Silentype

[bird@MCS.COM (J. L. Walters)]

I have several questions/observations with the recent thread concerning,
"How to get an accurate representation of a file in a disk file e.g., tabs,
etc., print correctly."

The answer was to create a Silentype printer and use the option to print to
disk rather than a slot in the setup menu for the printer. So far, so good.

Several posts suggested that I set up the platen width to 11". That makes
no sense to me and a number of tests tells me that 8.5" is just fine. I'd
appreciate hearing why I'm wrong.

When I had my margins set to 0 for the left and right margins I had a lot
of trouble with this setup printing a long line with a single word on the
next line, followed by a long line,... Changing the RM to .5" cleared that
problem.

One suggestion said that I should set my original document up for 10 CPI.
That doesn't seem to matter with regards to what is output e.g., the
original specified proportional and the saved file was the same as if I'd
specified CI 10.

I believe one suggestion was to set the printer to, "Accepts top-of-page
Commands," to "No". My testing says to set it to "Yes." If I load the
output file back into AppleWorks when it is "No" there are a bunch of blank
lines at the end of the file to complete the page. With it set to "Yes" the
file ends with the last line in the original. (It turns out that the
file has a ^L at the end when uploaded to my IP. Perhaps the answer is
to load the output into AW and then save it as an ASCII file. Any/all
solutions accepted.)

Depending on what is wanted, one should set the top and bottom margins to
0 in order to not get a bunch of blank lines throughout the file. (Other
values if the text file is going to be actually printed "as is.") Also, if
"Accepts top-of-page commands," is set to "Yes" then the bottom margin
setting is moot.

Finally, I really appreciate the folks that posted about this Silentype
option. It solved a long standing problem of mine.

I'd like to see a "final solution," to this problem included in the
Apple FAQ since I believe it is something of interest to many Apple ][
users.

Kind Regards,
-- 
	Joe Walters:  bird@mcs.com or J.L.Walters@genie.com
	The sound of your horn is far sweeter if blown by somebody else.