troym@amtfocus.UUCP (Troy Monaghen) (02/15/89)
We are running a Motorola Delta series computer with System V R3 unix and have a need to talk to our LaserWriter on LocalTalk through a FastPath 4. If anyone has any information on how to do this please send me mail. I am interested in just about any kind of information including source code, books or anything else that might help. Also, does anyone know why the LaserWriter seems to prevent anything from working on the LocalTalk network when it is switched from "AppleTalk" to "9600 baud". When we do this (so our unix box can print on it through the serial port) our MAC's running TOPS suddenly no longer talk to each other until the LaserWriter is either switched back to AppleTalk or the LocalTalk cable is unplugged from it. Is there any way around this? Thanks in advance... Troy Responses can be sent to: mcdchg.chi.il.us!amtfocus!troym or: uunet!harper!amtfocus!troym
tron@wpi.wpi.edu (Richard G Brewer) (02/16/89)
In article <172@amtfocus.UUCP> troym@amtfocus.UUCP (Troy Monaghen) writes: >Also, does anyone know why the LaserWriter seems to prevent anything from >working on the LocalTalk network when it is switched from "AppleTalk" to >"9600 baud". When we do this (so our unix box can print on it through the >serial port) our MAC's running TOPS suddenly no longer talk to each other >until the LaserWriter is either switched back to AppleTalk or the LocalTalk >cable is unplugged from it. Is there any way around this? > >Thanks in advance... > Troy As I recall, the switch in the back deactivates the AppleTalk port when switched to the other settings (as it can only manage ques from one port at a time). I imagine that this terminates the "chain" in the Appletalk network, dividing it into two parts. This is just a guess, though... Richard G. Brewer Systems Consultant College Computing Center +----------------------------+--------------+--------------------------+ | Richard G. Brewer (TRON) | Worcester | rbrewer@wpi.bitnet | | WPI Box 149 | Polytechnic | tron@wpi.wpi.edu | | 100 Institute Rd. | Institute +--------------------------+ | Worcester, Ma 01609-2280 +--------------+ "Power through better | | (508) 792-3231 | VaNdaLs Sack | design and engineering" | +----------------------------+--------------+--------------------------+
sbm@PURDUE.EDU (02/17/89)
m2c!wpi!tron@husc6.harvard.edu (Richard G Brewer): > As I recall, the switch in the back deactivates the AppleTalk port ... > ... I imagine that this terminates the "chain" in the Appletalk network, > dividing it into two parts. This is just a guess, though... Actually, it's worse than that. Even if the LaserWriter is at the end of the chain, deactivating its AppleTalk port causes transmission errors on the rest of the network, completely disabling it. Apparently, a LaserWriter with a deactivated AppleTalk port is electrically different from an unplugged AppleTalk connector. What a pain. Steve Munson sbm@Purdue.EDU sbm@Purdue.CSNET ----------
john@trigraph.UUCP (John Chew) (02/23/89)
In article <172@amtfocus.UUCP> troym@amtfocus.UUCP (Troy Monaghen) writes: >We are running a Motorola Delta series computer with System V R3 unix and >have a need to talk to our LaserWriter on LocalTalk through a FastPath 4. >If anyone has any information on how to do this please send me mail. I am >interested in just about any kind of information including source code, >books or anything else that might help. Sounds to me like you need a copy of CAP (Columbia AppleTalk Package), a Un*x AppleTalk library that comes with various useful programs which query laserwriter status, send individual files to a laserwriter, or set up a laserwriter spooler. Try your nearest archive site. >Also, does anyone know why the LaserWriter seems to prevent anything from >working on the LocalTalk network when it is switched from "AppleTalk" to >"9600 baud". When we do this (so our unix box can print on it through the >serial port) our MAC's running TOPS suddenly no longer talk to each other >until the LaserWriter is either switched back to AppleTalk or the LocalTalk >cable is unplugged from it. Is there any way around this? To which tron@wpi.wpi.edu (Richard G Brewer) responds in article <837@wpi.wpi.edu> >As I recall, the switch in the back deactivates the AppleTalk port when >switched to the other settings (as it can only manage ques from one port at a >time). I imagine that this terminates the "chain" in the Appletalk network, >dividing it into two parts. This is just a guess, though... ... but not a correct guess. The little LocalTalk connector box is there to allow you to disconnect individual nodes without separating the network. When this happened to me a few weeks ago, after the customary hour or two of banging my head against the wall without inspiration, I decided to RTFM, not the "Apple LaserWriter II NT/NTX Owner's Guide" that comes with the printer, but Apple's "LaserWriter Reference", the Addison-Wesley hardcover. Appendix A (Serial-Data [sic] Communication) states that when a LaserWriter is in serial mode, both ports (DB-9 & DB-25 or DIN-8) are active and "The first channel to receive a character is chosen to execute the job." So as near as I can tell, if you are still connected to LocalTalk, the first burst of traffic on the net will confuse the LW into thinking it has received a garbled serial character, sending out a welcome message, a prompt, and worst of all, echoes onto the unsuspecting network at 9600 bps. (mild flame) Now while I think it's just peachy that the LW series can perform two-channel job arbitration in serial mode (does anyone really use this feature?), I think (1) it would be nice if this were mentioned somewhere in the LW Owner's Guide and (2) it would be REALLY NICE if you could tell the LW not to listen to the LocalTalk port when in serial mode, as I could then just use setsoftwareiomode and sethardwareiomode to switch modes without having to walk over to the LW and swap cables. (emalf) So anyway, the moral of the story is: you can't have a LW physically attached to a LocalTalk network when in serial mode. John -- john j. chew, iii phone: +1 416 425 3818 AppleLink: CDA0329 trigraph, inc., toronto, canada {uunet!utai!utcsri,utgpu,utzoo}!trigraph!john dept. of math., u. of toronto poslfit@{utorgpu.bitnet,gpu.utcs.utoronto.ca}
david@tartarus.uchicago.edu (David J Sherman) (03/11/89)
I have a vague recollection that we solved this problem (when we
were still using Laserwriters connected to Appletalk networks and
to Unix hosts via serial lines) by turning off the 9-pin _serial_
port. You do this by setting the baud rate to zero, i.e. by saying
"setsccbatch 9 0 0" to the serverdict. Apparently turning off the
9-pin serial port does not affect Appletalk operation, even though
they use the same physical connection.
The Adobe PostScript Reference Manual (of all places) is another
place where this problem is documented. It states in Appendix D,
p. 276, that you should
Never operate a Laserwriter connected to Appletalk with
the switch set to any but the `AppleTalk' position. Failure
to heed this precaution may leave the machine in an inoperable
state or even bring down the entire network.
-djs-