Tools for reading these files
Introduction
Files on the Internet are stored in a variety of formats. Most of the
files here are in ASCII, HTML or PostScript/PDF. If you have a
choice PDF files are the best format. You can download a free viewer from
Adobe Systems that works very well on most systems; see the instructions below for details.
If the files are not available in PDF format, you can try to install a
PostScript viewer on your system; instructions are given below.
Often files are compressed. Most of the files on this system are
compressed using the Unix compress utility or GNU's gzip utility.
Read below for instructions on how to decompress these files.
PDF files
We are trying to standardize on storing documents as PDF files; please
bear with us as we undertake the conversion. PDF (Portable Document
Forman) viewers for a number of different platforms are available from
Adobe Systems Incorporated; look
under the heading Adobe Acrobat.
PostScript files
Files contained on this site, or links to off-site locations, with names
like filename.ps.Z are PostScript files that are compressed using the
Unix compress utility. The following provides suggestions for some
utilities to uncompress, view on screen, and then print these files.
Compression
Files with extension ".Z" are compresssed using the Unix compress
utility. See below for a guide to software that will to uncompress
them.
Files with extension ".gz" are compressed using the GNU compress
utility. Here is information
about gz files, including instructions for retreiving the software
to decompress them on Unix and MS-DOS systems.
Unix
Uncompress:
To uncompress *.Z files on a Unix machine just type "uncompress
filename.ps.Z" and you will get a PostScript file
filename.ps.
View on Screen:
As a norm, the command "ghostview filename.ps" will open the GhostView previewer with the given filename. Unlike the uncompress command above, ghostview is an X-Windows application. If you are not running X-Windows, or are unable of displaying X
to your workstation, then you cannot use the UNIX flavor (try a different platform). If GhostView is not available on your machine, see your system administrator.
Printing:
You can then send this file to a PostScript printer using a standard
print command such as "lpr filename.ps".
Windows 3.1x and Windows for Workgroups 3.11
Uncompress:
View on Screen:
Printing:
You should be able to use one of the PostScript viewers listed above to print to the default printer on your PC.
MS-DOS, IBM-DOS, etc.
Uncompress:
View on Screen:
Printing:
Windows 95 & Windows NT
Uncompress:
- WinZip95:
A fully 32-bit compress-uncompressor, supporting: ZIP, ARJ, LZH, ARC,
TAR, Z, GZ, TAZ & MS LZEXPAND. Integrates into File Manager for easy
access and association. WinZip is shareware, priced at U.S. $29 and is
currently in version 6.0.
View on Screen:
- GhostScript: Coming soon.
Printing:
Using your PostScript previewer you should be able to print the PostScript
file to your printer. Ensure that you have a PostScript enabled printer
and that the appropriate PostScript printer drivers are installed.
Macintosh
Uncompress:
View on Screen:
