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Can PostScript access the machine clock, expressed as a date and time?

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  Can PostScript access the machine clock, expressed as a date and time? jdaw1 <jdawiseman@gmail.com> - 2015-08-15 02:55 -0700
    Re: Can PostScript access the machine clock, expressed as a date and time? ken <ken@spamcop.net> - 2015-08-15 12:11 +0100
      Re: Can PostScript access the machine clock, expressed as a date and time? jdaw1 <jdawiseman@gmail.com> - 2015-08-15 04:36 -0700
        Re: Can PostScript access the machine clock, expressed as a date and time? jdaw1 <jdawiseman@gmail.com> - 2015-08-15 06:22 -0700
          Re: Can PostScript access the machine clock, expressed as a date and time? jdaw1 <jdawiseman@gmail.com> - 2015-08-15 11:24 -0700
            Re: Can PostScript access the machine clock, expressed as a date and time? jdaw1 <jdawiseman@gmail.com> - 2015-08-15 11:26 -0700
    Re: Can PostScript access the machine clock, expressed as a date and time? Martin Leese <please@see.Web.for.e-mail.INVALID> - 2015-08-15 11:23 -0600
      Re: Can PostScript access the machine clock, expressed as a date and time? jdaw1 <jdawiseman@gmail.com> - 2015-08-15 14:38 -0700
        Re: Can PostScript access the machine clock, expressed as a date and time? jdaw1 <jdawiseman@gmail.com> - 2015-08-16 04:58 -0700
          Re: Can PostScript access the machine clock, expressed as a date and time? Martin Leese <please@see.Web.for.e-mail.INVALID> - 2015-08-16 10:29 -0600
          Re: Can PostScript access the machine clock, expressed as a date and time? jdaw1 <jdawiseman@gmail.com> - 2015-12-08 06:13 -0800
            Re: Can PostScript access the machine clock, expressed as a date and time? jdaw1 <jdawiseman@gmail.com> - 2015-12-14 07:05 -0800

#2319 — Can PostScript access the machine clock, expressed as a date and time?

A PostScript file is written, and later distilled. I'd like the output to include the date and time of distillation. Can PostScript access the machine clock, expressed as a date and time? I'm not stressed whether local or GMT, but want at least one of them?

Please, is it possible, and if so, how?

The question applies to both Adobe Distiller and Ghostscript: a solution that works in one is better than no solution.

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#2320

In article <13dc49a5-e8f7-4609-a2ab-7e3a186abc3d@googlegroups.com>, 
jdawiseman@gmail.com says...
> 
> A PostScript file is written, and later distilled. I'd like the output to include the date and time of distillation. Can PostScript access the machine clock, expressed as a date and time? I'm not stressed whether local or GMT, but want at least one of them?
> 
> Please, is it possible, and if so, how?
> 
> The question applies to both Adobe Distiller and Ghostscript: a solution that works in one is better than no solution.

The %calendar% device, if implemented, might work, I don't recall what 
exactly it returns. However Since PostScript was originally intended for 
use on laser priners, the basic asnwer is no.

NB when creating a PDF file, both Ghostscript and Distiller already put 
the creation date and time in the PDF file, so the information is 
already present in the PDF file. Did you want it actually stamped on the 
pages of the PDF ?


		Ken

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#2321

Thank you. I'll investigate the %calendar% device. 

> Did you want it actually stamped on the pages of the PDF ?
Yes. My output, e.g., that at 
http://www.jdawiseman.com/2015/20150509_1945.pdf 
already has a line saying 
> Version of placemat program code = D:201505062230 = 22:30 Wed 06 May 2015
derived from a constant in the code
> /CreationDateAdobeFormat (D:201505062230) def 
I'd like to add a similar line of the form "Distilled ...", where the ellipsis is the time and date.

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#2322

Thank you for suggesting %Calendar%, but I'm not quite winning with it. It is absent from Adobe Distiller XI (tut tut), so let's ignore that. So to GPL Ghostscript 9.15 (2014-09-22). PostScript code follows:

%!PS
(--- ... /IODevice resourceforall) () = =
/Resources [
	(*) {cvn 255 string cvs dup =} 255 string /IODevice resourceforall
] def
Resources ==
/ResourceNumber 6 def
Resources ResourceNumber get ==
count 0 ne {(+pstack 10) = pstack (-pstack 10) =} if
(--- ... /IODevice findresource) () = =
Resources ResourceNumber get /IODevice findresource
dup type ==
dup ==
{count {==} repeat} forall
count 0 ne {(+pstack 20) = pstack (-pstack 20) =} if



which outputs


--- ... /IODevice resourceforall
%rom%
%stdin%
%stderr%
%statementedit%
%os%
%ram%
%Calendar%
%stdout%
%lineedit%
%pipe%
%null%
[(%rom%) (%stdin%) (%stderr%) (%statementedit%) (%os%) (%ram%) (%Calendar%) (%stdout%) (%lineedit%) (%pipe%) (%null%)]
(%Calendar%)

--- ... /IODevice findresource
stringtype
(%Calendar%)
37
67
97
108
101
110
100
97
114
37


Progress: resource (%Calendar%) exists. But how do I access it? It seems that findresource returns just that string. Please sir?

