How to View SHD - SPL ?

[Nehmo Sergheyev]

I have WinXPhomeSP1.

How do I view a shd spl file?

They were in the printer spool at C:\WINDOWS\system32\spool\PRINTERS. To
work with them I moved them to another folder.

I read one suggestion to use ViewPro, but that app doesn't seem to have
a way to browse for and open a file.

Another usenet suggestion was Ghost View. I downloaded that, but I think
I'm missing the main executable, and I'm not sure that will work either.

Another usenet post by Gary Padbury http://snipurl.com/6onw said the
first line held the key to what type of spl file it was, but the first
line of my spl didn't match any of his possibilities.

When I open the spl in wordpad, the first line starts with some squares.
Opening it in Word decoding via Unicode gives this for the first line:

____L_______>___C_o_u_p_o_n_ _P_r_i_n_t_
_0_7_0_6_3_1_9_8_8___U_S_B_0_0_1___

With this particular print, I used a Cannon i250

I'd like to open the shd/spl in a graphics program. I have PhotoShop CS
and Paint Shop Pro 8.

 

[Tony Edgecombe]

Well the Canon i250 is a cheap inkjet printer, it probably uses a
proprietary print file format so you are unlikely to be able to view the
file.

What are you trying to achieve?

 

[Nehmo Sergheyev]

- Tony Edgecombe -

Well the Canon i250 is a cheap inkjet printer, it probably uses a
proprietary print file format so you are unlikely to be able to view the
file.

- Nehmo -
So you're saying what's in the Spool is generated by the print software?
I didn't even know that.

How do I find out if it's a proprietary format? I suppose I could get in
touch with someone at Cannon.

- Tony Edgecombe -

What are you trying to achieve?

- Nehmo -
I want to modify an image in the SPL/SHD in a graphics program. I could
print and rescan, but that's kludgey.

 

[Alan]

I want to modify an image in the SPL/SHD in a graphics program. I could
print and rescan, but that's kludgey.

Install a different printer driver and set it to print to file. (You
don't have to have the real printer to install and use the driver --
I've got about a dozen printers in my printer folder, though only one
is a real printer still connected.)

The most obvious is Acrobat PDFwriter, which creates a PDF file. You
can edit that in Illustrator, Freehand, CorelDraw, and then print from
that app or Acrobat. You may be able to do the sme by using a PS
printer (like LaserWriter) and thus create a PS file, may of these
apps will be able to open that too.

 

[Tony Edgecombe]

"Nehmo Sergheyev" <[email protected]> wrote in message

Install a different printer driver and set it to print to file. (You
don't have to have the real printer to install and use the driver --
I've got about a dozen printers in my printer folder, though only one
is a real printer still connected.)

The most obvious is Acrobat PDFwriter, which creates a PDF file. You
can edit that in Illustrator, Freehand, CorelDraw, and then print from
that app or Acrobat. You may be able to do the sme by using a PS
printer (like LaserWriter) and thus create a PS file, may of these
apps will be able to open that too.

Or use one of the image drivers, it might be easier to modify the file then.

 

[Nehmo Sergheyev]

- Alan -
- Tony Edgecombe -

Or use one of the image drivers, it might be easier to modify the file

then.

- Nehmo -
What image driver?

The original print file came from:
http://www.scottbrand.com/us/offers/coupon/index.asp

It's supposed to not let you print twice, but if you delete the site's
cookie it thinks you're somebody new.

I want to modify the file - not just print is more than once. (I'm
answering another post.)

I tried to print to Adobe PDF but it then gives an alert saying that's
not supported. I also tried to fax, also not allowed. I emailed Canon;
here's the response. (Normally I'd hesitate to post email, but I don't
think Canon would mind in this case):

"These are the spool files the printer driver creates when printing.

Normally they disappear when the print job is completed. Unfortunately,
I know of no practical way of opening them.

However, if you notice, they are .shd and .spl files. If you had an
application capable of understanding these file types, you would be able
to access them as you would any other file. In other words, if you
saved an Excel file to your computer (.xls) but did not have a MS Excel
on the computer, your computer would not recognize the file and would
not be able to open it. The same goes for the .shd and .spl files.

