Classic_-_Concepts@cup.portal.com (10/01/89)
By popular demand:
A while back I got a flurry of requests for information on how to
print from an Amiga to an Apple LaserWriter (PostScript laser printer).
I was doing it regularly at that time and hope I answered questions to
everyone's satisfaction. Lately, I've had more requests, so rather than
answering mail individually, I thought I would post this to all:
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PRINTING FROM AN AMIGA TO AN APPLE LASERWRITER
(c) September 1989 Julie Petersen
(This is not in any sense a complete tutorial on the LaserWriter and all
its forms of operation. It's just a little information to get you
started. Don't shoot me if there are small errors. I don't have a
LaserWriter manual and I haven't done this for three months now, so I'm
going strictly from memory and personal experience. Julie)
The LaserWriter has 4 communications options switch-selectable at
the back. They are 1200, 9600 serial speeds, Special (an emulation setting)
and AppleTalk. You would usually only use AppleTalk if you're using a
Macintosh computer networked to the printer. Changing the settings while the
printer is on will, in some situations, and depending on the software you're
running, cause the printer to hang. In this case turning it off and on again
usually corrects the problem. Sending characters from the computer can often
also set things right, but requires some technical knowledge of communications
and escape codes (and takes longer). Switching between two computers, if you
don't have a 'switcher' (A-B box or like) can also cause it to hang, e.g.
between a Amiga, Macintosh, or IBM/Compat. There are two connections on the back, a
9-pin connector for AppleTalk and a 25-pin RS-232 connector. I can't remember
if the 25-pin is male or female. Most office environments in which I've
worked have several different types of computers. (Astonishing as it
seems, after spending all that money on computers and printers, the
management is usually extremely unwilling to spend another $40-$75 on a
switcher, even though it more than pays off in terms of preventing
down-time and manual switching of cable connections.)
You can talk to the LaserWriter through an RS-232/422 or modem interface.
The LaserWriter has three modes of communication. Most often you would
use it as a server to execute PostScript instructions. It can also be set
to interactive mode (useful for testing and debugging PostScript code).
Finally, it can be set to emulate other printers but this is usually down-
grading its capabilities and I have never seen it used this way in any office
situation. I can see if you have software which does not support PostScript
output you might want to use this, but the results usually are only slightly
better (blacker) than dot matrix output.
When the LaserWriter is used as a server, it operates much the same as
other printers. The software sends output through a driver to the printer, it
is buffered, handshaked, processed through PostScript, printed, etc.
Sometimes, however, you'll have a file which is output to disk rather than to
the printer. In fact, if you don't have a LaserWriter and you're creating the
file with the intent of sending the document to a service bureau or friend
for printing either through the modem, or from diskette, you obviously
can't use the printer directly in server mode. Actually, only about 5-10%
of Amiga owners have their own laser printers, and only some of those
support PostScript. Most service bureaus have Macs and or IBM/compats.
and will wave their arms about, insisting that they can't do anything with
your Amiga files. If they have modems, then you can patiently explain to
them that all PostScript data comes across the modem in the same format,
regardless of the make of the source computer (of the six service bureaus I
have worked with, only one was aware of that fact--several had been turning
down business from owners of non-IBM computers because they didn't think
they could process the files). Actually, there are different flavors of
PostScript, but I have run only into very minor incompatibility problems in
3 years of working with it.
So, let's assume you now have a PostScript file created on an Amiga
which you have transferred via phone lines, a bulletin board, or by
diskette to a host computer (the host can be any make). If you don't
have to process the file through a desktop publishing program to turn it
into PostScript, you can COPY, PRINT or redirect (>) the output to the
printer. (If your software on the Amiga can't write a PostScript file,
then format incompatibilities usually exist between the word processing,
graphics or desktop publishing files on the other comptuer and conversion
programs are necessary. That's a whole topic in itself.)
On an Amiga you can route the output via the SER: device at 1200 or 9600,
but make sure the switch on the printer matches and Preferences is set
correctly, e.g., speed 9600, no parity, 8 bits and 1 or 2 stop bits,
XON/XOFF.
On an IBM/compat. use the MODE command from MS/DOS and send the file to
COM1:, COM2: or LPT1:, depending on which is cabled to the printer.
On a Mac, check that the Chooser is set to LaserWriter (if a LaserWriter
icon doesn't appear, it hasn't been installed in the printer resources on
the startup disk). Check the LaserWriter Page Setup dialog box for the
specified settings. Select the document icon and then Print from the File
menu option.
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Copyright and Disclaimer: This article may not be redistributed or
reprinted in any commercial publication with the exception of Registered
Amiga Users Groups' journals. If reprinted by Amiga Users Groups, it may
not be edited and this disclaimer and appropriate copyright and trademark
notices must be included. I make no guarantees as to the accuracy or
completeness of this information. I took a bit of not-so-spare time
to dash it off because I've received so many requests for help.
Amiga is a registered trademark of Commodore-Amiga, Inc. LaserWriter and
Macintosh are registered trademarks of Apple, Inc. IBM is a registered
trademark of International Business Machines, Inc.