Path: utzoo!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!rutgers!usc!apple!apple.com!dowdy
From: dowdy@apple.com (Tom Dowdy)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.mac.programmer
Subject: Re: Changing Page Setup Defaults:  How do I do it?
Message-ID: <3341@internal.Apple.COM>
Date: 3 Aug 89 22:39:51 GMT
References: <3332@internal.Apple.COM>
Sender: usenet@Apple.COM
Organization: Apple Computer, Inc.
Lines: 41

In article <3332@internal.Apple.COM> casseres@apple.com (David Casseres) 
writes:
> [ comments about saving print records into your application ]
> try another, and so forth until one succeeds.  If none of your cached 
> records is valid, do as Mr. Cranston says above.  Note that when the new 
> printing architecture comes out, there will soon be lots of printer 
types 
> in the game, not just the current 4 types.

Dave has suggested just about the best way to handle saving of print
records into your application, but, if I can disagree for a moment:

Another approach that people might consider that I feel would be superior 
to saving the print record away in your application (Which causes trouble 
on read only volumes), would be to implement stationary pads.

The entire story is discussed in the Apple Human Interface Guidelines, but 
the basic idea is to have a kind of document that stores only the setup 
information for a particular document, and not the actual contents.  When 
the document is opened, an untitled document is created and the stationary 
settings copied into it.  The end result of this is that the user can 
configure all kinds of different "defaults" for whatever she feels works 
best at a given moment.

In this way, you leave it up to the user to decide what kind of default 
make sense in a given setting.   Plus you have added a useful feature to 
your application.  Compatibility in this scheme is surely higher than 
having print records sitting around in your application.

Keep in mind as well that while currently LaserWriters are the only thing 
you feel that it "makes sense" to want to print to, many other printers 
really do make sense.  Nothing speaks to this louder than the HP 
DeskWriter, which seems to have come roaring onto the scene with many Mac 
users purchasing them.  Your application won't look good if it treats 
these printers as second class citizens.

 Tom Dowdy                 Internet:  dowdy@apple.COM
 Apple Computer MS:27AJ    UUCP:      {sun,voder,amdahl,decwrl}!apple!dowdy
 20525 Mariani Ave         AppleLink: DOWDY1
 Cupertino, CA 95014       
 "The 'Ooh-Ah' Bird is so called because it lays square eggs."