home
***
CD-ROM
|
disk
|
FTP
|
other
***
search
/
The Atari Compendium
/
The Atari Compendium (Toad Computers) (1994).iso
/
files
/
umich
/
apps
/
wordproc
/
wordup
/
patchlq.arc
/
README.TXT
< prev
Wrap
Text File
|
1989-01-24
|
5KB
|
86 lines
Dear WordUp User,
We have recently become aware of a problem involving the use of a
Star Micronics 24-pin printer with the Epson LQ printer driver provided
with WordUp. The text below describes the problem, the cause, and a
solution. The problem exists in releases of WordUp dated 11/10/88 and
earlier.
The problem is simple, but annoying. The first page printed
during a session seems to print normally, but subsequent pages show an
overlap between passes of the print head, and the page length seems to
have been shortened. You may have had this trouble and discovered that
you could get it to work if you paused at the end of each page, then
turning the printer off and on again, and continuing with the next page.
The Star Micronics 24-pin printers support three different modes.
The first is the standard mode, and it is Epson LQ compatible. The
second two modes are compatible with the IBM Proprinter and the IBM
Graphics printer, which are 9-pin printers. Most of the printer
functions work the same in all three modes, but there are some important
differences. The problem seems to be caused by the printer switching
from standard mode (Epson LQ) to one of the other two modes.
One of the commands used by the GEM printer driver is a special
line feed command designed to advance the paper the correct amount at the
end of a line. With the Epson LQ printer driver, this linefeed is
supposed to be 24/180" of an inch. In the Star printer's standard mode,
this is correct. But in the other two modes, the same command gives a
linefeed of 24/216" of an inch. The difference is roughly 1/32" of an
inch, which is the same as the overlap between lines mentioned above.
All of the other commands used by the printer driver to print graphics
are the same in all three modes. Somehow, the printer is getting
switched either partially or completely to one of the other modes.
According to the printer manual, the only way to switch modes is
to turn the printer off, change the dip switch settings, and turn the
printer on again. However, this is somehow being done by some other
method at the end of the first page. When the GEM printer drivers are
done printing a page, they are supposed to clean up after themselves, so
that other programs aren't affected by what they have done. For a GEM
printer driver, this is usually just a matter of changing the default
line spacing back to six lines per inch. The Epson LQ printer driver
does this (and only this) at the end of a page, using the printer codes
[27,2]. For some reason, this is being misinterpreted by the Star
printer, and it is switching print modes.
There is a solution. The reset line spacing command is there
because the default line spacing was changed by earlier versions of the
printer driver. However, the current version for the Epson LQ uses
different line spacing commands, and does not affect the default line
spacing. Because of this, the reset line spacing command can safely be
removed. Although it shouldn't be making any difference, the Star
printers don't seem to like it. We have already changed the printer
driver for a future revision of WordUp. In the meantime, it is possible
to alter the printer driver to make it ignore this command. This will
allow you to correct the printing problem.
The program PATCHLQ.PRG included with this text file will fix the
printer driver. But first check the filesize of your printer driver.
This is the file EPSONLQ.SYS in the GDOS.SYS folder of your system disk.
It should be 45664 bytes long. If the length is different, do not use
the program shown below. PATCHLQ.PRG is customized for a certain version
of the printer driver file. Contact Neocept Technical Support if you
have the problem, but your printer driver has a different file size. If
you are using a different printer driver, then that is the problem, and
you need to contact Neocept Technical Support.
Before running the program, put your system disk into drive A. If
you have a hard disk, you will have to make a new folder called GDOS.SYS
on a blank floppy disk, and then copy the EPSONLQ.SYS file from your hard
disk into this folder. Run the program PATCHLQ.PRG, and it will open the
printer driver file, make the required change, and then close the file.
If you have a hard disk, then copy the file back to your hard disk.
(Yes, we know that's a bit inconvenient. Sorry.) After this, your Star
24-pin printer should work fine with this printer driver.
We regret the inconvenience that this problem may have caused
you. If you have any difficulties using this letter to fix the problem,
please contact Neocept Technical Support for assistance.
Mike Fulton, Neocept
Technical Support: (805) 482-0313
Monday-Thursday, 11am-12noon, 3pm-5pm (PST)