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AddLPrep docs
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1988-03-12
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AddLPrep Documentation 3/2/88
Originally, Apple's LaserWriter system allowed a user to get a
complete PostScript disk file (including the library code from the
"Laser Prep" file) by hitting a Command-K quickly after
choosing OK from the LaserWriter Print dialog, or a file without
the library code by hitting Command-F. The keys have since changed
to Option-K and Option-F, but both now seem to function equivalently
to the old Command-F.
The AddLPrep program adds the PostScript code from the Laser Prep
file to a PostScript file created by hitting Option-F (or K).
The output file produced by AddLPrep is thus suitable for
downloading to any PostScript printer or typesetter.
VERY IMPORTANT: AddLPrep is SHAREWARE and is copyright © 1988 by
Software101, Los Gatos, CA. Feel free to try it out and give
copies to others, but if you find the program useful and continue
to use it, send $20 to Software101, 101 Fremont Court, Los Gatos, CA
95030. As indicated below, this program may need considerable
support; problems will be solved only for those who have paid
for the program. Someday, in some manner, new versions may be
available only to those honest folks.
"Thank you for your support"
-- Bartles & Jaymes, 1986
ALSO VERY IMPORTANT: The contents of the Laser Prep file are copyrighted
by Apple Computer, and using the output of this program for any
purpose other than 1) downloading to a PostScript printer, or
2) study of PostScript programming techniques, is almost
certainly a violation of that copyright.
GETTING READY:
Since you're reading this, you've already mastered the first step:
unpacking the distribution (.sit) file using the Stuffit program.
There are two versions of AddLPrep in this package; one is an application
that can be started from the Finder, the other is a Desk Accessory that
can be selected from the Apple menu while using any program that supports
Desk Accessories (most do).
If you want to use the Desk Accessory version, the next step is to
use Apple's Font/DA Mover program to move the contents of the AddLPrepDA
file to your System file. If you don't have a hard disk, you'll need
to transfer it to the System files on all the floppies you want to use
it with.
In order to use either version, you must have a copy of the LaserWriter
driver and the matching Laser Prep file in your System Folder (if you
dont have a hard disk, in the System Folders on all the floppies you want
to use it with.
OPERATION:
1) If necessary, use the Chooser DA to select the LaserWriter.
You don't have to actually have a LaserWriter connected to
your Mac, but if you have an ImageWriter or something else
connected to your serial Printer port, be sure to turn its
power off before you use Chooser!
2) Start the application that produces the printout you want,
and open the document you want to print. Or, just double-
click on the document from the Finder. Or, most elegantly,
single-click on the document and choose Print from the Finder's
File menu.
3) Unless you did so from the Finder, choose Print from the
application's File menu.
4) After selecting whatever options you want from from the LaserWriter
Print dialog, click on OK or hit Return, then quickly hit Option-F.
REAL quickly: it may take several tries before you see a box that
says something like "Creating PostScript file", rather than one
that says "Looking for LaserWriter...". With some programs
it's possible to hold down Option-F (so as to repeat the key)
before clicking on OK.
5) If you see the right message, a disk file will be created named
"PostScriptn", where n is typically 0. It may end up in the
System Folder, the folder the application is in, or (?) somewhere
else. You may have to use the Find File DA to find it.
6A) WITH THE APPLICATION VERSION OF AddLPrep:
* Quit the application.
* In the Finder, you may want to rename the file to something
more meaningful.
* Run the addLPrep application.
6B) WITH THE DESK ACCESSORY VERSION:
* Choose AddLPrep from the Apple menu.
7) With either version, a standard file selection box appears. Choose
the file created in steps 4-5, and double-click on it, or click on
Open, or hit Return.
8) A new dialog box then appears, telling you that AddLPrep is converting
your file, and the cursor changes to a watch. Depending on how long
and complex your printout is, and what kind of Mac you have, the
process may take a few seconds to several minutes. You can cancel
the process by clicking on the button in the dialog box, or holding
down the Command (Apple) key and pressing the '.' key.
9) When it's done, the application version will quit to the Finder,
while the DA version will just go away. Unless you cancelled, there
is then another new file, with the same filename plus ".ps" at the end.
This is a complete PostScript file (program) suitable for direct
downloading to any PostScript printer or typesetter.
TECHNICAL NOTE:
AddLPrep substitutes the Laser Prep code for a line starting with:
%%IncludeProcSet: "(AppleDict md)"
If the input file does not contain a line like this, then AddLPrep
produces an Alert box noting that it has just functioned as a text file
duplicating program. (This will not occur for files created by Option-F
as described above.)
ABOUT RELIABILITY:
As AddLPrep transfers the PostScript code from the Laser Prep
file to the output file, it makes a few modifications to the code
to make it suitable for use as a "transient" program that doesn't
"take over" the printer or modify its state. AddLPrep has been
tested with a number of common Mac applications and with a DEC
ScriptPrinter. However, it may prove unreliable in any of the
following cases:
a) when used with a version of Laser Prep that's newer or older than
the one distributed with Apple's System Software 5.0 (a.k.a. System
4.2/Finder 6.0). That Laser Prep file doesn't show a version in the
Finder's Get Info box, but the associated LaserWriter file shows 5.0.
Internally, the code is called version 65 or maybe 66. If the Laser
Prep file is sufficiently different, AddLPrep will detect the problem
and show an Alert box. Or,
b) when used with a different PostScript printer, or
c) when used with applications other than those the author has tested
it with, or
d) when used with documents that contain graphic shapes other than
those the author happens to have tested (e.g., arcs have not been
tested).
The most likely source of problems is a), for future versions of Laser
Prep.
Problems can be reported to the author via EMail to CompuServe
72367,2599 or GEnie MACKENNA, but please be patient. Assuming a ".ps"
file was produced and it's less than, say, 32Kbytes long, upload it on
EMail along with the description of the problem.
If you have a problem with a huge PostScript file, try to reproduce it
in a small file. For multi-page printouts, a problem is automatically
isolated to the first page that doesn't print out, and other pages can
be deleted from the PostScript file. The start of each page is marked
by a line like
%%Page: n
Always keep the part of the file before the start of page 1.
To isolate problems further, try inserting lines like
(we got to here) print
in the PostScript code. The messages before the problem will come back
from the PostScript printer, before the error message. Warning: figuring
out where to put those lines may turn you into a PostScript programmer!