waldman@endor.harvard.edu (benjamin Waldman) (01/31/88)
An application I'm working on permits the user to perform a screendump to the printer. However, it only works on an ImageWriter. This didn't surprise me, since Apple's FKEY #4 doesn't work on the LaserWriter either, and I presume we were both printing the same way - calling PrCtlCall with the parameters that would cause a screen dump. How can I screendump to the LW, then (in a way that would be compatible with the IW as well)? Would something like this work? Open a printing port, and then do a copybits from the screen's bitmap to the printing port's bitmap? Any help, hints, and/or sample code (preferably LSC) would be greatly appreciated. Thanks a lot, Ben Waldman waldman@endor.harvard.edu
holt@apple.UUCP (Bayles Holt) (02/03/88)
>In Article 12911 (benjamin Waldman) writes: >How can I screendump to the LW, then (in a way that would be compatible >with the IW as well)? The "FKEY #4" command for printing dumps of the Macintosh screen is in the process of being abandoned in all Print drivers for the Mac. There are several reasons for this, which I can elaborate on if anyone is interested, but for starters it just plain doesn't work under some conditions not the least of which is: * low memory (applications assume 10k is plenty for any printer) * multi-finder (how do you print dynamically changing screens? 2 screens?) * self portraits (how do you prevent FKEY #4 nesting?) Though these may be considered soluble at some level, it is not considered worth it since low-level print driver calls are being phased out. The recommended way of printing screen dumps is to execute an FKEY #3 (which saves the screen to a file) then printing the file like any other bitmap file. This is not only cleaner, its easier and is just as fast as the FKEY #4. --Bayles Holt holt@apple.UUCP -------------------------- As always... --------------------------
dorner@uxc.cso.uiuc.edu (02/04/88)
>The recommended way of printing screen dumps is to execute an FKEY #3 >(which saves the screen to a file) then printing the file like any other >bitmap file. This is not only cleaner, its easier and is just as fast as ^^^^^^^ ^^^^^^ ^^^^^^^^^^^^ >the FKEY #4. Cleaner and easier and just as fast for who? Apple System Software Progammers. As for the end user, let's compare the methods: FKEY #4 FKEY #3 ------- ------- press cmd-shft-4 press cmd-shft-3 pick up printout start Paint program open screen dump choose print quit paint program throw away screen dump pick up printout I think it is clear which method is cleaner and easier for the user. While I realize that Mr. Holt is not an official Apple spokesman, I must say that if Apple's position is the same as his, I am very disappointed. > >--Bayles Holt >holt@apple.UUCP Steve Dorner, U of Illinois Computing Services Office Internet: dorner@uxc.cso.uiuc.edu UUCP: ihnp4!uiucuxc!dorner IfUMust: (217) 333-3339
gae@osupyr.UUCP (Gerald Edgar) (02/04/88)
In article <7315@apple.UUCP> holt@apple.UUCP (Bayles Holt) writes: >The recommended way of printing screen dumps is to execute an FKEY #3 >(which saves the screen to a file) then printing the file like any other >bitmap file. This is not only cleaner, its easier and is just as fast as >the FKEY #4. Is it true that FKEY #3 dumps are limited to the size of a MacPaint file? -- Gerald A. Edgar TS1871@OHSTVMA.bitnet Department of Mathematics gae@osupyr.UUCP The Ohio State University ...{akgua,gatech,ihnp4,ulysses}!cbosgd!osupyr!gae Columbus, OH 43210 70715,1324 CompuServe
holt@apple.UUCP (Bayles Holt) (02/06/88)
>>The recommended way of printing screen dumps is to execute an FKEY #3 >>(which saves the screen to a file) then printing the file like any other >>bitmap file. This is not only cleaner, its easier and is just as fast as > ^^^^^^^ ^^^^^^ ^^^^^^^^^^^^ >>the FKEY #4. > >Cleaner and easier and just as fast for who? Apple System ... Your point is well taken and I agree with it. When I said it was simpler to do an FKEY 3 I was referring to the application developer as the client because it is better for her to do the printing by calling the high level driver rather then simply executing a low level control call. But that isn't your concern. Perhaps I misspoke on this aspect. It is true, however, that the more correct way for the FKEY code to implement the print feature is to print via the high level print driver essentially duplicating the FKEY-3-then-print sequence and I'm not sure if that will ever happen because after all the FKEY stuff is not supposed to be an application. Whats it doing printing for anyway? As far as print software is concerned, we will still support the feature for anyone who wants to program the process correctly, but we are definitely going to phase out the low level call through which FKEYs currently implements that feature. The reason: it just doesn't work right. With background printing around the corner for all printers we cannot continue to support the low-level driver the way it stands, and it's the low-level driver through which the FKEY stuff does its printing. --Bayles holt@apple.UUCP :wq
isle@eleazar.Dartmouth.EDU (Ken Hancock) (02/07/88)
In article <174400099@uxc.cso.uiuc.edu> dorner@uxc.cso.uiuc.edu writes:
:
::The recommended way of printing screen dumps is to execute an FKEY #3
::(which saves the screen to a file) then printing the file like any other
::bitmap file. This is not only cleaner, its easier and is just as fast as
: ^^^^^^^ ^^^^^^ ^^^^^^^^^^^^
::the FKEY #4.
