The QuickDraw GX ImageWriter II Printer Driver Messages
This section describes the messages and functions that make up the QuickDraw GX ImageWriter II printer driver. This driver needs to accomplish the following tasks, several of which are specific to raster printing:
The messages that the ImageWriter II printer driver overrides are shown in Table 3-2 on page 3-13. The remainder of this section describes these messages and, as an example, shows how the ImageWriter II driver overrides them.
- Initialize the environment.
- Modify the default printer object so that the application can choose to format for black-and-white or color printing at different resolution settings.
- Establish highest-resolution text printing as the preferred job format mode for the ImageWriter II.
- Update the printing-device configuration information and store it with the desktop printer.
- Respond to queries about direct-mode printing.
- Set up the data that is needed for printing the document. For the ImagerWriter II, this means setting up information, including
- the draft character table if the document is printing in text-draft mode
- the halftone data for printing graphics
- unidirectional or bidirectional printing, depending on the selected resolution
- the raster packaging data, depending on the printing resolution
- print-quality information
- color-printing information
- Render each page by creating a buffer for the data and then sending it to the printing device.
- For each page in the document being printed, check to see if the page needs to be manually fed by the user. If so, alert the user to feed the appropriate paper type, and manage the user's interaction with the printing alert box.
- Shut down the environment at the end of printing.
Subtopics
- Initializing the ImageWriter II Environment
- Providing the Application With Printing Options
- Establishing the Preferred Printing Characteristics
- Storing the Current Printer Configuration
- Responding to Direct-Mode Queries
- Setting Up the Parameters for Printing
- Managing Special Page Handling
- Displaying Status Information and the Printing Alert Boxes
- Rendering the Page on the Printing Device
- Terminating the Print Job
- Providing Compatibility in the ImageWriter II Driver
Main | Page One | What's New | Apple Computer, Inc. | Find It | Contact Us | Help