ashwin@gatech.edu (Ashwin Ram) (05/24/91)
Given that system 7 has "multitasking" and the "new print architecture", I would expect to be able to print in the background. After all, printing is just another task like anything else, right? Even without a spooler, I would expect to be able to put the application that is printing into the background and work on something else, just like I can do with any other task. Similarly, I would also expect file copying, disk formatting, etc. to be backgroundable. Again, these are just tasks like any other tasks. I'm wrong. It doesn't work. Can someone explain why this doesn't happen under system 7? Have I configured my upgrade wrong, or is there some reason that printing, copying and formatting are different from all other types of tasks? (Seems weird if that is so... regular multitasking machines (e.g., Unix machines) run these as standard processes that respond to standard job control operations.) Thanks, -- Ashwin (ashwin@cc.gatech.edu)
jwwalker@opusc.csd.scarolina.edu (Jim Walker) (05/25/91)
In article <1441@mephisto.edu> ashwin@cc.gatech.edu (Ashwin Ram) writes: >Given that system 7 has "multitasking" and the "new print architecture", I >would expect to be able to print in the background. After all, printing is >just another task like anything else, right? System 7 does NOT have the hoped-for new printing architecture. That was one of the wishes that was dropped under time pressure. >Even without a spooler, I would >expect to be able to put the application that is printing into the background >and work on something else, just like I can do with any other task. [stuff deleted] >-- Ashwin (ashwin@cc.gatech.edu) Even under System 6/MultiFinder, a well-written application could print from the background, but few were written that way. That's why I wrote PrintAid, a control panel extension which (usually) allows an application that's printing to be put into the background. I think PrintAid 1.1 is at the usual ftp sites: sumex-aim, mac-archive, rascal. Warning: It's not 32-bit clean. -- -- Jim Walker 76367.2271@compuserve.com walker@math.scarolina.edu
lrm3@ellis.uchicago.edu (Lawrence Reed Miller) (05/25/91)
In article <1441@mephisto.edu> ashwin@cc.gatech.edu (Ashwin Ram) writes: [beginning deleted] >Can someone explain why this doesn't happen under system 7? Have I >configured my upgrade wrong, or is there some reason that printing, copying >and formatting are different from all other types of tasks? (Seems weird if >that is so... regular multitasking machines (e.g., Unix machines) run these >as standard processes that respond to standard job control operations.) Printing does background under System 7, if you are using a LaserWriter. If you are using another printer, I think it depends on the manufacturer to provide a printer driver that backgrounds correctly. What kind of printer are you using? Copying files also works in the background. However, you can't use the Finder while the copying is going on. I think that this is to aviod possible conflicts (i.e. user starts copying file into folder, folder is dragged into trash & trash is emptied before copying is completed, etc.). If you are running MS Word, for instance, and start a copy going, you can switch from the Finder to Word and keep on typing while the copying goes on in the background. Perhaps someone from Apple knows why the Finder is disabled during copies? Floppy formatting requires a lot of processor interrupts to work, so from what I have heard, if you allowed background disk initialization, the forground proccess would be _very_ slow and jerky. The IIfx has a coprocessor to handle the floppy, so it probably could initialize in the background. Unfortunately, this is not implemented in System 7. Maybe in System 8 ... :^) Hope this helps, Lawrence Miller
chai@hawk.cs.ukans.edu (Ian Chai) (05/27/91)
In article <1991May25.004737.21427@midway.uchicago.edu> lrm3@ellis.uchicago.edu (Lawrence Reed Miller) writes: >Printing does background under System 7, if you are using a LaserWriter. If >you are using another printer, I think it depends on the manufacturer to >provide a printer driver that backgrounds correctly. What kind of printer are >you using? Hmm, I guess the manufacturer of my printer didn't, then. I use an Apple Imagewriter II... 8-) -- Ian Chai Internet: chai@cs.ukans.edu Bitnet: 665instr@ukanvax I don't believe in flaming. If I appear to be flaming, either (a) it's an illusion due to the lack of nonverbal cues or (b) my sprinkler system has suffered a momentary glitch, so just ignore me until it's fixed.
glenn@gla-aux.uucp (Glenn Austin) (05/29/91)
In article <1441@mephisto.edu>, ashwin@gatech.edu (Ashwin Ram) writes: > Given that system 7 has "multitasking" and the "new print architecture", But it DOESN'T have the new print architecture! > Similarly, I would also expect file copying, disk formatting, etc. to be > backgroundable. Again, these are just tasks like any other tasks. Disk formatting doesn't happen in the background because that would me a rewrite of most programs. However, I'm working on that one... =============================================================================== | Glenn L. Austin | "Turn too soon, run out of room. | | Macintosh Wizard and | Turn too late, much better fate." | | Auto Racing Driver | -- Jim Russell Racing School Instructors | |-----------------------------------------------------------------------------| | Don't take me too seriously -- I never do! :-) | |-----------------------------------------------------------------------------| | Usenet: glenn@gla-aux.uucp or glenn%gla-aux.uucp@skinner.cs.uoregon.edu | ===============================================================================