=-=-=-=-=›       GETTING IT DOWN ON PAPER›       ------------------------›                 By Jon Cooper.›                 -------------› Reprinted by OL' HACKERS ATARI  USERS› GROUP, Inc. with THANKS.›› In  past  issues  of New Atari User a› lot of readers have written in asking› about  dumping  graphics created with› commercial    software    to    their› printers. So I decided to review  two› currently      available     programs› Magniprint II and Weak! from the Page› 6  P.D  catalog.  Can  a  P.D program› possibly be as good at its job  as  a› full priced release? Read on!›››              MAGNIPRINT II›              -------------›› When Magniprint II is first booted up› the first thing on the screen is  the› file  conversion  menu.  Before going› any further you have to load in  your› chosen  picture  file  and save it in› Magniprint II format.›› Files can be converted from  all  the› following  programs:- Micro Painter, › Micro Illustrator,  Paint,  Fun  With› Art,   B/Graph, Graphic Master, Super› Sketch,  Strip  Poker,  Movie  Maker,› Graphics    Magician,   Atarigraphics› Lightpen,   The   Print   Shop    and› Syngraph. As you can see not much has› been left out!›› When you have converted your files to› Magniprint  format you then load from› disk, the main printer  program.  You› then  are  confronted  by  a   screen› asking  for  the  file  name  of  the› picture  you  want to load or you can› list the  disk  directory.  When  the› file  is  loaded  it  is shown on the› screen. At the press of the space bar› another  menu  is put up with various› options   to  enhance  your  picture.› Touch up screen allows you  to  alter› your  picture  using  a joystick like› the draw facility  on  Atari  Artist.› Add  text lets you put TEXT any where› on the screen,  five  character  sets› are  on  side two of the disk. Poster› print lets you blow up  your  picture› to  wall  poster  size. When you have› made any changes you want, then at  a› press  of  a  button  your picture is› printed.› BOTH Epson and  Gemini  printers  are› supported.›› I  printed  pictures  in Print Shop, › Paint,     Micro    Illutrator    and› Micropainter formats using my Citizen› 120D  printer,  the results were fine› but the program seemed to have a  few› bugs  in  it. Every so often it would› refuse to load a file  or  the  whole› program    would   crash.   Even   so› Magniprint II is fairly easy  to  use› and  one  of the best things about it› is the amount of  different  software› format  files  it can convert some of› whom I've never heard of. All in  all› Magniprint  II is a good utility that› does its job well.›››                    WEAK!›                    -----›› When Weak! is first loaded a menu  is› put  up  asking  you to chose between› the     main    program    and    the› documentation.› After   Magniprint   II   I   thought› "Huh..Who  needs  docs  on  a printer› program?"› So I chose to run Weak! BIG MISTAKE!› The first thing that comes up after a› few  seconds  of  loading is a screen› full of German. I managed to work out› that  you  had  to press Space Bar to› carry on. After a bit more loading  a› main  looking  menu  is put up. I say› main looking because the whole  thing› is in German.› "'Fiddle sticks' Ill have to load the› docs after all!"› After reading the docs all  is  clear› Im ready to tackle the menu again.› When  you get the hang of it Weak! is› really easy to use. Pictures  can  be› loaded  from:-  Micropainter,  Koala,› Fun  With  Art  and Stripoker. Unlike› Magniprint files  don't  need  to  be› converted  they  can be read straight› off the disk.› Pictures  can  be  printed  in  three› sizes: Small Medium and  Large.  They› can  be  printed across and verticaly› down the page.  Weak!  can  not  edit› pictures  but  the  colours  on   the› screen  can  be  changed  to give the› best effect on your printer (I  found› strong  contrasting  colours   worked› best  like  red  and green). Pictures› can also  be  displayed  in  graphics› modes 8, 9 and 15.›› Epson,  Star  LC2410   and   Seikosha› printers  are  supported but your own› parameters can be keyed  in,  but  as› the  menu  is in German this is a bit› tricky!›› I printed pictures  in  a  number  of› ways  and got exellent results. Weak!› is first rate at  its  job  and  very› easy  to  use.  Dont be put off by th› German  it  makes  the  program  more› interesting!›› THE FINAL VERDICT› -----------------›› Both utility's are good at their  job› but  the main thing to think about is› price.   Magniprint  II  costs  about› twenty five pounds, whereas Weak!  is› only three quid!› My  advise  is  to buy Weak! first if› your happy with it fine, but  if  you› need  that  bit more flexibility then› upgrade to Magniprint later.››› MAGNIPRINT   II   is  availible  from› GRALIN INTERNATIONAL price  is  about› twenty five pounds.›› WEAK!  is  availible  from  PAGE  SIX› public  domain  libary  price  is two› ninety five. WEAK!s libary number  is› DS#60.››             *** END ***››