DOS ain't dead

Currently I use Acrobat Reader 1.0, works well but don't open newer PDF formats.

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DOS gives me freedom to unlimited HW access.

> Currently I use Acrobat Reader 1.0, works well but don't open newer PDF
> formats.

1). DOSPDF (basically a stripped-down Ghostscript 7.x for DOS w/ LXPIC and PDFTOPS ... or something like that)
http://mateusz.viste.free.fr/dos/en/dospdf.htm

2). Ghostscript 8.57 (Win32/HX .EXE only, needs full Ghostscript/Win32 install)
GhostScript 8.57 for DOS (V0.01) available ! (good tips)
http://www.milec.com/download/GSWC_DLL.ZIP
http://sourceforge.net/projects/ghostscript

3). Ghostscript 7.?? (I forget where, probably Michael Kostolev's old site)

4). Ghostscript 5.10 for DOS (okay, just for completeness' sake)
ftp://ftp.sac.sk/pub/sac/utiltext/gs510dos.zip

P.S. Just as a caveat, I never read PDFs, even in DOS, so I haven't really tried these (okay, tried DOSPDF once under DOSBox, but whatever). Just FYI, I'm no help beyond this.

EDIT: Okay, I do know of one cool .PDF: Back to the Future 2 "draft" script. Granted, it won't work in DOS (I tried) due to writing-to-text permissions (gah!), but it's a cool read anyways. (Sorry, couldn't easily find a "better" URL.)

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Know your limits.h

> Currently I use Acrobat Reader 1.0, works well but don't open newer PDF
> formats.

GPL Ghostscript v8.16
djgpp compilation by Michael Kostylev, at Vitus Wagner's site
Home page: http://www.wagner.pp.ru/~vitus/
Download: ftp://ftp.wagner.pp.ru/pub/dos-stuff/gsdos8_16.zip
or
http://ftp.wagner.pp.ru/pub/dos-stuff/gsdos8_16.zip
(Later v8.55 is not available because Michael's site is down)

ESP Ghostscript v7.05.5
djgpp compilation by Ben Decker
Download: http://www.caddit.net/php/download.php?file=gsd705.zip
Source is at: http://www.caddit.net/programming.php

Xpdf
Viewer, text and image extractor, PDF-to-PS converter
Versions for DOS, Windows, Unix & other OSes
Home site: http://www.foolabs.com/xpdf/

I tried download XPDF package for DOS but it doesn't contain XPDF.EXE just this files:

Výpis adresáře H:\1SOFT\_pdf\xpdf-3.02pl2-dos6

06.11.2007 15:58 333 908 PDFFONTS.EXE
06.11.2007 15:58 334 336 PDFIMGS.EXE
06.11.2007 15:58 335 552 PDFINFO.EXE
06.11.2007 15:58 357 316 PDFTEXT.EXE
06.11.2007 15:58 370 496 PDFTOPS.EXE
5 souborů, 1 731 608 bajtů

And GhostScript is AFAIK for working with PS/EPS files. And it needs GhostView for graphics output. It probably will not directly display PDF? I'm going to try it.

p.s. sometimes I need to be in pure DOS (not emulaor) but need to read some PDF. And don't want to reboot of course :)

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DOS gives me freedom to unlimited HW access.

> 1). DOSPDF (basically a stripped-down Ghostscript 7.x for DOS w/ LXPIC and

It's based on Ghostscript version 5.10.

> 3). Ghostscript 7.?? (I forget where, probably Michael Kostolev's old
> site)

http://ftp.icm.edu.pl/packages/GUST/contrib/PS-supp/ has Ghostscript version 7.0.5.

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Forum admin

> I tried download XPDF package for DOS but it doesn't contain XPDF.EXE just
> this files:

That's a known limitation of the DOS port: "pdftops, pdftotext, pdfimages, pdfinfo, and pdffonts only"

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Forum admin

> I tried download XPDF package for DOS but it doesn't contain XPDF.EXE just
> this files:
>
> Výpis adresáře H:\1SOFT\_pdf\xpdf-3.02pl2-dos6
>
> 06.11.2007 15:58 333 908 PDFFONTS.EXE
> 06.11.2007 15:58 334 336 PDFIMGS.EXE
> 06.11.2007 15:58 335 552 PDFINFO.EXE
> 06.11.2007 15:58 357 316 PDFTEXT.EXE
> 06.11.2007 15:58 370 496 PDFTOPS.EXE
> 5 souborů, 1 731 608 bajtů

These are basically converters. "PDFTEXT.EXE 1.pdf" outputs 1.txt, etc. Not as powerful as the whole of Ghostscript, but good for a sampling of what's in a .pdf.

