Printer description file format generator

Abstract

The conventional generation of original and design-change PPD files for printer drivers is tedious and prone to error as each version for a language-platform combination is constructed. The invention generates all the necessary PPD files for any needed platform/language combination from one or more base PPDs and one or more build files. A PPD generator draws on the information contained in the base PPD and build files to construct all the combinational varieties needed to support different languages and platforms, while providing an efficient and flexible environment for doing so.

1 . A system for producing a PostScript® printer description (PPD) text file associated with a printer, the system comprising: 
 a base PPD text file that comprises information regarding the printer, the information including text in a first language, the base PPD text file adapted for a first software platform; and    a PPD generator adapted to import the base PPD text file and to generate therefrom a second PPD text file that includes text translated from the first language to a second language.    
   
   
       2 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising a build file that describes a product or platform specific set of features of the base PPD text file.  
   
   
       3 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the PPD generator parses the base PPD text file and the build file into text based instructions that may be parsed and assembled by PostScript® printer drivers.  
   
   
       4 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the PPD generator generates the second PPD file that is adapted for a second software platform.  
   
   
       5 . A method for generating a PostScript® printer description (PPD) text file associated with a printer, the method comprising: 
 providing a base PPD text file that comprises information regarding the printer, the information including text in a first language, the base PPb text file adapted for a first software platform;    providing a build file that comprises information as to how the base PPD text file should be edited to provide a second PPD text file that includes text translated from the first language to a second language; and    implementing the build file to automatically generate the second PPD text file.    
   
   
       6 . A method for revising a PostScript® printer description (PPD) text file associated with a printer, the method comprising: 
 providing a base PPD text file that comprises information regarding the printer, the information including text in a first language, the base PPD text file adapted for a first software platform, and a build file that comprises information as to how the base PPD text file should be edited to provide a second PPD text file that includes text translated from the first language to a second language;    modifying the base PPD text file to provide a revised PPD text file; and    implementing the build file to automatically generate a second PPD text file from the revised PPD text file.