BBS in a Box 4

home *** CD-ROM | disk | FTP | other *** search

/ BBS in a Box 4 / BBS in a Box - Macintosh - Volume IV (January 1992) (BBS in a Box).iso / Files / Word / J-L / Laser < prev next >

Wrap

Text File | 1987-05-25 | 23.4 KB | 558 lines | [TEXT/MACA]

LaserWriter Questions and Answers (Part 1 of 5) Why did Apple decide to build and sell the LaserWriter Plus separately? Many dealers were actually purchasing the LaserWriter and LaserWriter Plus Upgg this for you, as well as testing the unit before it leaves the factory. This ey have encountered. Many dealers have been asking Apple to do this for some time; we agreed that this was a good suggestion. What's the difference between a LaserWriter and a LaserWriter Plus? The Apple LaserWriter and the LaserWriter Plus printers are virtually the same machine, with the only major difference being the number of "built-in" (stored in ROM) font families. Each uses the same microprocessor as the Macintosh (MC68000), and each offers 1.5 megabytes of RAM. The "plus" in the LaserWriter Plus is seven additional font families (the LaserWriter has four), for a total of 35 fonts. (See the section entitled "Fonts" for an explanation of the term "font".) What Macintosh software can I use to print on the LaserWriter? Just about any program that runs on the Macintosh personal computer can be printed on the LaserWriter using the Macintosh's system software. Can I use the LaserWriter with my IBM PC or PC compatible? Yes. There are four basic ways: 1. Use MS-DOS software that supports PostScript. If your MS-DOS software supports printing to the LaserWriter with PostScript, you can print via the LaserWriter serial port. For example, Microsoft Word and Chart for the IBM PC currently support PostScript, as will most of the future page-composition products for MS-DOS computers. (See part xxx for details.) 2. Use PC MacBridge from Tangent Technologies. This peripheral card plugs into your IBM or compatible to allow it to connect to the AppleTalk network. Generally, the process of using the LaserWriter requires the user to exit the MS-DOS application, use the PC MacBridge software to translate the document, and then print. 3. Use TOPS from Centram. This product is especially useful in integrating PCs and Macintosh computers over the AppleTalk network, because it provides file-server support. As with PC MacBridge, the peripheral card plugs into the IBM PC or compatible and then the AppleTalk connector plugs into the card. This product allows the connected PCs to communicate not only with the LaserWriter printer but also with all of the Macintosh systems on the network. 4. Switch the LaserWriter to Diablo 630 emulation, which lets the LaserWriter print text formatted for the Diablo 630 daisy wheel printer. In Diablo emulation mode, the LaserWriter will print documents with Diablo formatting commands, but it can only support 12-point Courier type. The emulation is primarily for printing output from software packages that do not directly support PostScript, the LaserWriter's programming lanuage. For more information, see the section of this document entitled "Connecting an MS-DOS Computer." Can the LaserWriter be used with a UNIX-based computer? Yes. By using UNIX software that supports PostScript, or by using a communications tool from Adobe called TranScript, the majority of UNIX-based machines can drive the LaserWriter through the serial port. Can I connect an Apple II to the LaserWriter, and if so, how? Yes. The LaserWriter can be used in Diablo 630 emulation mode with the Apple IIe and Apple IIc. The new Apple IIGS system connects directly to AppleTalk and can use the LaserWriter over the network. Applications written specifically for the Apple IIGS will work with the printer in much the same way that Macintosh applications do. SOFTWARE What is PostScript? What role does it play in printing? PostScript is a page-description language created by Adobe Systems Incorporated. A page description language tells the printer where to put graphics and text on a page, and how they should look. PostScript is particularly sophisticated in that it enables the LaserWriter to print text in any size, style, or orientation, and to print extremely complicated graphics. For instance, you can print a twisted letter that contains a photograph also twisted. Most desktop laser printers do not have page-description languages built in, which is why they can't match the LaserWriter printer's output. When you print from the Macintosh, the LaserWriter printer driver converts the Macintosh file into PostScript commands. It then sends the file over the