About Your Apple LaserWriter Printer Software for the Mac OS
This document contains some important reminders and some information about your Apple LaserWriter Printer Software for Mac OS–based computers. You may want to print this document and keep it for future reference. The topics are:
• Desktop PrintMonitor Version 2.0.1
• Apple Printer Utility Version 2.1.1
• LaserWriter 8 Printer Driver Version 8.4.1
Desktop PrintMonitor Version 2.0.1
New Features in Version 2.0.1
• Enhanced user interface - desktop printer icons display the icon of the printer selected, unless the PostScript Printer Description file for the printer selected is not installed in your Printer Descriptions folder. In this case, the desktop printer icon displays the icon for LaserWriter 8.
Hints and Shortcuts
• The Desktop Printers folder in the Apple Menu provides a convenient shortcut to desktop printers. This is especially helpful if you have moved your desktop printer icons off the desktop.
• Command-L key combination is a shortcut equivalent to the Set Default Printer command in the Printing menu.
• Holding down the Option and Shift keys makes the Hold and Resume buttons function as Stop Print Queue and Start Print Queue.
• To print additional copies of a file, you can select the spool file waiting in the print queue and choose Duplicate from the File menu.
Creating Desktop Printers
To create a desktop printer, select a printer in the Chooser and click the Create/Setup button. If you have System 7.5 or later, you can create multiple desktop printers from within the Chooser, but if you're running an older version of system software, you can only create one desktop printer per Chooser session.
System Software Requirements for Desktop Printing
Desktop printing requires System 7.1 or later of the Macintosh Operating System (Mac OS). If you have System 7.0 or earlier and you want to use desktop printing, you can upgrade your Mac OS–based computer to use a later version of system software. Contact your Apple-authorized dealer.
Printing with Multiple Desktop Printers
To avoid AppleTalk errors, print to no more than five desktop printers simultaneously.
Using Desktop PrintMonitor on a Non-English System
If no desktop printer icon appears after you install the printer software, it may mean the Installer installed PrintMonitor 7.1.2 and did not install the Desktop PrintMonitor. (PrintMonitor 7.1.2 is installed if you have an earlier version of the PrintMonitor. Later versions of the PrintMonitor are not replaced.) You have three options:
• Use PrintMonitor 7.1.2 (or a later version).
• Obtain a set of installation disks for the printer software in the language of your system software from your Apple-authorized dealer and install it.
• Upgrade your system software to System 7.5.1 and install the printing software again. An English language version of the Desktop PrintMonitor software is installed.
Using the Desktop Printer Menu and the Printer Selector Control Strip
The desktop printer menu extension can be installed using the Custom Install option.
The Desktop Printer menu appears on the right-hand side of your menu bar. It will normally appear to the immediate left of the Guide menu. The Desktop Printer menu lists the names of all active desktop printers. A check mark is displayed next to the name of the default printer. Selecting the name of a printer from this list makes the printer the new default.
The Printer Selector control strip module is installed only on computers that already have control strip software installed. The Printer Selector adds an item to the control strip that provides functionality identical to the Desktop Printer menu.
Support and Compatibility Information
• Some third-party printers do not support desktop printing. If your printer is not an Apple product, and no desktop printer icon is created after you select your printer in the Chooser, it is likely that your printer does not support Desktop PrintMonitor. Please contact the vendor of your printer to see if there is a version of the driver that is compatible with Desktop PrintMonitor.
• When you choose Save or Open in your application programs, you will see your desktop printers listed as if they were folders, but you should not save or open any documents in them. If you do, you will not be able to access your documents.
• Desktop PrintMonitor supports drag-and-drop printing for all files that cause the Print Command in the File menu to become enabled. Since clipping files do not enable the Print command, drag-and-drop printing is not supported for them.
• Apple’s Fax Sender software is not supported by Desktop PrintMonitor. Fax Sender is fully functional when Desktop PrintMonitor is installed. However, it does not get the benefit of Desktop PrintMonitor’s features. When you select Fax Sender in the Chooser you will not have a default desktop printer until you choose a printer icon and select “Set Default Printer” from the Printing menu.
