PowerSPrint is a pair of AppleScript applications used to share an otherwise “unsharable” printer on an AppleTalk (EtherTalk, LocalTalk) network. They may be used “out-of-the-box” or opened and modified as wished.
Requirements
AppleScript, System 7.x or 8.x
Terms
The “server” is a machine in your network that has a serial printer connected to it. A “client” is any machine on the network that wants to access the printer.
The “Monitor” application refers to the appropriate Print Monitor for your printing software. For HP, it is “HP PrintMonitor”. For Epson, it is “Epson Monitor3”.
The “Spool folder” is the folder where documents are stored when Background Printing is on. This is normally the “Printmonitor Documents” folder (which is chosen as default), but for Epson Stylus Color printers (I’ve tried 600, 740, 800), this is the “Spool Folder5” (don’t ask me how that chose that silly name - maybe by version number) in the Epson folder in the Extensions folder.
How it Works
A client prints as if the printer were connected to one of its ports. Instead of the Monitor application being launched, the PowerSPrint Client application will be launched instead. It will transfer the file to the server and remove it from your Spool folder. Once on the client machine, the file will be printed to the printer.
Pre-Installation of PowerSPrint
1. Akua Sweets V1.29 or later must be installed on all clients and on the server.
(It goes in the “Scripting Additions” folder of your System folder (or Extensions folder if using System 7.x).
Copying the file there is not enough. You should either restart the machine or compile a script with “Script Editor” to make sure they are registered before starting one of the included applets.
2. PowerSPrint Server must be copied to the server machine.
3. PowerSPrint Client must be copied to any client(s) you wish.
4. Printer software (serial version, background printing ON) must be installed on all machines in question.
5. A user must be setup on the Server with program linking access. This is the only requirement for the user. You may or may give the user a password and other options as you choose. (e.g. You could add a user called “Print” that has linking access only.)
THIS SOFTWARE DOES NOT REQUIRE THE MOUNTING OF REMOTE VOLUMES (FILE SHARING).
Installation of Server
1. Place PowerSPrint Server on the server anywhere you like. Do NOT rename it. Install Akua Sweets.
2. Launch PowerSPrint Server. You should have a little info-window.
3. You should see the red colored message “WAITING FOR THE “PRINT MONITOR” APPLICATION TO BE DROPPED ON ME”. If not, you may want to trash the file “AppleScripts Prefs” from your Preferences folder and try again.
4. Drag your Monitor application to the PowerSPrint Server icon - or hold the control key for a few seconds to choose it with the file selector.
5. You should then see (in red) “WAITING FOR THE FIRST CLIENT TRANSACTION”.
6. Epson users, drag the folder “Spool Folder5” from the “Epson Folder” in the Extensions folder to the PowerSPrint Server icon. If your printer uses the default “PrintMonitor Documents” folder, then this step is not needed.
7. If you did step 6, you should see the “Spool:” label (in blue) showing the path to your spool folder. If you made a mistake, don’t worry, just drop the correct item on PowerSPrint Server. If you drop an application, it assumes you’re dropping the Monitor application. If it is a folder, it assumes it is the spool folder.
Background printing must be ON in the Chooser on the Server and all Clients.
Installation of a Client
1. Place a copy of PowerSPrint Client in the same folder as your “Monitor” application (almost certainly the Extensions folder).
2. Launch it. You should get a little info-window.
3. You should see a red message saying, “WAITING FOR THE SERVER TO BE DROPPED ON ME” followed by, “(… or hold the option key down to choose a server).”
4. Either:
a. Keep the option key depressed for a few seconds and choose the Server app (which must be running) from the list that shows up or
b. Mount the Server’s volume, and drop the PowerSPrint Server app onto the PowerSPrint Client’s icon.
(I think a. is easier).
5. The last line of the info-window should then read “Server:” followed by the Zone & Machine of the server you’ve chosen.
6. Epson users, drag the folder “Spool Folder5” from the “Epson Folder” in the Extensions folder to the PowerSPrint Client icon. If your printer uses the default “PrintMonitor Documents” folder, then this step is not needed.
7. You should see the “Spool:” info-line updated to the location you selected.
8. To take over the job of “Print Monitor”, you must drop your installed “Monitor” application onto PowerSPrint Client. It will then assume the identity of the “Monitor” application and move it to the Trash. Alternately, hold the control key for a few seconds and select the Monitor application from the following dialog.
