--- loncom/interface/printout.pl	2021/01/25 18:06:55	1.168
+++ loncom/interface/printout.pl	2024/10/16 17:48:08	1.173
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 #!/usr/bin/perl
 # CGI-script to run LaTeX, dvips, ps2ps, ps2pdf etc.
 #
-# $Id: printout.pl,v 1.168 2021/01/25 18:06:55 raeburn Exp $
+# $Id: printout.pl,v 1.173 2024/10/16 17:48:08 raeburn Exp $
 #
 # Copyright Michigan State University Board of Trustees
 #
@@ -447,12 +447,10 @@ foreach $texfile (@texfile) {
 	  $new_name_file =~ s/\.dvi/\.ps/;
 # Explicitly include a switch for papertype, otherwise dvips will default
 # to whatever is listed first in config.ps (which in most cases is a4).
-# Historically (since 2004) LON-CAPA printing expected to use the default,
-# i.e., a papertype of a4, when the user selected letter [8 1/2 x 11 in] 
-# in the Layout options, so I follow that convention if $papera is letter.  
-	  my $papera=$paper;
-	  if ($papera eq 'letter') {$papera='a4';}
-	  if ($papera ne '') {$papera='-t'.$papera;}
+	  my $papera;
+	  unless ($paper eq '') {
+	      $papera='-t'.$paper;
+	  }
 	  my $extra_ps_header = $perlvar{'lonLib'} .'/includepsheader.ps';
 	  my $comma = "dvips $papera -h $extra_ps_header -Ppdf -G0 -o  $new_name_file";
 	  &busy_wait_command("$comma $name_file 1>/dev/null 2>/dev/null",
@@ -522,16 +520,51 @@ foreach $texfile (@texfile) {
 
 	      # Use gs to fix the postscript -> level 1.5 
 	      # .. if pdfs were included
+	      #
+	      # pswrite device was removed from ghostscript 9.09 and later,
+	      # (ps2write device is used instead).
+	      # check which device is available, and use as the value
+              # passed via -sDEVICE= arg in gs call to fix the postscript.
+	      #
 
 	      if ($pdfs_converted > 0) {
-		  $comma = "gs -sDEVICE=pswrite -dLanguageLevel=1.5 ";
-		  &busy_wait_command("$comma -o $tempo_file $new_name_file 2>/dev/null 1>/dev/null",
-				     "for $status_statement now validating PS",
-				     \%prog_state, $tempo_file);
-		  
+		  my @possdevices = qw(ps2write pswrite);
+		  my $device;
+		  foreach my $poss (@possdevices) {
+		      if (open(PIPE,"gs -h |grep ' $poss ' 2>&1 |")) {
+		          my $output = <PIPE>;
+		          close(PIPE);
+		          chomp($output);
+		          if ($output =~ /\Q $poss \E/) {
+		              $device = $poss;
+		          }
+		      }
+		      last if ($device ne '');
+		  }
+		  if ($device ne '') {
+		      my ($major,$minor);
+		      if (open(PIPE,"gs -v |grep 'GPL Ghostscript' 2>&1 |")) {
+		          my $info = <PIPE>;
+		          close(PIPE);
+		          chomp($info);
+		          if ($info =~ /Ghostscript\s+(\d+)\.(\d+)/) {
+		              ($major,$minor) = ($1,$2);
+		          }
+		      }
+		      $comma = "gs -sDEVICE=$device -dLanguageLevel=1.5 ";
+		      if (($major > 9) || (($major == 9) && ($minor >= 50))) {
+		          $comma .= '--permit-file-read=* ';
+		      }
+		      &busy_wait_command("$comma -o $tempo_file $new_name_file 2>/dev/null 1>/dev/null",
+				         "for $status_statement now validating PS",
+				         \%prog_state, $tempo_file);
+
 #---
-		  &busy_wait_command("mv $tempo_file $new_name_file",
-				     'File move', \%prog_state, $new_name_file);
+		      if (-e $tempo_file) {
+		          &busy_wait_command("mv $tempo_file $new_name_file",
+				             'File move', \%prog_state, $new_name_file);
+		      }
+		  }
 	      }
 	      if ($laystyle eq 'album' and $numberofcolumns eq '2') {
 		  $comma = "psnup $papera -2 -s1.0 $new_name_file";