Technical Q&As
QD 41 - Using Background Printing When The Finder Isn't Present (4-Mar-96)
Q Is there any way we can use background printing while the Finder is off?
A Yes, it is possible to use background printing when the Finder isn't present.
- Note:
- This isn't officially supported, and the methods used are likely to
change, so you'll want to check new versions of System software to make sure
your application still works correctly. This is a hard thing to do, and will
only become harder under Copland (if it is possible at all). Note also that
there are third-party background-printing solutions which are not covered here.
You'll need to work with the various third-parties to solve compatibility
problems with their products.
Here's the approach, in three parts:
A: Old print architecture, no desktop printing
Your application needs to monitor the Print Monitor Documents folder
within the System Folder. On older versions of system software, this folder is
called Spool Folder. When you see a file within that folder, you can launch
Print Monitor and the file will be sent to the printer.
B: Old print architecture, with desktop printing installed
Before quitting the Finder, make sure desktop printers are all done
printing (Any jobs currently in desktop printers stop when the Finder goes
away). Once all DTPs are clear, follow the same steps as A.
C: QuickDraw GX
Watch the Print Monitor Documents folder, and launch PrinterShare GX.
Make sure to handle any events it passes back to you, since these are error
conditions and the user will need to be alerted. Since PrinterShare GX looks
for the Finder by looking for a process whose ProcessType is 'FNDR', you'll
have to mimic that behavior. You can use the application AETracker to find out
which events you will need to handle. (AETracker is available on the Developer
CD Series in the Testing & Debugging folder on the ToolChest Edition.)
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