hamm@waks.DECnet ("WAKS::HAMM") (11/19/86)
[I'm sending this to both INFO-VAX and LASER-LOVERS; apologies if you see it twice.] I'd appreciate hearing from anyone who is actually using a DEC LN01S on a VAX/VMS system. I have just inherited one still in its box, and have no idea what it's good for. (I also have something called the "LN01 Font Utility".) Earlier comments on the net seemed to indicate that the LN01 was limited to two applications: emulating a lineprinter, and emulating a doorstop. I wonder if these comments apply to the LN01S as well, or whether they represented just a general moan from people who were hoping for the Printserver-40 two years ago. Any information will be appreciated, but I also have a few specific questions: 1) What's the difference (in user terms) between the LN01 and the LN01S? 2) Does anyone have a usable method for getting TeX output on the LN01S? 3) ditto for PostScript :-)? 4) Has anyone connected one of these via a terminal server of any kind? ------ [[Editor's note: There is a LN01S TeX driver on the Unix TeX tape (courtesy of MIT, I believe I recall), but this poor fellow is on a VMS machine... --Rick ]]
mclean@NWC-3603.ARPA ("") (11/24/86)
> I'd appreciate hearing from anyone who is actually using a DEC LN01S on a > VAX/VMS system. I have just inherited one still in its box, and have no idea > what it's good for. (I also have something called the "LN01 Font Utility".) > Earlier comments on the net seemed to indicate that the LN01 was limited to two > applications: emulating a lineprinter, and emulating a doorstop. I wonder if > these comments apply to the LN01S as well, or whether they represented just a > general moan from people who were hoping for the Printserver-40 two years ago. > > Any information will be appreciated, but I also have a few specific questions: > > 1) What's the difference (in user terms) between the LN01 and the LN01S? > > 2) Does anyone have a usable method for getting TeX output on the LN01S? > > 3) ditto for PostScript :-)? > > 4) Has anyone connected one of these via a terminal server of any kind? I have been using a LN01S printer on our VAX/VMS system for about a year. There are two main differences between the LN01S and the LN01. First, there is 512K of font memory on the LN01S as opposed to 187K on the LN01. On the LN01S, you can download about 10-20 software fonts (the memory each font takes depends on the point size; the larger the point size, the more memory). The LN01 can hold about 2-5 software fonts. The LN01S also has 10 hardware fonts that are built in, opposed to 2 hardware fonts on the LN01. The second difference is the ability of the LN01S to print Tektronix 4010/4014 files. You can send an escape sequence to the LN01S that allows it to accept and print Tektronix files. The LN01 does not have this capability. I can't answer your second question because I am not familiar with TeX. As far as converting PostScript to files capable of printing on the LN01 or LN01S, I have talked to DEC and Adobe both about it and neither seem to have any plans in that direction. (As a side light, at the last DECUS that question was asked many times in regard to the LN03. The DEC folks would not say yes, but they stammered around and never said no either.) As far as hooking the LN01S to a terminal server port, we have not hooked an LN01S to a terminal server, but we do have LN03's hooked thru terminal servers with good success. Since the port and queues are set up the same way for both printers, I don't see why you should have any trouble with an LN01S. We are using DECserver 100's and LAT-Plus software. The LN01 Font Editor is a fascinating (and frustrating) piece of software. As the name implies, you can edit, or build from scratch, software fonts that you can then download to either an LN01 or LN01S. You can either write execute files that contain the editing commands or edit pixel by pixel with a graphic display of the character on a VT125. It's quite handy for making quick changes to fonts you already have, but terribly awkward if you have visions of building a font from scratch. Steve McLean Naval Weapons Center Code 3603 China Lake, CA 93555 (619) 939-1945 <mclean@nwc-3603> ------