[comp.laser-printers] TI 2108/2106 goes deaf when switching mode

HOGSTEDT@AE.CHALMERS.SE (PER HOGSTEDT) (03/21/91)

This question is probably an oldie, but...

When I am switching emulation mode on my Texas Instrument TI2108 printer
e.g. from PS to HP-Laserjet mode the printer appears to be deaf and dumb for
a few seconds. I have the printer hooked up on a VAX/VMS printer queue with
appropriate definitions in the setup modules for switching between modes.
If one PostScript job is followed by a HP-Laserjet job, the initial part
of the last job never makes it to the paper :-(

Is there a bug in the TI2108 (and the TI2106 as well) making the printer
to loose the characters coming in while the emulation mode is switched?

And why isn't the thing CTRL-S:ing the serial line while being busy with it's
internal meditation?

Any info would be of value.

Thank you.
-------
   Per Hogstedt               Internet:  hogstedt@plab.se
   Lindholmen R&D                   or:  hogstedt@ae.chalmers.se
   P.O. Box 8714              Phone...:  +46 3 50 70 50
   S-402 75 Gothenburg        Fax.....:  +46 3 51 53 13
   Sweden                     MiniCall:  +46 74 35 68 49
-------

OLIVER@CALSTATE.BITNET (Oliver Seely) (03/23/91)

Regarding the posting about sending jobs requiring mixed software
interfaces to the TI 2108:

Man, do I feel like a dummy.  I've owned a TI2108 for five years
and I didn't know that it was possible to send mixed jobs to it
(a Post Script job followed by an HP Laserjet + job), and have the
printer automatically switch software interfaces between jobs.
My technical reference manual, copyright 1987, doesn't say anything
about it.

Please let me know how to do it.

On another note, in my last posting about problems encountered and
solved with the TI 2108 (and 2106, I presume), I mentioned that I
have located a source for OPC belts only.  Well, that's only partially
true.  It turns out that the "belt" consists of the whole OPC,
plastic frame, precision rollers, springs, corona charge matrix.
I hate throwing away the whole thing each time.  My anguish is eased
a bit, though, now that I know how to push the life of an OPC up beyond
20,000 pages. . . .

Oliver Seely
CSU Dominguez Hills

bill@twg.bc.ca (Bill Irwin) (03/29/91)

OLIVER@CALSTATE.BITNET (Oliver Seely) writes:

} Regarding the posting about sending jobs requiring mixed software
} interfaces to the TI 2108:

} Man, do I feel like a dummy.  I've owned a TI2108 for five years
} and I didn't know that it was possible to send mixed jobs to it
} (a Post Script job followed by an HP Laserjet + job), and have the
} printer automatically switch software interfaces between jobs.
} My technical reference manual, copyright 1987, doesn't say anything
} about it.

} Please let me know how to do it.

It is very simple.  Create two logical printers in lp (laser_ps
and laser_hp would do).  Assign these two printers to the same
physical device/port.  Use a different /usr/spool/lp/model/ file
with each printer so that the ps model gives the commands to go
to PS mode prior to printing the job;  and the model for the LJ
printer gives the LJ codes.

You should decide on what your standby state is going to be (what
mode is the printer in when it's not printing) and have each
model use the appropriate commands only if the model wants a mode
different from the standby mode.  This save time when printing
jobs in the default/standby mode because you don't have to wait
for the interface program to change the printer into the mode it
is already in.

The interfaces should put the printer back into the standby mode
after the job is done.  The only other problem is avoiding a
collision problem when print jobs are sent to each of the two
logical printers at the same time.  You need to have the
interface programs lock the device from use while its job is
printing.

I could send you the source for the interfaces I use, which
include the locking facility.  Let me know by mail if you would
like to have these.

} Oliver Seely
} CSU Dominguez Hills
-- 
Bill Irwin    -       The Westrheim Group     -    Vancouver, BC, Canada
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
uunet!van-bc!twg!bill     (604) 431-9600 (voice) |     Your Computer  
bill@twg.bc.ca            (604) 430-4329 (fax)   |    Systems Partner