AppleTalk network to the LaserWriter, where the PostScript commands are interpreted for printing. Can I take advantage of PostScript features without learning PostScript? Absolutely. Any program that runs on the Macintosh uses PostScript when you print on the LaserWriter. More and more applications with built-in features to do the complicated printing that PostScript is known for are becoming available. For instance, CricketDraw from Cricket Software can rotate text and do graphics on the Macintosh screen. The Apple IIGS is also gathering an impressive collection of graphics software. LaserWriter Questions and Answers (Part 2 of 5) FONTS The word "font" is being used somewhat loosely today. Technically, "font family" refers to a "complete" typeface in "all" sizes and styles. For example, saying that the LaserWriter has four built-in fonts means that you get four font families that can be printed in several different styles (Plain, Bold, Italic, and Bold Italic), each in either outline, shadow or underline, in various orientations (Landscape, Portrait, Superscript or Subscript), and in any point size (4 to 720 Point). Many vendors use "font" to mean one font, one size, one style and one orientation (i.e., Helvetica Bold 12 Point). Be sure that you understand how the word "font" is being used and whether it refers to an entire font family or to one single typeface and style (i.e., Helvetica Bold 12 Point). If Apple were to use other vendors' methods for counting fonts, the standard LaserWriter would have literally thousands of fonts built-in! PostScript fonts have absolutely no limitations with respect to rotation, size or variations. Built-in Typefaces LaserWriter LaserWriter Plus Helvetica Helvetica Times Times Courier Courier Symbol Symbol Helvetica Narrow ITC Avant Garde Gothic ITC Bookman ITC Zapf Chancery ITC Zapf Dingbats New Century Schoolbook Palatino What's the difference between a built-in LaserWriter font and a downloadable font? LaserWriter fonts are built into the printer's ROM, or permanent memory. Downloadable fonts, on the other hand, are placed into the printer's RAM (temporary memory), generally by using disks on the Macintosh. Because downloadable fonts are stored in RAM, they disappear each time the printer is turned off. How does downloading really work? You can download fonts either automatically from disks, using the printer driver, or by using a downloader utility. In either case, you must first add the corresponding screen fonts to your Macintosh system to access the font in your documents. When you print the document, the printer driver checks to see if the font you need for printing is available on the LaserWriter. If you haven't used a utility to download the font, the printer driver automatically downloads the font to the printer. The printer font files (separate from the screen font file) must be in the System Folder in order for the printer-driver to find them automatically. How many fonts can I download? Usually, you can download one entire font family (i.e.. Garamond in Bold, Italic, Bold Italic and Plain). Only the outline of the font is downloaded. Postscript then scales the font to any size desired, while maintaining the quality of the font. Certain fonts, such as ITC Garamond and Optima, however, are designed with a lot of detail, which consumes large quantities of memory. Downloading these complex fonts that might be included in a very detailed document can fill RAM in the LaserWriter rather quickly. Generally, under these circumstances you can download anywhere from two to six typefaces (i.e., Garamond Bold and Garamond Italic). Who supplies downloadable LaserWriter fonts? There are several suppliers. Adobe, the PostScript company, sells many fonts from traditional suppliers of professional typefaces to the typesetting industry ( ITC, Merganthaler, Bitstream, and others). Other developers of downloadable fonts include Casady Company and Century Software. You can also create your own downloadable PostScript fonts with packages such as Fontographer from Altsys Corporation and LaserWorks from EDO Communications. The ability to use downloadable fonts is one of the items that sets the LaserWriter apart from competing printers, most of which cannot offer such flexibility and range of font selection. Adobe Systems Incorporated 1870 Embarcadero Road Palo Alto, CA 94303 (415) 852-0271 Altsys P.O. Box 865410 Plano, TX 775086 (214) 596-4970 Bigelow & Holmes 15 Vanderwater Street San Francisco, CA 94133 (415) 788-8973 Casady Company P.O. 223779 Carmel, CA 93922 (408) 646-4660 Century Software Company 2306 Cotner Avenue Los