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#2323

Actually, you have given me enough clues to find 
https://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/PostScript_FAQ#How_to_get_date_and_time 

Job done. Thank you.

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#2324

On Saturday, 15 August 2015 19:24:29 UTC+1, jdaw1  wrote:
> Actually, you have given me enough clues to find 
> https://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/PostScript_FAQ#How_to_get_date_and_time 
> 
> Job done. Thank you.

Link fix:
https://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/PostScript_FAQ#How_to_get_date_and_time.3F 

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#2325

jdaw1 wrote:
> A PostScript file is written, and later distilled. I'd like the output to include the date and time of distillation. Can PostScript access the machine clock, expressed as a date and time? I'm not stressed whether local or GMT, but want at least one of them?
> 
> Please, is it possible, and if so, how?
> 
> The question applies to both Adobe Distiller and Ghostscript: a solution that works in one is better than no solution.

Visit:
https://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/PostScript_FAQ#How_to_get_date_and_time.3F

This illustrates how to use the %Calendar%
resource (as suggested by ken).  This link
also points to PostScript Language Reference
Manual version 2012 supplement (1992), in
which %Calendar% is defined.

Note that %Calendar% is not mentioned in
PostScript LANGUAGE REFERENCE third edition
(1999).  It is therefore pot luck whether it
is supported on a particular
printer/interpreter.  It seems to be
associated with a Fax device.

-- 
Regards,
Martin Leese
E-mail: please@see.Web.for.e-mail.INVALID
Web: http://members.tripod.com/martin_leese/

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#2326

On Saturday, 15 August 2015 20:21:47 UTC+1, Martin Leese  wrote:
>  pot luck whether it
> is supported on a particular
> printer/interpreter.

Adobe Distiller XI, no; GPL Ghostscript 9.15 (2014-09-22), yes. 


My code is now:

/MonthNames [(Jan) (Feb) (March) (April) (May) (June) (July) (Aug) (Sep) (Oct) (Nov) (Dec)] def
(%Calendar%) /IODevice resourcestatus
{
	pop pop (%Calendar%) currentdevparams
	begin
	Running
	{
		mark (Distilled ) Hour (:) Minute ( )
		[(Sun) (Mon) (Tue) (Wed) (Thu) (Fri) (Sat)] Weekday get ( ) 
		Day 2 string cvs dup length 1 le {(0) exch} if
		( ) MonthNames Month 1 sub get ( ) Year
		(, according to the clock of the computer running the distillation application.)
		ConcatenateToMark OutputToLog
	} if  % Running
	end
} if % ... resourcestatus

In which 'ConcatenateToMark' and 'OutputToLog' do what they say, the former automatically cvs'ing non-strings. 

Comment and correction would be welcomed.

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#2327

Code improved to make hour and minutes two-digit:


/MonthNames [(Jan) (Feb) (March) (April) (May) (June) (July) (Aug) (Sep) (Oct) (Nov) (Dec)] def
(\%Calendar\%) /IODevice resourcestatus
{
	pop pop (\%Calendar\%) currentdevparams
	begin
	Running
	{
		mark (Distilled ) Hour 2 string cvs dup length 1 le {(0) exch} if
		(:) Minute 2 string cvs dup length 1 le {(0) exch} if ( )
		[(Sun) (Mon) (Tue) (Wed) (Thu) (Fri) (Sat)] Weekday get ( )
		Day 2 string cvs dup length 1 le {(0) exch} if ( )
		MonthNames Month 1 sub get ( ) Year
		(, according to the clock of the computer running the distillation application.)
		ConcatenateToMark OutputToLog
	} if  % Running
	end
} if % ... resourcestatus


Is there any way to use 'run' on Mac Distiller as an alternative?

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#2328

jdaw1 wrote:
...
> Is there any way to use 'run' on Mac Distiller as an alternative?

As run is similar to exec, and as exec just
executes a PostScript object, I don't see
how.  Adobe Distiller XI does not have
%Calendar%, so you cannot do this using only
PostScript.

However, you might be able to access an
operating system command from within
PostScript, as described later (using a
named pipe) in the PostScript FAQ section
referenced.  (I do not run a Mac, so cannot
help further.)

-- 
Regards,
Martin Leese
E-mail: please@see.Web.for.e-mail.INVALID
Web: http://members.tripod.com/martin_leese/

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#2402

I'm going to make an Adobe feature request for this. Are there any particulars that folks think should be in the request?

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#2404

The following has been submitted:



Brief title for your desired feature:
IODevice resource %Calendar%: implemented in Ghostscript, not in Adobe Distiller

The Adobe PostScript 3 Version 3010 and 3011 Product Supplement
https://partners.adobe.com/public/developer/en/ps/PS3010and3011.Supplement.pdf
mentions on page 74 the IODevice resource %Calendar%. %Calendar% is implemented in Ghostscript, but not in Adobe Distiller. Please could %Calendar% be implemented in Adobe Distiller. 

Also see
https://groups.google.com/forum/#!topic/comp.lang.postscript/UAkMrNLakKs 

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