> And GhostScript is AFAIK for working with PS/EPS files. And it needs
> GhostView for graphics output. It probably will not directly display PDF?
> I'm going to try it.

Ghostscript also displays and converts PDF. "Ghostview is an X11 user interface for Ghostscript, allowing you to view and navigate PostScript files." Available for Linux / Unixes / VMS. The similar GSView is available for Windows & OS/2. Both are nice front-ends that make Ghostview [edit: should be Ghostscript] easier to use, but they are not required.

> p.s. sometimes I need to be in pure DOS (not emulaor) but need to read
> some PDF. And don't want to reboot of course :)

You should have no problems (not counting the time it takes to learn Ghostscript - it's big).

> > 3). Ghostscript 7.?? (I forget where, probably Michael Kostolev's old
> > site)
>
> http://ftp.icm.edu.pl/packages/GUST/contrib/PS-supp/ has Ghostscript
> version 7.0.5.

Package note: This has the main binary only. CADDIT's and Michael Kostylev's packages have fonts, docs, and other useful stuff.

> GPL Ghostscript v8.16
> djgpp compilation by Michael Kostylev

Correction: It's compiled in OpenWatcom C/C++ with dos4gw. The later, and unavailable, v8.55 is the djgpp compilation.

Well, I tried GS 8.16 and seems to be working. I use batch line:
GS -dBATCH -dNOPAGEPROMPT -sDEVICE=vesa -g1280x1024 -q %1 %2 %3 %4 %5

it displays PDF correctly but it's not much interactive, I can only press ENTER for next page or Q to quit. I'd need also jump to previous page or zoom +/- or search but it seems to be over abilities of GS, isn't?

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DOS gives me freedom to unlimited HW access.

> it displays PDF correctly but it's not much interactive, I can only press
> ENTER for next page or Q to quit. I'd need also jump to previous page or
> zoom +/- or search but it seems to be over abilities of GS, isn't?

That's why DOSPDF or PSVIEW exist.

You could also try this little batch file:

@echo off
if "%1"=="#self" goto RUN
command.com /E:4096 /C %0 #self %1 %2
exit

:RUN
shift
if not exist %1.ps goto usage

rem Convert PS to PCX
set gspath=c:\gs
echo -I%gspath%;%gspath%\fonts>_.at
echo -sDEVICE=pcx256>>_.at
echo -sOutputFile=%TEMP%\page%%04d.pcx>>_.at
echo -r200>>_.at
echo -dNOPAUSE>>_.at
set TR=%2
if "%TR%"=="" set TR=0
%gspath%\gs.exe -q @_.at -c "<< /Orientation %TR% >> setpagedevice" -f%1.ps -c quit
del _.at

:show
lxpic.com %TEMP%\page????.pcx /12-
goto end

:usage
echo Syntax: %0 psfile [0..3] (w/o extension!)

:end

Taken from this old Usenet thread (in German): FYI: PDF-Dateien betrachten

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Forum admin

I understand that all this progs same as this batch use GS to render pages instead on screen to image files and then use some viewer to display it. It's far to functions of Acrobat reader but better than nothing, thanks for it.

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DOS gives me freedom to unlimited HW access.

Michael Kostylev sent me link to his SW, here's also new GS 8.55
http://mik.dyndns.org/dos-stuff/

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DOS gives me freedom to unlimited HW access.

> Michael Kostylev sent me link to his SW, here's also new GS 8.55
> http://mik.dyndns.org/dos-stuff/

Ah, great!

I also got a reply from Michael: "But if someone wants to host my stuff, it's possible. The only requirement is rsync over ssh."

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Forum admin

> I also got a reply from Michael: "But if someone wants to host my
> stuff, it's possible. The only requirement is rsync over ssh."

Me too. I can host something on freehosting but don't have SSH access there and cannot use rsync.

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DOS gives me freedom to unlimited HW access.

> Michael Kostylev sent me link to his SW, here's also new GS 8.55
> http://mik.dyndns.org/dos-stuff/

W00t, new p7zip 4.57!

---
Know your limits.h

> it displays PDF correctly but it's not much interactive, I can only press
> ENTER for next page or Q to quit. I'd need also jump to previous page or
> zoom +/- or search but it seems to be over abilities of GS, isn't?

