IPP> PPE - Issue about adding "media-size" by name in additio n to "media-size" by dimensions

IPP> PPE - Issue about adding "media-size" by name in additio n to "media-size" by dimensions

Hastings, Tom N hastings at cp10.es.xerox.com
Tue Sep 19 13:08:43 EDT 2000


It wasn't clear to me who the "you" was in your scenario?

Remember, IPP is the network wire protocol between the client and the
printer, not what is displayed between the client and the user (in both
submission and query).

So a good client will display to a user both the standard media size names
and the associated dimensions.  One client I tried puts the dimensions in
parentheses and another echoes back the dimensions when the user selects the
media size name.  Both client allow the user to type in custom media
dimensions as well (and doesn't display any media name with them).  For
either client implementation, only the dimensions are needed in the network
protocol sent between the client and the Printer (in job submission and
capability query).

Having two ways in the protocol to specify media size: by name and by a pair
of numbers, we run into interoperability problems.  Worse, if a Printer
vendor or an administrator wants to define new media names, clients would
have to update their localization tables for those new names (or not be able
to display them in the language of the user).  Its much better to have just
numbers.  

Having just dimension numbers (x and y) in the protocol in no way limits the
client as to what user friendly display it wants to present to users that
uses both names and dimension numbers.

If we remove specifying media size by name in the protocol and go back to
having only media-size by dimensions:  when a user types in his own
dimensions for a custom size, the client will send those values in the
protocol.  If those values happen to agree with a standard media sizes, then
the Printer won't be able to tell the difference, but so what?  If the user
specifies additional attributes to the client, then those additional values
will be passed to the Printer in the "media-coll" collection.  If the user
hasn't specified any additional media characteristics, then the Printer will
use the standard medium.

So does it make more sense as to why I want to remove the media by size name
member attribute that we added last week at the meeting and keep only media
by dimensions for the media-coll Job Template attribute?

To make it clearer from the member attribute names, should we call the
member attribute "media-dimensions", instead of "media-size", that has only
the pair of numbers as a value?

Tom

-----Original Message-----
From: Roelof Hamberg [mailto:rham at oce.nl]
Sent: Monday, September 18, 2000 23:48
To: Hastings, Tom N
Cc: ipp (E-mail)
Subject: Re: IPP> PPE - Issue about adding "media-size" by name in
addition to "media-size" by dimensions


"Hastings, Tom N" wrote:
> 
> 
> OK to go back to the original specification with just
> "media-size" (collection) in which only the dimensions in 
> hundredths of a millimeter (equivalent to 1/2540 th of an inch
> resolution)?

Tom,

I agree with you that having the single pair of numbers is sufficient to
specify size. The only thing is, if you replace a custom size (specified
by the user) in the client by a named size, the user might not recognize
his own settings. With numbers only, there is no way to avoid this.

So, I'm not in favour of rewinding the decision.

Roelof Hamberg
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