Angeles, CA 90064 (213) 829-4436 EDO Communications 63 Arnold Way West Hartford, CT 06119 What's the difference between a bitmap font and a built-in LaserWriter font? Each character in a LaserWriter font is stored as a PostScript outline. To create a character in a particular typesize and style, this outline is simply manipulated by the LaserWriter at printing. In a bitmap font, on the other hand, a separate file is needed for each style and point size of each character. This makes bitmap fonts less memory-efficient than LaserWriter fonts. On the Macintosh, Geneva is an example of a bitmap font, while Helvetica is a LaserWriter font. LaserWriter Questions and Answers (Part 3 of 5) HARDWARE What kinds of toner cartridges can the LaserWriter use? It can use only the cartridges supplied by Apple Computer. (They are similar but not identical to cartridges used by desktop copiers.) These toner cartridges last about 3,000 pages on the average. They contain most of the LaserWriter printer's moving parts, so replacing the toner cartridge effectively "tunes up" the printer. How fast does the LaserWriter print? Once PostScript has processed a page, multiple copies print at about eight pages a minute. The time required to process the page will vary depending upon the degree of complexity involved. For example, scaled and bitmapped (MacPaint) images take much longer than straight text and MacDraw images. The greater the variety of typefaces and graphics used, the longer the page will take to build in the LaserWriter printer's memory. Can I send more than one document at a time to the LaserWriter? Can I get back the use of my Macintosh faster after sending a document to print? Yes, through printer spooling. The LaserWriter can print only one document at a time, but you can use a spooler to queue documents for printing. When you have a spooler on a network, the documents are stored temporarily on a disk before printing. This means that instead of waiting for other documents to finish printing, you get the use of your Macintosh back right away; all the waiting is done at the spooler. Current software-only products are LaserSpool from MacAmerica and MacServe from Infosphere. Although not print spooling, you can use the Finder to select several documents at one time for printing, but all of the documents must be in the same folder. You just select the ones you want to print, select the Print command from the File menu, insert any master disks as requested, and respond to the Print dialog box. Why does my printed output sometimes look different from what I have on my screen? One reason may be that the font you are using on screen isn't a LaserWriter typeface. For example, if you use a typeface such as Geneva in a document, the LaserWriter will automatically substitute the laser typeface that most closely resembles it: Helvetica. This font substitution can be disabled in the "Page Setup" dialog box. To prevent surprises, we suggest that you always use the same font on the screen as the font you plan to use to print. For instance, if you plan to print a document in Times, be sure to use the font Times on your screen as you compose the document. Also, because of the outline treatment of PostScript typefaces, the LaserWriter is capable of much greater resolution than the Macintosh screen. This difference in resolution can cause a difference in the appearance of your printed copy in comparison with its on-screen representation. What are the LaserWriter printer's paper-handling capabilities? The LaserWriter printer's paper tray can hold either letter- or legal-size paper in 100-sheet quantities. If you want greater capacity, Sterling Computer Products will replace the bottom of your LaserWriter with a new paper tray that can hold 500 sheets (Paper Max, suggested retail price $495). Other companies that make sheet feeders for other desktop printers are investigating LaserWriter models and expect to release products during 1987. Sterling Computer Products 1459 Industrial Avenue Escondido, CA 92025 800-227-5525 What is the expected lifetime of the LaserWriter printer engine (stated in pages)? The manufacturer estimates engine life to be 100,000 pages. This holds true for any laser printer that uses the same engine (Canon LPX-10) as the Apple LaserWriter. LaserWriter Questions and Answers (Part 4 of 5) HARDWARE (Cont'd) How can I print screen dumps on the LaserWriter? You can save a screen as a MacPaint file and then print it. To do this, press Command-Shift-3 from your application. Your first file will be named "screen 0," and you can dump a total of 10 screens during one