write extra debugging messages to the log file. These messages are probably only useful to the author of RedMon. If you want the log file to contain only the standard output of the redirected program, uncheck Debug.
See the Ghostscript Example.
- An interpreter for the PostScript (TM) language and the Adobe Portable Document Format (PDF -- sometimes confused with Acrobat, Adobe's PDF browser/editor product), and
- A set of C procedures (the Ghostscript library) that implement the graphics and filtering (data compression / decompression / conversion) capabilities that appear as primitive operations in the PostScript language and in PDF.
Ghostscript is available for Microsoft Windows, and many versions of Unix from
http://www.ghostscript.com/
Ghostscript is a copyright work owned by Artifex Inc.
GSview is a previewer from Ghostgum Software Pty Ltd, based on Ghostscript. GSview is available from
http://pages.cs.wisc.edu/~ghost/gsview/
If you wish to use Ghostscript with RedMon, you should install Ghostscript using the setup program provided with it. Use GSview to make sure that Ghostscript is running correctly before trying to use RedMon.
In the following examples, the Ghostscript command
c:\Program Files\gs\gs9.04\bin\gswin32c.exe
will need to be changed to match your version of Ghostscript.
PDF writer
Ghostscript Example for Windows 7
Install a printer driver for a colour PostScript printer, such as "Ghostscript PDF" distributed with ghostscript in ghostpdf.inf/ghostpdf.ppd.
To use RedMon and Ghostscript to create a PDF writer, you need to use the Ghostscript device pdfwrite. The Ghostscript command would be
c:\Program Files\gs\gs9.04\bin\gswin32c.exe
and the arguments
-sDEVICE=pdfwrite -r300 -dBATCH -dNOPAUSE -dSAFER -sPAPERSIZE=a4 -sOutputFile="%1" -c .setpdfwrite -f -
Make sure you include the space and dash at the end of the line. Failure to do this could result in Ghostscript stalling the print queue. Do not put line breaks between or after the arguments. Output should be set to Prompt for filename.
If using Windows 7, Vista or later, enable Run as user.
This assumes the target printer is an HP DeskJet 500 printer whose queue name is "HP DeskJet 500" (a problem since Windows 7 drivers for this old printer are hard to find).
Install a PostScript printer using the Add Printer wizard. One suitable printer driver is in the ghostscript lib directory as ghostpdf.inf/ppd.
In Device and Printers right click on the PostScript printer and select Printer properties.
On the General tab, select the Change Properties UAC button. If this UAC button doesn't exist, another method for getting to the Printer Properties with Administrator privileges is via Control Panel, System and Security, Administrative Tools, Print Management, using right click Run as administrator.
On the Ports tab select Add Port.... Select Redirected Port then New Port.... The RedMon Add Port dialog will appear. Select Ok to accept the defaults, then Close. If it fails you don't have Administrator privileges.
Back on the printer properties port tab, select Configure Port. The RPT1 Properties dialog will appear.
Enter the program name
c:\Program Files\gs\gs9.04\bin\gswin32c.exe
and the arguments
-sDEVICE=djet500 -dBATCH -dNOPAUSE -dSAFER -sPAPERSIZE=a4 -sOutputFile="%1" -
Make sure you include the space and dash at the end of the line. Failure to do this could result in Ghostscript stalling the print queue. Do not put line breaks between or after the arguments. See the Ghostscript files Use.htm and Install.htm for an explanation of these options.
Set output to Copy temporary file to printer and set printer to HP DeskJet 500.
If you want to see what is written to stdout (i.e. you want to to look at error messages), see Log File Properties.
Before configuring RedMon, make sure that your redirection program runs correctly from the command line.
Problem: When attempting to add a port, a message box titled Add Printer Ports appears saying Specified port cannot be added. Operation could not be completed (error 0x00000001).
You need to have Administrator privileges to add a port. If you have an Administrator account, log in using it. Open Devices and Printers. Right click on the printer, then Printer Properties. Click on the Change Properties UAC button. Click on Ports tab. Now you can Add Port, Configure Port etc.
If the Change Properties UAC button doesn't exist, another method for getting to the Printer Properties with Administrator privileges is via Control Panel, System and Security, Administrative Tools, then right click on Print Management then Run as administrator.
Problem: When attempting to print, a message box titled Printers Folder appears saying There was an error writing to RPT1: for the printer (Apple LaserWriter II NT): The system cannot write to the specified device.
RedMon couldn't start the program you specified. Look in the Log File for more details.
Make sure you have disabled bi-directional printer support.
Problem: Ghostscript locks up.
You might have forgotten to append a space and dash to the end of the Ghostscript arguments. This is needed to make Ghostscript read from standard input.
Problem: Ghostscript will process some jobs, but not others. If you print to FILE:, Ghostscript is able to process these jobs.
Make sure that Enable bidirectional support is disabled. If this is the problem, the log file with debugging turned on will include the message
REDMON ReadPort: You must disable bi-directional printer support for this printer.
Problem: Attempting to configure a port gives the error message: "This option is not available or not allowed".
You may need to configure the RedMon port from the computer running RedMon, rather than a remote computer.
Copyright (C) 1997-2012, Ghostgum Software Pty Ltd. All rights reserved.
This file is part of RedMon.
This software is distributed in the hope that it will be useful, but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.
This software is distributed under licence and may not be copied, modified or distributed except as expressly authorised under the terms of the LICENCE.
Author: Russell Lang, Ghostgum Software Pty Ltd.
Internet: http://www.ghostgum.com.au/
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