asd@mentor.cc.purdue.edu (Kareth) (03/16/89)
Recently, I've been experiencing some odd behavior out of AWGS (As if that didn't ever happen :-). Basically, when I've been printing to the printer using the IMAGEWRITER driver, not the .CL one, the printer gets the setup command (or whatever it's called) and runs the printhead over to the left and back to the middle, seeming to get all nice and ready to print away. However, nothing happens. It just sits there. I have an Orange Micro 64K buffer installed in this, and when I do a rapid on-off of the select button the printer prints out the buffer, which is that left-middle thing, and then proceeds on fine with the page. When I get to the second page, it does that setup thing again and appears to get stuck until I printout what's in the buffer again. It appears that AWGS is waiting to find out if the printer is there, on-line, whatever, that the setup thing worked, before it goes on to print. However, it seems that only a re-print of whatever is in the buffer clears up this problem. Facts about hardware: Apple IIgs/2.25 Meg AWGS1.0 ImagewriterII with 64K Orange Micro buffer installed. Any help would be greatly appreciated. BTW, I haven't determined if the IMAGEWRITER.CL driver will do this but from a page print I had of done with it, it appears it will also. kareth.
wombat@claris.com (Scott Lindsey) (03/17/89)
From article <1788@mentor.cc.purdue.edu>, by asd@mentor.cc.purdue.edu (Kareth): > > Recently, I've been experiencing some odd behavior out of AWGS (As if that > didn't ever happen :-). Basically, when I've been printing to the printer > using the IMAGEWRITER driver, not the .CL one, the printer gets the setup > command (or whatever it's called) and runs the printhead over to the left > and back to the middle, seeming to get all nice and ready to print away. > However, nothing happens. It just sits there. I have an Orange Micro > 64K buffer installed in this, and when I do a rapid on-off of the select button > the printer prints out the buffer, which is that left-middle thing, and then > proceeds on fine with the page. When I get to the second page, it does that > setup thing again and appears to get stuck until I printout what's in the > buffer again. It appears that AWGS is waiting to find out if the printer > is there, on-line, whatever, that the setup thing worked, before it goes > on to print. However, it seems that only a re-print of whatever is in the > buffer clears up this problem. It looks to me like the buffer is at fault. The normal course of events when starting to print is this: The print drivers sends a reset to the printer (making the head go to Kalamazoo and back) then it sends a request to the printer asking it to identify it. The driver (not AWGS) waits for a response. I think that the buffer is not sending this request through to the printer (but I'm not familiar with the buffers [but I seem to recall something to the effect that Apple's printer drivers (on both Mac's and //'s) are not compatible with add-on printer buffers -- I may be wrong abou this]). One thing to note about the IMAGEWRITER.CL is that it is derived from the same code as the IMAGEWRITER driver. Claris licensed the driver and made some modifications to it, basically fixing a bug or two and providing a hack to allow correct printing of mailing labels from DB. A general note about the imagewriter: it is possible for the printer to get into some strange states where it ignores everything (switches, data etc) except the power switch. When this happens you just gotta kill it. Sometimes this will confuse the printer driver as well to the point of not being able to cancel. So, sometimes you have to power down both your GS (hopefully you saved your document before printing) and the IW. This is not something that should happen often. Claris *has* announced AWGS 1.0v2, which will include a new version of the IMAGEWRITER.CL driver. This driver increases printing speed noticably (by increasing the print-band width). It also does more checking for low memory conditions, reducing the chances of crashing while printing. One more thing. In a previous article I gave a phone # for Claris. This is the # to use if you don't know who or what you're trying to talk to/about. In general, though: Customer Relations (warranty, upgrades, registration status, address, nontech) (415) 962-8946 8-5 M-Th, 8-3 F (Pacific time) Tech Support (415) 962-0371 6-8 M-Th, 6-3 & 5.30-8 F (Pacific) Upgrade form request (800) 544-8554 -- Scott Lindsey |"Cold and misty morning. I heard a warning borne in the air Claris Corp. | About an age of power when no one had an hour to spare" ames!claris!wombat| DISCLAIMER: These are not the opinions of Claris, Apple, wombat@claris.com | StyleWare, the author, or anyone else living or dead.