Re: Printing over AppleTalk

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

John E. Townsend <utownje@lexis-nexis.com> wrote:

> What types of printers can a IIgs print to on an AppleTalk network?

If a replacement for the "Network Printer" control panel was written,
the IIgs could theoretically print to any AppleTalk printer for which a
driver was available.  (This could be done by adding another Control
Panel rather than replacing NetworkPrinter.)

This assumes that the printer driver is written to fully support the
standard port driver scheme (Printer, Modem, AppleTalk) and will work
with the AppleTalk port driver.  Some printer drivers may implement the
port interface themselves.

In many cases, additional support will be required in the printer
driver.  For example, the ImageWriter driver must use a different method
to determine the online/offline state of the printer: flow control
signals are used for a directly connected ImageWriter, control messages
(which provide more information) for an AppleTalk ImageWriter.

> The only ones I'm aware of are the Imagewriter II (with LocalTalk
> option),

Also the ImageWriter LQ with the same option.

> the various Postscript Laserwriters,

Also third-party Postscript printers (though they might not work as well
as Apple's printers).

> and possibly the original Stylewriter.

This printer doesn't work over AppleTalk, AFAIK.

> Anyhow, why does it seem to be so difficult to write an AppleTalk
> printer driver for the IIgs that only Apple can do it?

Nothing.  The AppleTalk port driver takes care of the network interface.
Very little is required in the printer driver, and everything is fully
documented.

I suspect it is just a question of market size.  Writing a printer
driver is a major task, and there are few (if any?) freeware/shareware
drivers out there.  The commercial driver authors have concentrated on
directly connected printers, which are far more common on the IIgs than
networked printers.

-- 
David Empson
dempson@actrix.gen.nz
Snail Mail: P.O. Box 27-103, Wellington, New Zealand