[comp.sys.mac] a few DeskWriter Incompatabilities

jeff@ndcheg.cheg.nd.edu (Jeffrey C. Kantor) (09/25/89)

So far I've come across two software packages that have problems with
the HP DeskWriter.  I thought the workarounds might be useful to others
which is the reason for this posting.

1.  TeXtures.

The folks as Blue Sky Research (who distribute TeXtures) gave me the poop
on this one.  When printing the TypeSet document, only the upper quadrant
gets printed at about 400% magnification.

The workaround is to 

  a.  At the beginning of the TeX document, insert
                \hoffset 0.8in
                \voffset 1.08in
      which will provide correct 1in margins (at least, for the default 
      TeX page). 

  b.  Under the Page Setup... menu item, reduce the printed pages to 25%,
      and select the Precision Bitmap printing option.


2.  Matlab

I haven't been able to directly print the Graphics window from Matlab (vers 1.1).
It appears that Matlab is attempting to convert the graphics to a postscript
document which, of course, doesn't do anything for the DeskWriter.

My workaround has been to cut and paste the Matlab graphic to another 
application, then print that.  I happen to use Word 4.0, but other applications
should work well too.  I think what's happening is that the scrapbook is
transfering a PICT version of the graphic which the DeskWriter can then
deal with.

Hope these pointers are useful.  If posting a followup, please note the
cross-posting.



-- 
Jeff Kantor
                                       US Mail:  Dept. of Chemical Engineering
internet: jeff@ndcheg.cheg.nd.edu                University of Notre Dame
    uucp: iuvax!ndmath!ndcheg!jeff               Notre Dame, IN   46556  USA

svc@well.UUCP (Leonard Rosenthol) (09/26/89)

In article <782@ndcheg.cheg.nd.edu> jeff@ndcheg.cheg.nd.edu (Jeffrey C. Kantor) writes:
>So far I've come across two software packages that have problems with
>the HP DeskWriter.  I thought the workarounds might be useful to others
>which is the reason for this posting.
>
	As long as someone is collecting DeskWriter incompatibilites, let me
add in two more..
	1) MicroPhone II 2.0
	2) Red Ryder 10.3

	The reason for both of these incompats is that the wonderful folks at
HP decided that REAL applications never Text Stream data to a printer and so 
they choose not to implement support for the low level printer calls in their
printer driver.  Since both RR and MPII use the low level calls in order to
properly emulate text streaming of incoming data to a logging printer, they
can not be used with the DeskWriter.

	The only known workaround is to wait for a third party, like Insight
Development to come out with a version of their MacPrint drivers for the
DeskWriter since they support the low level calls.


-- 
+--------------------------------------------------+
Leonard Rosenthol        |  GEnie : MACgician
Lazerware, inc.          |  MacNet: MACgician
UUCP: svc@well.UUCP      |  ALink : D0025

amanda@intercon.com (Amanda Walker) (09/26/89)

In article <13799@well.UUCP>, svc@well.UUCP (Leonard Rosenthol) writes:
> 	The only known workaround is to wait for a third party, like Insight
> Development to come out with a version of their MacPrint drivers for the
> DeskWriter since they support the low level calls.

Or wait another however-many months until Apple stops supporting them
altogether.  Who knows?  Even Scott Watson might end up writing real
printing code :-)...

--
Amanda Walker
amanda@intercon.com

RQ.TGM@forsythe.stanford.edu (Thomas Moore) (10/04/89)

Another Incompatability with the DeskWriter:  Using MacWrite II and
the Geneva Font produces a system failure.