• Spool files and desktop printers must use the same version of the LaserWriter 8 driver. You may encounter errors if you drag spool files that were created with one version of LaserWriter 8 to a desktop printer created with another version of the LaserWriter 8 driver.
• If, after installing the LaserWriter 8.4.1 driver, your print jobs "stall" in their desktop printer queue, try restarting both your computer and the printer.
Tips for Desktop Printing Troubleshooting
Error message “-192” or “15”
• Problem: After installing Desktop PrintMonitor and restarting your Mac OS computer you see error messages “-192” or “15” when you try opening files or folders in the Finder. This may occur when Now Startup Manager's preferences file has become corrupted.
Solution: Restart your computer with extensions disabled (hold down the Shift key while restarting). Delete the "Now Startup Manager" preferences file, and restart the computer again with extensions enabled. Important: Before deleting your Now Norton Startup preferences, you may want to record them or write them down before you delete this file.
Desktop printer cannot be found
• Problem: When you try to print, your spool files are moved to the Trash and an alert is displayed saying that the desktop printer could not be found.
Solution: There are two likely solutions to this problem. First, it is possible that your desktop printer has somehow become damaged. To fix this, drag the desktop printer icon to the Trash and reselect the printer in the Chooser. A new desktop printer icon will be created.
Second, your printer software may not be using a file format that is completely compatible with Desktop PrintMonitor. If your printer software is not published by either Apple Computer or Adobe Systems, it is possible that it is not making proper and legitimate use of PrintMonitor. If this is the case, your printer software will not work properly with Desktop PrintMonitor. The only resolution to this problem is to disable Desktop PrintMonitor and use old PrintMonitor.To print the documents you were working on follow these steps:
1. Empty the Trash.
2. Go to the Chooser and turn off background printing.
3. Print documents again.
To correct desktop printing:
4. Drag the desktop printer to the Trash.
5. Go to the Chooser and turn background printing back on.
6. Create a new desktop printer.
Not enough memory message when dragging files to desktop printer
• Problem: When you drag documents created by different software applications to your desktop printer icon, a message is displayed indicating that there is not enough memory to continue.
Solution: You may not have enough memory available to launch all of the software applications corresponding to the documents you have selected. You can resolve this situation by printing your documents individually or in smaller groups.
Options dimmed in Printing menu
• Problem: “Get Printer Info” and “Change Setup” appear in your Printing menu, but can’t be selected.
Solution: These are two new functions supported by LaserWriter v8.4. If these or other items in the menu appear dimmed and cannot be selected, it is because you are using a version of the LaserWriter 8 printing software that doesn’t support their respective functions.
Spool files sometimes don't appear when using Connectix Speed Copy
• Problem: Spool files don't always appear in the Desktop Printer queue after copying with Speed Copy.
Solution: Close and open the Desktop Printer queue window to make the file appear.
Apple Printer Utility Version 2.1.1
Printer Support
The Apple Printer Utility program works with all Apple PostScript Level 1 and Level 2 printers. If this software is used with a non-Apple printer or with a printer developed after this release, a set of generic features will be available. The generic feature set consists of options that are common to most PostScript printers. These features should work with non-Apple printers but are not specifically supported by Apple.
Printing the Font Sample List
Duplicate fonts in the printer's ROM, RAM, or hard disk, may not print on the font sample sheet and font totals may be incorrect. However, these fonts are available and will print correctly on any documents printed by the user. Note: The hard disk option is not available for all Apple printers.
Working with a Large Number of Downloaded Fonts
If you plan on working with a large number of downloaded fonts, you will need to increase the memory allocation for the Apple Printer Utility. To do this, quit the Apple Printer Utility, select its icon and choose Get Info from the File menu. Increase the memory in the Preferred Size box, then close the Get Info window. The amount of memory required grows dynamically as the number of fonts in the printer increase. Increase the Apple Printer Utility's Preferred Size memory by 100K to 500K and try downloading again.
Working with Kanji Systems
The script mode changes to Kotoeri when clicking into an input field. To recover from this problem select a one-byte script from the script menu in the upper right corner of the screen.
Working with Kanji/Japanese Fonts
Downloading Kanji fonts is not a supported feature of this software and program errors may occur. Increase the Apple Printer Utility's Preferred Size memory by the size of each Kanji font you want to download.
