foo2qpdl-wrapper

foo2qpdl-wrapper [options]

--verbose
    Enable verbose output for debugging.

--help
    Display help message and exit.

--version
    Show version information and exit.

input-file
    The input file, if not specified the standard input will be used

foo2qpdl-wrapper is a wrapper script designed to work with the foo2zjs printer driver.
It converts standard input, which is typically PostScript or PDF data, into the QPDL (Queued Page Description Language) format expected by some Minolta and Konica Minolta laser printers. This conversion is crucial because these printers lack direct PostScript or PDF parsing capabilities. The wrapper simplifies the printing process by acting as a translator, enabling users to print from applications that generate PostScript or PDF output without needing to manually convert the files beforehand.
It handles communication with the printer driver (foo2zjs) and ensures the data is formatted correctly for the target printer.
This is achieved by using ghostscript and other utilities to convert the input into a raw bitmap, and then the output is converted into QPDL. Note: This utility is not usually called by the user manually. It is called by the printing system.

QPDL is a printer language developed by Konica Minolta. It is a page description language focused on raster graphics. The foo2qpdl-wrapper transforms the common formats PDF and PS to the QPDL format.

In a CUPS (Common Unix Printing System) environment, foo2qpdl-wrapper is automatically invoked as a print filter. CUPS manages the print queue, and when a job destined for a compatible Minolta/Konica Minolta printer is processed, CUPS passes the print data (PostScript, PDF, etc.) to foo2qpdl-wrapper. The script then converts the data to QPDL before sending it to the printer.

The foo2zjs driver project, and consequently the foo2qpdl-wrapper script, emerged to provide open-source printing support for a range of Minolta and Konica Minolta printers. Historically, these printers often lacked robust driver support in open-source environments. foo2zjs and its associated utilities, including foo2qpdl-wrapper, filled this gap by enabling users to print effectively from Linux and other Unix-like operating systems.

foo2zjs(1), ghostscript(1), lpr(1)