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-
- BabySpooler
- v 2.02
-
- _______________________________________________________________________________
- _______
- (c) Copyright 1993 ____|__ | (tm)
- Budget Software Company --| | |-------------------
- P. O. Box 621534 | ____|__ | Association of
- Littleton CO 80162 | | |_| Shareware
- |__| o | Professionals
- Phone: -----| | |---------------------
- Voice: (303) 932-0440 |___|___| MEMBER
- FAX : (303) 932-0336
- BBS : (303) 932-0440
- CompuServe: 70033,643 Registration: US$ 22.00
- _______________________________________________________________________________
-
-
- ┌──────────────┐
- │ INTRODUCTION │
- └──────────────┘
-
- The Spooling/Despooling Software product consists of several functions:
-
- Spooling - Intercepts data being sent to a port, and re-routes
- it to a file. Then, if a Despooler is present, the
- file is printed in the background.
-
- Despooling - Prints a file in the background.
-
- Monitor - Monitors a specified directory for the appearance of files
- meeting a specified skeleton. Then it renames the file
- so it has a unique extension, and if a Despooler is
- present, starts printing it in the background. The
- Monitor is an ideal mechanism for network printing.
- Each printer on the network has a Monitor that is
- monitoring a unique directory. Workstations around the
- network simply place print-ready files into the appropriate
- directory. (And they can use the Spooler to create the
- files.)
-
- The Spooling, Despooling, and Monitor functions have been bundled into
- several different .EXE's so that you can choose the one that fits your
- needs. Each .EXE has an associated .DOC which describes it usage.
-
- The following .EXE's are included:
-
- SP3DSP.EXE - Contains only a Despooler. This program is included for
- programmers who wish to implement background printing
- into their application. Files are enqueued for
- background printing via a software interrupt.
-
- SP3SPL.EXE - Contains only a Spooler. Data sent to the designated port
- is re-routed to a disk file. Each document sent is
- spooled to a seperate file. This program is useful in
- cases where you want to manipulate spooled data using
- another product, rather than have it sent to the printer.
-
- SP3MON.EXE - Contains only a Monitor. This program is useful in cases
- where your application has the ability to create a
- specific file. The Monitor will rename the file to a
- unique extension so that your application can continue
- to create another file, and you don't have to worry about
- the first file being overwritten.
-
- SP3SPDSP.EXE - Contains a Spooler and a Despooler. Data sent to a printer
- will be intercepted and re-routed to a file name, and then
- enqueued for background printing.
-
- SP3DSPMN.EXE - Contains a Monitor and a Despooler. Any file appearing in
- a designated directory will be renamed, and then enqueued
- for background printing. This program is very useful
- along with AutoCad (r) and Windows 3.x (r), where the
- application has the ability to create a print image into
- a file.
-
- SP3ALL.EXE - Contains a Monitor, a Spooler, and a Despooler. Data
- sent to the designated port will be re-routed to disk,
- and then enqueued for background printing. And, any
- file that appears in a designated directory and having
- a designated extension will be renamed, and then enqueued
- for background printing.
-
- Also, the file SP3PRT.COM is included as a utility for enqueuing
- DOS files for background printing. This program works like DOS' PRINT
- command.
-
- ┌────────────────┐
- │ MULTIPLE PORTS │
- └────────────────┘
-
- The programs that you have received function over two ports. You
- designate at start-up which port/s are being handled. However, the
- Despooler is a very sophisticated background printing engine, and
- is capable of background printing to as many as 8 ports simultaneously.
- Each of the other functions ... the Monitor and the Spooler ... can handle
- up to 8 ports as well. With the Monitor, each port can have its own
- monitored directory.
-
- Budget Software can supply you with any of the above programs so that they
- can handle any number of ports that you desire.
-
-
- ┌──────────────────────────┐
- │ WINDOWS CONSIDERATIONS │
- └──────────────────────────┘
-
- You may go backwards and forth between Windows and DOS, and BabySpooler
- will continue to function properly. However, in order to maximize printer
- activity, be sure to always load the program DS3WNDRV.EXE when you are
- in Windows. The best way to do this is to make an icon of DS3WNDRV.EXE into
- your Startup group window. DS3WNDRV.EXE can tell if you've loaded one of
- the BabySpooler programs, and will simply put it to sleep if it detects
- that one isn't loaded. So you don't have to worry about the program
- loading unnecessarily. Also, DS3WNDRV.EXE is very non-conspicuous ... it
- won't interfere with any other programs running in Windows.
-
- Another thing you can explore in Windows is utilizing BabySpooler's
- Monitor facility, in conjunction with setting things up in WIN.INI so that
- you can choose that a print job be sent to a designated directory as a
- file, rather than directly to a port. For example, if under the [ports]
- section of WIN.INI, you add a line: C:\L1\WINFILE.PRN=
- then this entry will appear in your "attach" display when setting up
- printers, and if you print to this driver, output will automatically go
- to file C:\L1\WINFILE.PRN. Now, BabySpooler's Monitor facility will
- automatically detect the appearance of this file, and will rename it to
- a unique name (so you don't have to worry about a subsequent print job
- trampling this one); and it will then enqueue it for background printing.
- This is an excellent way to handle Windows printing ... especially since
- BabySpooler, in conjunction with its DS3WNDRV.EXE program prints more
- efficiently than Windows' own Print Manager. Be sure to use either the
- SP3DSPMN or the SP3ALL versions of BabySpooler in order to take advantage
- of this Monitor feature.
-
-
- ┌──────────────────────────┐
- │ SHAREWARE CONSIDERATIONS │
- └──────────────────────────┘
-
- You have obtained an un-registered version of Spooling/Despooling Software
- which is being marketed under the shareware concept. It is a fully working
- version of the product, and the documentation is complete. You are
- encouraged to register with Budget Software Company. The fee is US$ 22 for
- a stand-alone verion, and $75 for a network version.
-
- You may register by phone, mail, FAX, or using Compuserve. If you register
- by phone, FAX, or Compuserve, please provide a Visa or Mastercard number,
- name, and expiration date.
-
-
- Address: Budget Software Company
- P.O. Box 621534
- Littleton CO 80162-1534
-
- Phone: (303) 932-1705
-
- Compuserve: 70033,643
- FAX: (303) 932-0336
-
-
- By registering, you receive the following benefits:
-
- - A copy of the latest version of the product.
-
- - Free technical support. Usually, the author will be providing the
- support. But in any case, your issue will be elevated to the author
- if your question cannot be answered by your first contact.
-
- - Periodic notification of upgrades and enhancements; along with the
- ability to upgrade at a nominal cost.
-
- - The ability to process multiple ports simultaneously .... up to 8 ports.
-
-
- You are authorized to make as many copies of this un-registered version
- of the product as you would like, and to distribute them freely to
- individuals or onto bulletin boards. You must, however abide by this one
- simple rule ... that you always include with such distribution all of the
- files that you have received.
-
-
- Budget Software Company is a member of the Association of Shareware
- Professionals (ASP). ASP wants to make sure that the shareware principle
- works for you. If you are unable to resolve a shareware-related problem
- with an ASP member by contacting the member directly, ASP may be able to
- help. The ASP Ombudsman can help you resolve a dispute or problem with an
- ASP member, but does not provide technical support for members' products.
- Please write to the ASP Ombudsman at 545 Grover Rd, Muskegon MI 494420-9427,
- or send a Compuserve message via easyplex to ASP Ombudsman 70007,3536.
-
-