Downloading PostScript Fonts on a GX System With the Apple Printer Utility
When GX is installed, any PostScript fonts (often called Type 1 fonts) in the Fonts folder are converted to GX fonts, and the original PostScript fonts are copied to a new folder called •Archived Type 1 Fonts• which is created in the System Folder. If you want to download these fonts to your printer using the Apple Printer Utility, you must send the fonts in the •Archived Type 1 Fonts• folder, not the GX-converted versions in the Fonts folder. Downloading GX fonts that were not previously Type 1 fonts and converted by GX works correctly.
Removing Fonts From a Hard Disk Attached to a Printer
This paragraph is relevant if you are using a printer that will have a hard disk drive attached to it. The LaserWriter 12/640 PS does not support a hard disk drive attachment.
If a font is downloaded to both the printer’s RAM and the printer’s hard disk with the same name, and you remove the font on the hard disk, the RAM font will also be removed. If you remove the RAM font, the font on the hard disk will not be removed.
LaserWriter 8 Printer Driver Version 8.4.1
The software includes version 8.4.1 of the Apple LaserWriter 8 printer driver, which works with Apple LaserWriter printers. This section contains information about LaserWriter 8 and information on using it with several of the printers.
What’s New in Version 8.4.1
LaserWriter 8.4.1 provides improved functions and application compatibility.
In LaserWriter 8.4 Get Printer Info or Change Setup can not be used when Connectix' Speed Doubler is also in the Extensions folder. LaserWriter 8.4.1 corrects this conflict with Speed Doubler.
Larger Print Area
Some printers support both US Letter and US Letter Small paper sizes. To prevent text from clipping or wrapping to the next line on different printers, use US Letter Small. To get the widest possible margins from your printer model, use US Letter.
Using PostScript Fax
PostScript Fax is an option for the LaserWriter Select 360, the LaserWriter 16/600 PS, and the LaserWriter Pro 810. If you use a PostScript Fax option with any of these printers, you should use LaserWriter 8f version 8.2.3f. PostScript Fax is no longer supported with LaserWriter drivers 8.3 and beyond. See the section “How To Get Updated Printer Software”at the end of this Read Me for information on obtaining LaserWriter 8f version 8.2.3f if you don’t already have it.
Using Color Matching
When ColorSync 2.0 is installed and the ColorSync Profiles folder contains printer profile(s), there are two options in addition to color/grayscale output:
• PostScript Color Matching/Printer’s Default is the preferred color-matching choice. When you are printing to a PostScript Level 2 printer, and it is efficient to let the printer do most of the work, this option is a good choice.
• ColorSync Color Matching is an alternative color-matching selection. It invokes the ColorSync system software to perform color matching for the printed document, matching your monitor and printer’s profile and sending the correct color information to the printer. With ColorSync Color Matching, most of the work is done by your Macintosh.
Here are some tips on using color matching:
• Color output will vary depending on the application you are using.
• Documents that use ColorSync 1.0 embedded profiles convert to the profile set up in the ColorSync 2.0 System Profile control panel.
• When you print with PostScript Color Matching selected and ColorSync 2.0 is not installed, the driver uses the Apple 13" RGB Standard profile.
• Application programs that generate their own PostScript may have problems color matching EPS or TIFF images correctly. Converting the image to a PICT file corrects the problem.
PPD Files
The LaserWriter 8 driver uses PostScript Printer Description (PPD) files to determine the characteristics of the printers it uses. PPD files contain information about individual PostScript printers. For example, PPD files describe the paper-handling capabilities of printers: the number of paper trays, their capacity, and the paper sizes they handle.
To take full advantage of your printer’s features, you need to go through a simple setup procedure. When selecting your printer for the first time, or after installing an additional option, click the Create/Setup button in the Chooser. This procedure causes the LaserWriter driver to query the printer for its characteristics and associate a particular PPD file with the printer.
You can also change your printer's setup by highlighting your desktop printer icon and then selecting Change Setup from the Printing Menu.
If you get an error about the preferences file when you choose an option that is specific to your printer, you may have an outdated PPD file. You should contact the vendor of your printer for an update.
