[comp.sys.mac] How do you make a PDEF resource?

greg@cantuar.UUCP (G. Ewing) (04/28/89)

BSKENDIG@pucc.Princeton.EDU writes:
>I have a great little project that I've been trying to accomplish for quite
>some time, but as yet I haven't any luck whatsoever.
>
>Here's the scenario: I have ... an MPS1000 dot-
>matrix printer ... I recently got a Macintosh SE computer.

I've got a similar sort of a problem, but I'm after a more elegant solution.
I have a Mac Plus, and a Super-5 CP80 printer left over from the days when
my computer equipment was less sophisticated. Being a highly hackerish
type, I would like to have a go at writing a printer driver for it.

Unfortunately, nowhere in any of the umpteen (i.e. I-V) volumes of
Inside Macintosh can I find anything about how to go about creating
a printer resource file! I've deduced that it must contain a driver
resource, relevant dialogues and one or more PDEF code resources.
But what does the PDEF resource have to do?

Why is there such a lack of info about this matter? It seems almost
as though Apple don't *want* people to write printer drivers of their
own. So that they can sell lots of ImageWriters?

Anyhow, before I risk irreversible brain damage by attempting to
disassemble a PDEF resource, can anyone point me towards further
information?

Please mail replies, since I gave up reading comp.sys.mac long ago
due to massive information overload :-( Sorry if this topic has
already been beaten to death there.

Any help appreciated,

Greg Ewing, Computer Science Dept, Canterbury Univ., Christchurch, New Zealand
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