Re: LaserWriter PLUS & GS?

[nathan@visi.com (Nathan Mates)]

In article <50klho$pfj@texas.nwlink.com>,
Damon Isaacson <cat@nwlink.com> wrote:
>>   AppleTalk or direct serial connection. A GS program can typically
>>   print to a LaserWriter if it's connected to the GS via AppleTalk; just
>>   install the LaserWriter drivers from the System 6 disks. Note that
>>   some LaserWriters from Apple may be 'Quickdraw,' not true Postscript
>>   printers, so they won't work from the GS. The Laserwriter, Laserwriter
>>   II, LW II NTX are all known to work fine.

>I have a LaserWriter PLUS and I can't seem to get it to work with my GS.
>Can I run it off the RS-232-C printer prot off the back of the GS? Do I
>have to use AppleTalk? Any software to upload fonts and or TURN OFF THE
>TEST PAGE PRINTING! ;) I've done it on LaserWriter IIg. Let me know what
>you know and let me know if you need to know more about what I've tried.

   Since the GS/OS System 6 installer also makes sure Appletalk is
installed when you install the Laserwriter print driver, I'd say that
you'll probably have to have Appletalk on. GS+ Magazine (RIP) had a
program called 'Laserbeam' which could upload postscript files to
laserwriters; they may also have had font upload capabilities as well.
(You shouldn't _need_ to get a mac to deal with stuff.)

   If you're printing with fonts under 64 points in size, getting and
installing 'Pointless' (from Westcode software) is a good alternative
to downloading fonts to the printer. Pointless lets you take Truetype
fonts (zillions of them are available; I've seen 1000 font CD-ROMs
for $8 at a CD-Rom store in Pasadena) and use them from your GS. 

   The restriction on 64 point fonts comes because the (shortsighted)
restriction on font sizes being no greater than 256 built into the
GS's Font Manager. When you print to a Laserwriter or anything else in
the 300dpi range, you need a font 4x bigger than what's on the screen,
so the largest font possible is 256/4 = 64 point fonts. Anything built
in or downloaded to the printer should be able to go to the full 255
point size, though.

Nathan Mates
--
<*> Nathan Mates http://www.visi.com/~nathan/      <*>
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