05-04-2008, 06:49 PM

Hi,
I am pretty new to macs. I got a Macbook pro for graduation and I use Latex to do typesetting. There is a package named pstricks that I want to start playing with because it seems really cool.

I need a postscript viewer to run this package.

I went and downloaded ghostscript. Then I discovered that I needed xcode, which I got off of the optional installs on my Leopard disks. I needed autoconf, automake and gnu 4 1.4. I just read the errors on the terminal.

I got all of that stuff successfully downloaded, unpacked and installed.(I hope)
Then I went back to the Ghostscript 8.1 config file and it says that I need jpeg, which I also downloaded and unpacked. The directions were to go get it and "unpack it at the top of the gs tree and rename the directory jpeg."

I did get the right file (I think) but it says that it can't find the install file and I have no idea what "top of the gs tree" means.

So far I have just been blundering through hoping that I would eventually just randomly come across the solution somewhere.

ANY help or pointers will be greatly appreciated.
Thanks,
CC

05-05-2008, 11:06 AM

Ok, Here's the exact message that I got:
I wasn't able to find a copy
of the jpeg library. This is required for compiling
ghostscript. Please download a copy of the source,
e.g. from http://www.ijg.org/, unpack it at the
top level of the gs source tree, and rename
the directory to 'jpeg'.
So I downloaded the thing and I have no clue where "the top level of the gs tree is"

I have been trying to get Ghostscript to run on this machine for 2 days now.
I didn't think it would be this difficult.
Please help me.
CC

05-06-2008, 03:54 PM

I am not sure if it will help, but have you tried MacGSView?

Here is a description I have found of it at this URL:

MacGSView, on the other hand, is a bona fide OS X Carbon application, which is self-contained and has a version of GhostScript rolled into it. Except for the odd fact that this program never got past beta and therefore is no longer supported, it's a pretty handy tool for viewing PostScript files quickly. If all you need to do is view one single PostScript file right now, then MacGSView is for you. Read no further.

Might this perhaps meet your need?

05-06-2008, 04:58 PM

Hi,
I did see the MacGSView in the net. There must be some problem with their mirror because I've tried to connect at home and also at work. It just says
"error 425. failed to connect"

Which brings me right back to the problem at hand. If I knew where "the top level of the gs tree" was, I might be able to get the thing to run.....the way this has been going, I doubt it.

i have even tried the darwin ports approach,but I'm so inexperienced with terminal that I'm afraid I will mess up my machine.
I never set up a password for admin on this computer. I'm the ONLY user, and terminal doesn't like it when it asks for a password and I hit return instead of entering some keystrokes.
I have no idea how to remedy that and I just want ghostscript to RUN.....

ARGGGHHH!

Thanks for the reply. Let me know if you know anything else that might work.

CC

05-06-2008, 05:10 PM

I would recommend DarwinPorts. Installed it myself when I first got this Mac. I have Ghostview running on my machine (along with a raft of other unix/Linux X11 programs as well). DarwinPorts is as easy to install and use as their web site suggests. You will find it well worth the effort.

05-06-2008, 05:14 PM

Do you know how to fix the password issue that I have? How do I put an admin password on?

I go in and type the sudo port -d selfupdate
(I think that's it..I don't have it right in front of me)
Then it asks for Password:
Which I never set up becuase I didn't think I needed it.
I hit return, because that works on everything else...
Then it acts like I hit ctrl c for cancel. I just can't seem to get anywhere...

Thanks again for your input.
CC

05-10-2008, 01:06 PM

Hi,
I figured out the password issue by reading even MORE stuff on the net. I got Darwinports set up and Ghostscript runs nicely now.

I didn't even deep fry my machine (I don't think..)

CC

05-12-2008, 05:24 PM

Glad to hear that all is well. There is a lot of good stuff available via DarwinPorts.