MACALLSTR@vax1.physics.oxford.ac.UK (02/03/88)
Fix for the blank page / overwriting problem on QMS Lasergrafix 800 printers.
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Symptoms.
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Blanks pages between print files.
Print files 'sticking' in the laser printer and then coming out
overprinted by the the following file.
Cause.
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The QUIC command ^DC0001 prints one copy of the current page without ending
the QUIC pass. Some software may use the ^, command to force printing and
may not encounter the problem. Our DVI-to-QMS driver uses the ^DC0001 command.
A QUIC page could be 99999 dots X 99999 dots in size (about 27feetX27feet!).
If the ^DC0001 command occurs less than 5391 dots down the page, the page isn't
printed; GE 5391 dots down the page and all is fine. I don't know the
significance of the 5391/5392 number but that is the breakpoint for the
problem.
If you have FORM-feed enabled on your printer line, you will force output of
the 'stuck' pages but you then get an extra blank page after every normal
file.
Solution.
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Instead of sending ^DC0001 to the laser printer, force the vertical pointer
down the page to some number larger than 5391. I use
^J90000^DC0001 in place of ^DC0001 .
Set your printer line to NO FORM-feeds to eliminate unwanted blank pages.
In summary, for a VAX/VMS system, do the following.
Use ^J90000^DC001 in place of ^DC0001 . ( in your DVI-to-QMS driver )
SET TERM/PERM/NOFORM for the terminal line to which the laser printer
is attached.
Easy, isn't it?!
John.