:
:Cleaner and easier and just as fast for who? Apple System Software Progammers.
:As for the end user, let's compare the methods:
:
: FKEY #4 FKEY #3
: ------- -------
: press cmd-shft-4 press cmd-shft-3
: pick up printout start Paint program
: open screen dump
: choose print
: quit paint program
: throw away screen dump
: pick up printout
:
:I think it is clear which method is cleaner and easier for the user.
:
:While I realize that Mr. Holt is not an official Apple spokesman, I must
:say that if Apple's position is the same as his, I am very disappointed.
Let me also remind you that MacPaint is no longer system software. So,
to do a simple screen dump, you have to go out and buy a graphics program
of some kind.
C'mon Apple -- just give us a screen dump that will work on both
ImageWriters and LaserWriters....
Ken
--
Ken Hancock UUCP: isle@eleazar.dartmouth.edu
BITNET: isle@eleazar.dartmouth.edu
DISCLAIMER: If people weren't so sue-happy, I wouldn't need one!howard@cpocd2.UUCP (Howard A. Landman) (02/11/88)
In article <174400099@uxc.cso.uiuc.edu> dorner@uxc.cso.uiuc.edu writes: > FKEY #4 FKEY #3 > ------- ------- > press cmd-shft-4 press cmd-shft-3 > pick up printout start Paint program > open screen dump > choose print > quit paint program > throw away screen dump > pick up printout Steve has a point, but he's distorted the FKEY #3 sequence to make it look worse than it needs to be. There is an easier way, namely: FKEY #3 ------- press cmd-shft-3 select screen dump choose "Print" from menu pick up printout I would consider the "throw away screen dump" step to be optional. Some times I want to keep it around, some times I don't. In the case where you *want* to keep it around, the FKEY #4 menu needs to include "press cmd-shift-3"!!! -- Howard A. Landman {oliveb,hplabs}!intelca!mipos3!cpocd2!howard howard%cpocd2.intel.com@RELAY.CS.NET "... no one knows what they mean, everyone just ignores them."
isle@eleazar.Dartmouth.EDU (Ken Hancock) (02/22/88)
In article <1112@cpocd2.UUCP> howard@cpocd2.UUCP (Howard A. Landman) writes: >In article <174400099@uxc.cso.uiuc.edu> dorner@uxc.cso.uiuc.edu writes: >> FKEY #4 FKEY #3 >> ------- ------- >> press cmd-shft-4 press cmd-shft-3 >> pick up printout start Paint program >> open screen dump >> choose print >> quit paint program >> throw away screen dump >> pick up printout > >Steve has a point, but he's distorted the FKEY #3 sequence to make it look >worse than it needs to be. There is an easier way, namely: > > FKEY #3 > ------- > press cmd-shft-3 > select screen dump > choose "Print" from menu > pick up printout > >I would consider the "throw away screen dump" step to be optional. Some times >I want to keep it around, some times I don't. In the case where you *want* >to keep it around, the FKEY #4 menu needs to include "press cmd-shift-3"!!! In Steve's defense, I think you've made it easier than you think. You assume two things: 1. A person has bought some graphics program. (If they didn't buy one, then they're out of luck...) 2. That they've bought MacPaint specifically. (Otherwise you DO have to start it up, load it, print it) Either way, the debate is silly. A point is a point. I think it's stupid that Apple is doing away with the screen dump FKey when it'd take them 10 minutes to write a very good one that would make everyone happy. Fortunately, some people go ahead and do it without waiting for Apple. (No, I'm not Apple-Bashing, but I don't agree with their view of obliterating FKey-4.) Thanks to Rich Siegel (you know, the guy who's always there to answer your Lightspeed Pascal/C questions...), he's provided one which works beautifully on a LaserWriter, ImageWriter, ImageWriter LQ, and I'm sure the new line of LaserWriters. Even lets you reduce the size of the screen dump... Thanks again, Rich! Ken -- Ken Hancock | UUCP: isle@eleazar.dartmouth.edu Personal Computing Ctr. Consultant | BITNET: isle@eleazar.dartmouth.edu __________________________________/ \____________________________________ DISCLAIMER: If people weren't so sue-happy, I wouldn't need one!