With the correct application installed to recognize these files types
(assuming there is one) would then be able to open the files."

 

[Nehmo Sergheyev]

- Alan -

Install a different printer driver and set it to print to file. (You
don't have to have the real printer to install and use the driver --
I've got about a dozen printers in my printer folder, though only one
is a real printer still connected.)

- Nehmo -
After reading
http://www.frogmorecs.com/arts/print_to_file_options_and.html I now
understand how to print to file. But which driver should I use?

- Alan -

The most obvious is Acrobat PDFwriter, which creates a PDF file.

- Nehmo -
Won't work. "Not a supported printer."

- Alan -

You
can edit that in Illustrator, Freehand, CorelDraw, and then print from
that app or Acrobat. You may be able to do the sme by using a PS
printer (like LaserWriter) and thus create a PS file,

- Nehmo -
Isn't that an apple thing? Is there a Windows version? I have
WinXPhomeSP1. What other print driver creates PS?

- Alan -

 

[Alan]

- Alan -

- Tony Edgecombe -
then.

- Nehmo -
What image driver?

An image driver in this context is a printer driver that actually
creates an image file (TIFF, etc) rather than sending it to the
printer.

The original print file came from:
http://www.scottbrand.com/us/offers/coupon/index.asp

It's supposed to not let you print twice, but if you delete the site's
cookie it thinks you're somebody new.

I want to modify the file - not just print is more than once. (I'm
answering another post.)

I tried to print to Adobe PDF but it then gives an alert saying that's
not supported. I also tried to fax, also not allowed. I emailed Canon;

It seems they've thought of the easy workarounds.

Have you actually tried to change a printer to "print to file"? Does
the app detect that?

If it does, and given that you have been able to capture the spool
files, install a postscript printer, print the file, capture the spool
file, edit it as described above, print that.

here's the response. (Normally I'd hesitate to post email, but I don't
think Canon would mind in this case):

"These are the spool files the printer driver creates when printing. ...>

With the correct application installed to recognize these files types
(assuming there is one) would then be able to open the files."

They're being polite, but saying they have no idea.

 

[Alan]

- Alan -

- Nehmo -
Isn't that an apple thing? Is there a Windows version? I have
WinXPhomeSP1. What other print driver creates PS?

Windows should have the driver.
If (in Win 98) I click on "Add printer", I can select Manufacturer
(Apple), then Printer ( Laserwriter). I'd choose that because it's an
old printer and uses a simple form of PostScript.

 

[Nehmo Sergheyev]

- Alan -

An image driver in this context is a printer driver that actually
creates an image file (TIFF, etc) rather than sending it to the
printer.

- Nehmo -
What would be an example of one of those?

- Nehmo -Canon;

- Alan -

It seems they've thought of the easy workarounds.

Have you actually tried to change a printer to "print to file"? Does
the app detect that?

- Nehmo -
I tried a series of things. Now I realize it was more than the cookie
that told the app that I had already been there. When I try getting the
coupon again with a normally configured i250 printer, an alert comes up
saying I've already printed the allowed number of times.

I need to uninstall that little app if I could figure out where it is.

I tired print-to-file using three drivers. It said, not a supported
printer. I'm not sure it's detecting the setting. I now have to figure
out how to make it think I'm a fresh customer.


- Alan -

If it does, and given that you have been able to capture the spool
files, install a postscript printer, print the file, capture the spool
file, edit it as described above, print that.

- Nehmo -
I captured the spool files simply by leaving the printer off and then
copying them to another folder.

That's a question I have now. How do I now print these spool files? I
tried copying/moving them to C:\WINDOWS\system32\spool\PRINTERS (I have
WinXP), but when I open the printer, I don't see any documents waiting
to be printed.

- Alan -

They're being polite, but saying they have no idea.

- Nehmo -
At least the guy answered quickly and addressed the subject. I once
wrote all the senators. I got autoresponders from every one. And a few
sent additional form letters via snail. It appeared nobody had actually
read what I had sent.