To jump to any page, command is: -dFirstPage=pagenumber

Ghostscript is interactive, but the commands are long - a real nuisance. The easy way is to use the Windows version with the GSview shell.

> To jump to any page, command is: -dFirstPage=pagenumber

Thanks. Any possibility to define user command alias in GS? Maybe only recompile...

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DOS gives me freedom to unlimited HW access.

> > To jump to any page, command is: -dFirstPage=pagenumber
>
> Thanks. Any possibility to define user command alias in GS? Maybe only
> recompile...

There isn't any way to redefine commands. It looks like recompiling is the only option (if you are really determined to avoid the other OSes).

> Currently I use Acrobat Reader 1.0, works well but don't open newer PDF formats.

Strange. For me it also "works" but can read cca 1% of PDF's around

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This is a LOGITECH mouse driver, but some software expect here
the following string:*** This is Copyright 1983 Microsoft ***

> The easy way is to use the Windows version with the GSview shell.

As usual

PS: thanks to mik , MP works, haven't tried his "GS" stuff yet

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This is a LOGITECH mouse driver, but some software expect here
the following string:*** This is Copyright 1983 Microsoft ***

> > The easy way is to use the Windows version with the GSview shell.
>
> As usual
>
> PS: thanks to mik , MP works, haven't tried his "GS" stuff yet

GSview works under HXDOS? Under other OS I use Acrobat Reader of course...

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DOS gives me freedom to unlimited HW access.

> > PS: thanks to mik , MP works, haven't tried his "GS" stuff
> > yet
>
> GSview works under HXDOS? Under other OS I use Acrobat Reader of course...

DOS386 was talking about MPlayer.

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Forum admin

> > Currently I use Acrobat Reader 1.0, works well but don't open
> > newer PDF formats.
>
> Strange. For me it also "works" but can read cca 1% of PDF's around

Why is this strange? Your sentence has the same meaning as Rayer's.

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Forum admin

> > The easy way is to use the Windows version with the GSview shell.
>
> As usual

Or OS/2 or Linux/Unix. Graphical shells have their uses. Another possibility is to go with Unix and use shell scripts - but don't worry, I'm not demanding that you do that.

> PS: thanks to mik ... haven't tried his "GS" stuff yet

It works, and it's the latest available GS for DOS - ****.

> > Currently I use Acrobat Reader 1.0, works well but don't open
> newer PDF formats.
>
> Strange. For me it also "works" but can read cca 1% of PDF's around

You can try rebuild PDF file to compatibility level 1.0, which you can
read with acrobat. You will need gs and pdftops
1% will now more

> You can try rebuild PDF file to compatibility level 1.0, which you can
> read with acrobat. You will need gs and pdftops
> 1% will now more

I don't have problems with "self-brewed" PDF's (I actually don't brew any) ... my PDF's come from the Internet and 99% of them are PDF 1.3 or newer ... and I don't think the usefulness of AR 1.0 will grow in future Or should "rebuild" mean convert existing PDF ?

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This is a LOGITECH mouse driver, but some software expect here
the following string:*** This is Copyright 1983 Microsoft ***

> You can try rebuild PDF file to compatibility level 1.0, which you can
> read with acrobat. You will need gs and pdftops
> 1% will now more

Maybe, but why bother? Using old Acrobat is not in itself a goal, only a method - if it works, fine, otherwise use something else.

> I don't have problems with "self-brewed" PDF's (I actually don't brew any)
> ... my PDF's come from the Internet and 99% of them are PDF 1.3 or newer
> ... and I don't think the usefulness of AR 1.0 will grow in future Or
> should "rebuild" mean convert existing PDF ?

PDF version 1.0 or 1.1 which demand Acrorerad is not ver. 1.3 ?
ghostscript usually creates ver. 1.4 > see ps2pdf, in same casses help
convert PDF - distiller5 to old version 1.0 and then it can read with
acroread I make it with ghostscript GSD705

> Maybe, but why bother? Using old Acrobat is not in itself a goal, only a
> method - if it works, fine, otherwise use something else.

But, if the goal is "To view .pdf under DOS", then there is not any
way to reach it today. Acrobat Reader for DOS is all but obsolete,
GhostScript is not really a viewer.
BTW, pdf2ps will not work with every .pdf file, because it respects
the permissions contained in the file.