Creating EPS Files
You can create an encapsulated PostScript (EPS) file in many application programs by clicking File in the Print dialog box, then clicking Save. When you create an EPS file, note the following:
• Creating EPS files with the All option selected in the Font Inclusion pop-up menu in the EPS dialog box can result in very large files. If you include all fonts in an EPS file and save the file with the Unlimited Downloadable Fonts option selected, you may create an extremely large file.
• If you create an EPS file with no fonts included and open the document, fonts in the document appear on your screen, but Courier may be substituted when you print.
• When you create EPS files with preview information included, other programs that create their own PostScript code may not display the EPS file accurately on the screen.
Using the LaserWriter 8 Driver With the Kanji System
To print Japanese characters using KanjiTalk or the Japanese Language Kit, your system must have WorldScript II version 7.5.1 or later.
Using QuickDraw GX Fonts on a non-QuickDraw GX System
If you are using the QuickDraw GX versions of the fonts Hoefler Text or Skia with a non-QuickDraw GX system, you may encounter line-layout problems on screen or with your print-outs. To correct this problem, remove the GX fonts from your Fonts folder.
Using the LaserWriter 8 Driver With Applications
Some programs do not yet take advantage of the new features of the LaserWriter 8 driver or have small incompatibilities that may result in printing problems. If you experience problems with an application, please contact the publisher of the program. In some cases a newer version of the program may be available.
The following list describes some special cases that you should be aware of when working with some applications. (There may be other problems with these programs, or with other programs, not mentioned in this document.)
• Foreground vs Background Printing: LaserWriter 8.4 offers both foreground and background printing. In foreground, LaserWriter 8.4 doesn't spool the file being printed. An application may fail when printing in the foreground if the application assumes the driver will make a spool file.
When printing in the foreground you may experience problems with these applications: Persuasion, Photoshop, PowerPoint 4.0, Excel 5.0, Quicken, PageMaker 6.0, ClarisDraw, and Claris Impact. See below for suggestions for each application.
If you experience problems with foreground printing, change to background printing and try again.
• Color output will vary depending on the application you are using.
• With many application programs, you cannot use the Flip Horizontal, Flip Vertical, landscape page orientation, and Layout option in the Page Setup dialog box in combination.
• Some programs may print in color even when Black and White mode is selected.
• Programs that generate their own PostScript may have problems color matching EPS or TIFF images correctly. Converting the image to a PICT corrects the problem.
• Tray Selection: Applications that don't utilize LaserWriter 8.4's new capabilities have some limitations with tray selection when printing from Finder. To work around these problems, print from within the application and contact the vendor of the application.
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Adobe Acrobat 2.1
• Acrobat retains the settings used for one printout and applies these settings to subsequent print jobs, unless options are reset by the users.
Adobe Illustrator 5.5
• Multiple-page documents may not print correctly when you choose a page layout from the Layout pop-up menu in the Page Setup dialog box.
Adobe PageMaker 6.0
• Some problems have been found when attempting to print in the foreground. If you see this problem, print the document again in the background.
Adobe Persuasion
• Some problems have been found when attempting to print in the foreground. If you see this problem, print the document again in the background.
Adobe Photoshop
• Some problems have been found when attempting to print in the foreground. If you see this problem, print the document again in the background.
Adobe Type Manager 3.9
• Documents may sometimes generate PostScript errors when printing outline fonts from a Macintosh 9500 using ATM 3.9. This can be fixed by replacing ATM 3.9 with an earlier version.
Aldus PageMaker 5.0
• Documents that have been set up using a page layout from the Layout pop-up menu may not print correctly with the Print-Option command. Use the Print command with PageMaker’s Thumbnail option.
• When using a page layout from the Layout pop-up menu with the Print-Option command, the document will be printed in reverse order.
• Rotated graphics may not print correctly when you hold down the Option key and click Print in the Print dialog box.
• You cannot print legal-size documents from the paper cassette of the Personal LaserWriter 320; print such documents by selecting Manual Feed or by holding down the Option key and clicking Print in the Print dialog box.
Aldus SuperPaint 3.5
• Rotated or filled polygons print as solid gray objects.
• Gradient fills may not print when copied into other programs.