9. The top red line should then read, “WAITING FOR YOU TO PRINT THE FIRST DOCUMENT.” I would suggest doing it now, but you can just wait until you need to print. You can quit the PowerSPrint Client (which will now be renamed - your original Monitor application is in your Trash), it should be launched the next time you print from the client machine.
Background printing must be ON in the Chooser on the Server and all Clients.
When those steps have successfully completed, your old Print Monitor will be in the Trash and PowerSPrint Client will be renamed (and retyped and re-iconed) in order to “pretend” to be your “Print Monitor” application.
When you print, it will be launched. It will then transfer the spool files to the server and subsequently delete them and quit.
You are done. Happy printing. Send any problems or bug reports to akua@bluewin.ch
Q&A
How do I use an Epson Printer with my PowerBook - or how do I use the Epson Printer served by a PowerBook from my Desktop Mac?
Because Epson drivers store the port used in the spooled file, you can not do this without an extra step. The chosen port is stored in the “Epson Preferences” folder in your Preferences folder. For a SC800, the file in question is called “Stylus COLOR 800” - for other printers it will probably be stored with their respective model name.
You must copy this file to the clients’ machines (overwriting their file) from the server so that the server settings are added to the spool files in place of the local settings. Thus you can print to the “Printer/Modem Port” from a Desktop or print to the “Printer Port” from a PowerBook. If you ever happen to click on the printer icon in the Chooser again, you’ll need to repeat this, so you may want to store a copy in there as well.
How do I share a USB printer - or share a serial printer to a USB Mac?
I don’t know. I have an iMac, but it is in our living room, alone. I’ve tried to provide for this setup in V1.3 by allowing the client to take the server’s printer setup and apply it to its own system. You will be asked when installing a client if you wish to execute this option. Give it a try and let me know if it works.
What is “Use Printer”?
Use Printer is an Applet that will store the current print setup when first run and restore it when later run. This may be useful if you share a USB Printer, but often switch to other printers and back. Store copies of Use Printer in a folder in your Apple Menu Items, then switch to the printers you use, each time running a fresh “Use Printer” to store the settings. Then launch the scripts when you want to switch printers instead of using the Chooser.
What is “Reaper”?
Reaper may help CD-ROM applications work with your printer driver if you are getting “Out of Memory” alerts when printing from them. It belongs in your control panels folder if you want to use it.
I’m having memory problems with System 8.5?!?
System 8.5 has a bug (actually many) in AppleScript. Either update to 8.51 which fixes one of the major bugs - or set the “kasStayOpen“ attribute in PowerSPrint Server to false, so that it quits when idle, releasing the leaked memory.
History
V1.40 (14. Feb 99)
• Fixed a problem with Akua Sweets on MacOS 8.5x, where the “size fork” command was not working on the server (my server is 8.1, sorry).
• Updated this read-me a bit.
• Cleaned up some messages.
• Fixed a long standing bug that affected a few things (including remembering the position of the window) where we did not really know if we had just been launched…
• Fixed a bug in return of the printer setup.
V1.30 (1. Feb 99)
• Fixed a memory leak in the client (server process osax) which would cause an eventual crash if the server was not up.
• Fixed the “File is open” error that occurred in clients when a transfer was aborted or otherwise failed and the client was still running.
• Fixed a crash under System 7.x. Appending {} to a record causes a crash in AppleScript...
• Fixed a bug in the server that would remove completed members of a client’s batch if the whole batch took longer than 15 minutes to transfer.
• Added support for transferring the setup of the server printer back to the client.
V1.20 (6. Jan 99)
• Server now detects and passes to clients new Epson settings (which attached port etc.) when the client connects and the preferences have changed.
• FIxed a stupid bug in V1.1 (Akua Sweets) that crashed clients after choosing the Print Monitor in System 8.0 or 8.1. (Some Icon Services not available).
V1.10 (4. Jan.99)
• Rewrote a lot of the administration routines to ease installation and fix some bugs.
• Updated to Akua Sweets V126 which supports sending auto-authorized AppleEvents in the background.
V1.01 (21.Jul.98)
• Clients start a “batch” copy. Server launches PM when batch has arrived. (Avoid one of a pair of files being processed by Epson).
