Re: Printer woes

[dempson@actrix.gen.nz (David Empson)]

Adalbert Goertz <be404@yfn.ysu.edu> wrote:

> Thanks everyone for helping. The PRINTER driver was missing.
> What does the CAPTURE driver do anyway?

I might as well answer that, since I wrote it.

CAPTURE is a "port driver" for the Print Manager.  This means that it
acts as an output device for printer drivers for IIgs desktop programs
(such as the ImageWriter, LaserWriter, etc. drivers).

CAPTURE operates by saving the output of the printer driver to disk
instead of sending it out a port.  By default it saves each print job to
a separate binary file on the /RAM5 volume.

This program is a quick hack I threw together to try to diagnose a
problem with an old version of the Harmonie Deskjet driver.  It has
subsequently been distributed because I thought it might be useful for
other people.

It is not particularly polished.  For example: there is no user
interface provided for changing the destination directory for the file
(you can do it manually by editing a resource in the driver), and no
easy way to send the saved file to a real printer.

Its primary purpose is as a diagnostic tool for anyone working on a
printer driver.


If you want to try using it, all you need to do is to copy the CAPTURE
file into the *:System:Drivers folder, open up the "DC Printer" Control
Panel and choose it from the list of ports (I don't remember whether you
have to reboot first, but I doubt it).  You will also need a /RAM5
volume which is large enough to hold the saved data (or patch the
program to use a different volume).
 
-- 
David Empson
dempson@actrix.gen.nz
Snail mail: P.O. Box 27-103, Wellington, New Zealand