session. However, not all applications software recognizes Command-Shift-3. For programs that don't, Camera is a handy desk accessory, available from many user groups, that takes a picture of the screen. Some user groups now have direct "Laser dump" software available also. (To locate the Macintosh User Group nearest you, dial 800-538-9696,extension 500.) What does "dots per inch" really mean? "Dots per inch" refers to resolution, or the clarity of the image; the more dots per inch, the higher the resolution. For example, if you print a solid 1-inch by 1-inch square on the LaserWriter printer, it will be represented as 300 dots by 300 dots, or a total of 90,000 dots. That's why output from laser printers that can produce full-page graphics at 150 dpi seems far inferior to that of the LaserWriter; a square inch would only be represented by 22,500 dots (150 x 150), which is one-fourth the resolution of the LaserWriter. To give you a further sense of perspective, on either the Macintosh screen or the ImageWriter printer, that same square inch would be represented as only 72 dots by 72 dots, or a total of 5,184 dots. Can I improve the quality of the LaserWriter printout? The LaserWriter resolution is fixed at 300 dots per inch. In terms of how the physical page looks, you can use paper designed especially for laser printers to improve the output quality. Both Gilbert and Hammermill offer special papers produced especially for 300-dpi output. In terms of graphics, it helps to know that MacPaint and FullPaint (raster) work in bitmaps at 72 dpi, while MacDraw and MacDraft (vector) can take full advantage of the LaserWriter's 300 dpi because they scale (like PostScript). Sometimes a combination of programs produces the best result. For example, let's say that you have a circular logo that you created in MacPaint. You used MacPaint because FatBits gave you the tools you needed to create the detailed graphic, but the MacPaint circle looks jagged on the LaserWriter. If you pull the graphic into MacDraw and reduce its size, you'll get a higher resolution result. Normally, the printer will consider the LaserWriter output as "camera-ready," creating a plate from that output and using it to print the quantity required. For example, using a Gestetner Electro-Static Platemaker, the original output is placed on the platemaker, and a paper plate is produced. This paper plate will have the larger black areas of the page perfectly black, while the original output may have been a bit washed-out in those areas. All of the text and rules on the page will also improve in quality. Because of the capabilities of the platemaker, any LaserWriter output can be used to create very high-quality plates. When you create master pages using the LaserWriter, and then hire the services of a printer for volume reproduction, the quality of the output is improved by virtue of the printing process. Can the LaserWriter be used as a low-cost typesetter? Definitely. In fact, experts from the National Association of Quick Printers claim that they are now using the LaserWriter in place of traditional typesetting equipment for 80 to 90 percent of their work. You can even get film to run through the LaserWriterjust like a typesetter. The paper is made by CF, Incorporated and is called Laseredge HR50. The paper allows for more traditional manipulations. For instance, the toner is erasable until sealed so that designers can pick up stray toner spots. The paper also can be waxed for pasteup. CF, Incorporated 314 N. 13th Street, Sixth Floor Philadelphia, PA 19107 215-829-4990 LaserWriter Questions and Answers (Part 5 of 5) MEDIA Can I print envelopes on the LaserWriter? Most business envelopes will go through the LaserWriter easily using manual feed. Just remember to set up your application to print "Landscape," or horizontally. Then choose manual feed from the Print dialog box. When the orange light on the printer is steady, feed the envelope through face up. Can I print adhesive labels on the LaserWriter? Yes. But be sure to get labels designed for laser printing and high temperature. It is also recommended that you feed labels one page at a time (manually). OTHER How do the LaserWriter samples that are sent to the field differ from original LaserWriter printouts? When Apple needs a large number of LaserWriter samples, we reproduce them by lithography (offset printing) from original LaserWriter output. In our brochures, magazine ads, and newspaper ads, we also reproduce original LaserWriter output by lithography. Lithography provides a very accurate means of reproducing images and is the standard throughout