Re: Printing AWorks on the Mac ][e Card?

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

In article <446oe8$j4u@data.interserv.net>,  <davej@ebmud.com> wrote:
> Hi, sorry if this is the wrong group.

Probably, so I've set followups to comp.sys.apple2.

> My father-in-law is trying to print a Apple Works spreadsheet
> document with his Mac LC.  He can't get the ][e card to access his
> printer.  Does the ][e card use the Mac drivers or those from AppleWorks?

There are probably two levels involved:

- AppleWorks uses its "driver" (just a command set lookup table) to
  output appropriate command codes to the printer, along with ASCII
  text for the content of the document.

  This will be sent to the slot 1 firmware, which should be assigned
  to the Mac's printer port in the IIe card's control panel.

- On the Mac side, the data is sent to the printer.  I don't know exactly
  what happens here, but I expect the Mac printer driver is bypassed,
  and the data is sent directly to the appropriate port.

You must have an appropriate printer selected in AppleWorks, and your
printer must be able to accept ASCII text from the computer.

What type of printer is it?  Is it directly connected, or do you
normally use an AppleTalk connection?  If it is a StyleWriter (any
kind), it is very unlikely that you'll be able to print anything from
AppleWorks.  An ImageWriter would be OK.  A LaserWriter probably won't
be, unless you download an ImageWriter emulator to it (I don't know
how you do this on the IIe card).  A DeskWriter is questionable.

> Will AWorks "save as" text?

No, but it can "print" to a text file on disk.  The level to which
this is supported varies between versions.  AppleWorks 3.0 and later
can print a spreadsheet to disk as a TAB-delimited text file.  Earlier
versions can only print to disk as a formatted spreadsheet or DIF file,
if I remember right.
-- 
David Empson
dempson@actrix.gen.nz
Snail mail: P.O. Box 27-103, Wellington, New Zealand