wellsm@pogo.tek.CSNET (Wells Matthews) (08/30/86)
one of our Apple LaserWriter Pluses recently generated the following error message: %%[ PrinterError: controller not responding ]%% According to Appendix D, Apple LaserWriter, in the PostScript Language Reference Manual, "a printer error can ONLY occur when the machine is actually trying to print a page, i.e. during execution of a showpage or copypage." However, the PostScript job generating this error does not do any printing of pages, it is only getting values and sending them to stdout. The toner cartridge was almost expired when this error occurred. The cartridge was removed, given a gentle shake and returned. A subsequent run of the same postscript job did not generate the "controller not responding" error. Can anyone out there explain what this error is/means? and how we stimulated it? Wells I. Matthews
taft@adobe.UUCP (Ed Taft) (09/02/86)
The message "PrinterError: controller not responding" means that the PostScript interpreter is unable to communicate with the print engine controller. It needs to do so not only to print a page but to sense the paper size at the beginning of each job (and also to blink the yellow light). An empty toner cartridge does not directly cause the print engine controller to stop responding. Most likely there was a loose connection somewhere (or the cover was slightly ajar). Removing and reinserting the toner cartridge jiggled something and caused the problem to go away. Ed Taft Adobe Systems, Inc.