the world. In most cases, an untrained observer will see virtually no difference between an original LaserWriter sample and a lithographic reproduction. In samples with large solid-black areas, lithography may produce a denser, more even black than the LaserWriter. In some brochures and ads, we reduce the size of output in order to fit more samples on a page. This has the effect of increasing the resolution and thus increasing the sharpness of the output. Some designers take advantage of this by setting type on the LaserWriter at a large size and then photographically reducing it. That increases the sharpness of the final printed piece. CONNECTING AN MS-DOS COMPUTER How do I connect an IBM or compatible to the LaserWriter? (The following information can also be found in your LaserWriter manual.) If your MS-DOS software supports printing to the LaserWriter with PostScript, you can use the following procedure to print via the LaserWriter serial port: 1. Connect the COM1:serial port on your computer to the LaserWriter printer's 25-pin socket (the RS-232 port) using a modem eliminator cable (Apple p/n 590-0029-00). 2. Set the mode switch on the back of the LaserWriter to 9600, and turn on the LaserWriter. Wait for the test page to print. 3. Use the MS-DOS Mode command to configure your computer for serial communication with the proper parameters. The following two commands are required: MODE COM1:9600,N,8,1,P MODE LPT1:=COM1: (Note: The DOS MODE.COM file mus be present) 4. Install your PostScript printer driver. The printer driver is a program that translates your print files into the PostScript language that the LaserWriter understands. This installation process varies from application to application. See your application manual for instructions. (Note: It's easiest to perform steps 3 and 4 by including the necessary commands in your AUTOEXEC.BAT file. This will set your computer's appropriate communications parameters each time you start the operating system. For more information about the AUTOEXEC capability, see your operating-system documentation.) If your MS-DOS software does not support PostScript, you can use the following procedure to invoke the Diablo emulator: 1. Set the mode switch on the back of the LaserWriter to the "Special" position. 2. Connect one of the LaserWriter printer's serial ports (9-pin or 25-pin socket) to the host's RS-232 interface with a modem eliminator (null modem) cable. 3. Switch on the LaserWriter. You will not receive a test page. 4. Start the IBM with DOS (the disk operating system). Use the Mode command to configure your computer for serial communication with the proper parameters. The following two commands are required: MODE COM1:9600,N,8,1,P MODE LPT1:=COM1: (See the note in the previous section about using these commands in an AUTOEXEC.BAT file.) 5. Install the software with the Diablo 630 printer driver. 6. Follow the instructions for the particular application. The data transfer rate in this mode is 9600 baud using the XOn/XOff protocol and no parity bit. The LaserWriter emulates the Diablo as closely as possible; however, you should be aware of the following differences: -- The LaserWriter does not have any way to detect that the end of a document has been reached other than by noticing that data has stopped arriving. All Diablo printer settings (margins, tabs, spacing, and so forth) remain in effect for about 30 seconds after the last page is processed. -- The LaserWriter actually prints a page when it either reaches the bottom of the page or receives a form-feed character. Therefore, if the last page of a document is not full and does not have a form feed at the end, it will not be printed immediately. Instead, it will be printed when the LaserWriter resets, approximately 30 seconds later, or as part of the next document (at the top of the first page). To avoid this problem, when printing documents in close succession, make sure that each one has a final form feed. The following Diablo 630 commands are not supported by the LaserWriter: -- Print suppression. -- HY-Plot. -- Extended character set. -- The ability to download information for print wheels, including program mode. -- The ability to override print-wheel spacing (for proportional spacing), although the offset for proportional spacing can be changed. -- Page lengths other than 11 inches. -- Paper-feeder control. -- Hammer-energy control. -- Remote diagnostics. -- Backward printing control (note, however, that "reverse printing" is supported). GOT THIS OFF OF APPLELINK 11/21/86 ADDRESS: BYTE.KNIGHT *S /EXIT Download complete. Turn off Capture File.