Need help converting VMS preGKS gmetas

From: steve piper (piper@XXXXXX)
Date: Fri Dec 15 2000 - 07:59:18 MST

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    We have gmeta files on an old MicroVAX that we would like
    to convert to postscript, or some other graphics
    format that can be converted to postscript. The gmetas were
    created with the VAX/VMS version of pre-GKS NCAR graphics,
    which is still running on the MicroVAX.

    We are able to move the files to a
    SUN, swap bytes, and clean the old gmetas (with program
    from Fred Clare)
    so that they could be used as input to SUN NCAR 4.0 ctrans. Unfortunately,
    though, the fonts are not embedded in the VMS gmetas so
    we cannot exactly reproduce the VMS figures but rather have
    to substitute in new fonts from SUN NCAR 4.0 that significantly
    alter the look of our original figures. (are there alternative
    fonts available that match the old VMS NCAR fonts?)

    Assuming that we cannot force the MicroVAX NCAR to embed fonts
    (anybody know?),
    we have another option. The old VMS metacode translator will produce
    output for the following graphics devices:

      4006 - Tektronix 4006 terminal
      4014 - Tektronix 4014 terminal
      4025 - Tektronix 4025 terminal
      ADM3 - Lear Siegler ADM3 terminal with Retrographics board
      VT100 - DEC VT100 terminal with Retrographics board
      P300 - Printronix P300 or P600 printers (aka DEC LXY-11 & LXY-21)
      C100 - Trilog C100 color printer using color ribbon
      T100 - Trilog C100 color printer with black ribbon
      C7900 - Chromatics 7900 graphics device without DMA interface
      D7900 - Chromatics 7900 graphics device with DMA interface
      HP7475 - Hewlett Packard 7475A 6 pen plotter
      GRIN - Grinnell graphics device
      GIGI - DEC GIGI terminal
      IDS560 - Integral Data Systems 560 printer (the Paper Tiger)
      QMS800 - QMS 800 laser printer
      HIPL - Houston Instruments HIPLOT DMP4 pen plotter
      T4115 - Tektronix 4115 terminal
      S100 - Selanar Hi-Rez 100 terminal
      NULL - for timing purposes (works like Tektronix but sends no output)

    Presumably, we could capture the output destined for one of
    these devices, say a 4014,
    modify it for the SUN (just swap bytes? don't know), and use
    some program (any ideas??) to convert the tek4014 output to
    postscript.

    Lacking any one of the possible solutions above, we were just
    forced to scan figures for a recent proposal, and they just
    ain't as nice as the originals by a long shot...
    Reproducing the figures in full resolution using translations
    as above would be more automatic and produce nicer output.

    Thanks for any suggestions.

    Steve Piper



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