ba0k+@andrew.cmu.edu (Brian Patrick Arnold) (10/13/89)
Hello there,
Tom Dowdy and David Casseres rightly bring up a more general
printing solution to the thin line issue for different printing devices,
but I'm curious as to how viable this is in the context of MacApp. In
my MacApp application, I depend on 4 lines of print-handling code per
view hierarchy, to create and attach a print-handler object. Hence
printing is "transparent" with respect to my screen drawing. Cursory
examinations of MacApp's TPrintHandler and TStdPrintHandler don't supply
clues (rather, no obvious methods or comments) as to how to manipulate
or coordinate the resolution of the printer device with respect to
resolution of screen drawing, although I know it does this internally.
I have seen several occurrences of the number "72", however, buried deep
in the source code and some relevant fields. I suspect the MacApp team
has anticipated that people might want to use PrGeneral stuff, so the
power of object-oriented programming can be garnered from applying
print-related Tech Notes. But I couldn't tell at first glance. And I
don't use manuals (shock, murmur). Currently, I've resorted to the
SetLineWidth PicComment.
My question is, is there a general way to apply PrGeneral things to
the MacApp print handling framework, or would this destroy the
WYSIWYGness of transparent printing code? What's the recommended
approach?
In the longer term, what's involved in a System 7.0 solution where
somehow I can specify resolutions or thicknesses of lines in QuickDraw
that print correctly to the appropriate printer, regardless of whether
it's my application printing or another? For example, is there any
chance the SetLineWidth PicComment will eventually work as a QuickDraw
procedure correctly on any given device and not just the LaserWriter, so
I can simply have it in my PICT data or resource and not worry about
who/how/if to print it? This especially also applies to PostScript line
styles supported in another PicComment that I'm struggling to juggle in
QuickDraw screen emulation and as a PicComment for printing special-case
to the LaserWriter. Ugh.
- Brian