jm7f+@andrew.cmu.edu (Joe Melvin) (07/14/89)
Normal applications know right away if there is no laserWriter file in the system folder, and also find out fairly quickly if the appleTalk connection has been pulled out. Does anyone know if there is an xcmd/xfcn around that can check these things? Something that returned false if there was no laserPrep/laserWriter file or if there was no appletalk connection would be perfect. Here is a brief description of what happens when using one of the printing xcmds without this type of error checking. I am using the printField xcmd in a stack I am currently writing. Someone who was testing the stack said he tried my "Print" button and his mac hung - when he re-booted he said none of his stacks would work and he had to replace his copy of the hyperCard application. He said he was not connected to a laserWriter or appletalk, was using a mac plus, and I doubt he had laserWriter or laserPrep in his system folder (don't ask me how he thought he could print). I tried to replicate his experience and was unable to, even when I removed laserWriter and laserPrep from the system and disconnected my appletalk connection. Yanking the appletalk connection did not do much - the xfcn displayed it's "Looking for laserWriter ___" message, the message stayed up a while, then went away - nothing saying that the print could not be completed. Removing laserWriter and laserPrep did cause my mac to hang when I tried to print, but I restarted and everything was fine. Another option is that I could throw the field into the clipboard and presumably use the printClip xcmd to print it - does this xcmd have better error checking than printField? I don't have this xcmd now, but could probably get it from sumex or something. Much thanks, Joe Melvin HyperCard Programmer Carnegie Mellon University ----------------