Re: IIGS Word Processors (Was Re: Apple II Celebration)

[bkogawa@primenet.com (Bryan Ogawa)]

"Joseph E. Walsh" <ransom@connect.iconnect.net> writes:

>On Sat, 3 May 1997, Joseph E. Walsh wrote:

>> Conclusion:  For the time being, I'll use AW 5.1.  If I can get it to 
>> work with the DeskWriter, so much the better.  If not, I'll have to hope 

>I'm sorry for responding to my own post, but I couldn't let that 
>boneheaded line go without retraction. :)  Of course, the DW 600 doesn't 
>work with AW 5.1, because AW 5.1 doesn't use the speedy printer port 
>driver...

Unfortunately, the answer is yes.  I hate to say it, but you need the
DeskJet , not the DeskWriter (or, actually, any non-Mac specific
printer), and you will be set, I suspect.  DeskWriters don't have internal
fonts in the "hey, I'll send ASCII to the printer and the printer will
spit out stuff in typewriter fonts" sort of way, AFAIK (at least, the old
ones don't).  I think there was an AW extension thing that took care of
this, but I don't know if it works with the 600 or if it's available for
AW5 .

>So, I hooked up the ImageWriter II and figured I'd just use that to print 
>from AW 5.1, at least for draft documents (final copy I can always import 
>into AWGS and print to the DeskWriter).  But, I ran into yet another 
>problem....

>The ImageWriter II doesn't print. :(

>The head moves, and I can hear the pins striking the paper, but I get 
>nothing.  

>I tried a brand new ribbon, with the same result.

>The ribbon is properly positioned between the print head and the ribbon 
>guide.

>I'd be inclined to think its the print head that's causing the problem, 
>except that I put a multipart form in there, and the carbonless copy 
>parts had printing on them (although the first page did not) after 
>running it on self-test for a bit.

>So, the pins are firing.  

>I did a scratch test on the ribbon (I put the ribbon on a sheet of paper, 
>and lightly scratched it with my thumb nail), and it seems fine.

>So, what could be the problem?

Sounds like you may need to adjust the print head.  There are two
adjustments that I can remember which may be affecting you:

1.  The red ring near the print head which can be pushed down/pulled up
(don't remember which) and twisted. I think this adjusts the vertical
alignment of the head and the ribbon, but I can't remember the details. 

2.  The black lever near the platen on the right (?) side of the printer. 
This is the thickness adjuster, and is supposed to be adjusted properly
for everything to work.  Since carbonless forms are thicker than single
sheets, this may be an indicator, as well.

Unfortunately, I don't remember details about these adjustments.

Third idea (less likely, but....) is that your printer head is dirty.
Cleaning the head is possible, but I've never done it and I've heard you
can damage the head if you use the wrong solvent, so I'm not going to say
any more about it.  However, if pins are firing, this shouldn't be
necessary (?)

And you're right--for what you're doing, AW Classic is almost certainly
the best choice -- it's an excellent text-only WPs, although I always
liked proportional typefaces... 

--
bryan k. ogawa  <bkogawa@primenet.com>  <bkogawa@netvoyage.net>