Canvas 3.5.2
• When you select the Substitute Fonts option in the Page Setup Options dialog box, text may be incorrectly spaced if you use the Geneva, New York, or Monaco fonts.
ClarisDraw 1.0
• Some shapes that contain gradients may not print correctly.
• Some problems have been found when attempting to print in the foreground. If you see this problem, print the document again in the background.
ClarisImpact
• Some problems have been found when attempting to print in the foreground. If you see this problem, print the document again in the background.
CricketPresents 2.1
• You cannot import an EPS file created with the LaserWriter 8 driver when it has been saved without preview information.
DeltaGraph Pro 3.0.4
• Printing with Unlimited Downloadable Fonts may cause some elements to be shifted and fonts to substitute Courier.
FileMaker Pro 2.1
• When you choose a page layout from the Layout pop-up menu in the Page Setup dialog box, documents that contain EPS graphics may appear clipped when printed.
Informed Designer/Manager 1.4.2
• Do not print documents that contain JPEG images in Black and White mode. This will cause system errors.
• When you select the Unlimited Downloadable Fonts option, some graphic elements may shift or disappear when printed.
MacDraw Pro 1.5
• Rotated text within a frame that is placed in another application may not print correctly.
Microsoft Excel 5.0
• When you first install the new printer driver, you need to use the driver's page setup dialog to set the orientation of your document. When you select Page Setup, Excel first displays its own dialog box. Click the Options button to open the Page Setup dialog box generated by the LaserWriter driver. Then, click on the orientation setting you desire. Click Okay to exit the driver's dialog. Then, click Okay again to exit Excel's dialog.
• Most of the settings in Excel's Page Setup will now match the corresponding options in the driver's Page Setup. However, the scaling size may be different in the two dialog boxes. The size displayed in the Excel window is the size that will be used when you print from Excel.
• Excel 5.0 might generate an error -50 when attempting to save-to-a-file on a PowerMacintosh. This problem can be resolved by installing Excel version 5.0a or later.
• Colored horizontal cell borders will often not appear in the printout. This happens with any color printing option and on most printers.
• Some problems have been found when attempting to print in the foreground. If you see this problem, print the document again in the background.
Microsoft PowerPoint 3.0
• Polygons and ovals filled with gradients and without a border line may shift locations on the page when printed.
Microsoft PowerPoint 4.0
• Some problems have been found when attempting to print in the foreground. If you see this problem, print the document again in the background.
Microsoft Works 3.0
• Printing documents that have rotated objects with rounded corners results in a PostScript error.
Microsoft Works 4.0
• Works 4.0 color print outs may not match what appears on your screen. Experiment with the color options to determine which one generates the best printout for your needs.
Microsoft Word 6.0
• Each section of a document is treated as a separate file when printed. This will not affect your output.
Netscape 2.0.1
• Netscape may print a pale gray background to an older LaserWriter printer.
• When printing a multiple-page document, Netscape may print below the margins on the intermediate pages.
• Graphics that seem to be transparent on screen will be printed on your documents.
Painter 3.0
• When you print using the Invert option, images do not print inverted correctly.
QuarkXPress 3.3.1
• Be sure to use the PPDs provided with QuarkXPress when you choose a page layout from the Layout pop-up menu in the Page Setup dialog box.
• Some imported JPEG files may not print correctly.
• Some problems have been found when attempting to print in the foreground. If you see this problem, print the document again in the background.
Quicken
• Some problems have been found when attempting to print in the foreground. If you see this problem, print the document again in the background.
RagTime 3.2
• You cannot print documents that contain PICT or TIFF files.
ReadySetGo! 6.0
• Use ReadySetGo! version 6.0 or later with the LaserWriter 8 printer driver. Earlier versions of ReadySetGo! will not work.
• With the Unlimited Downloadable Fonts option selected, you may not be able to print complex documents.
• Documents that use pen patterns will print patterns as solid gray.
The Writing Center
• The Writing Center adds text to the application pane, in the driver's Print dialog box. This text instructs the user to click on a button that does not exist.
How to Get Updated Software
Apple Software Updates are available on AppleLink, CompuServe, America Online, and on the Internet at:
