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From: martinka@hpcupt1.cup.hp.com (Joe Martinka)
Newsgroups: comp.os.msdos.apps
Subject: Re: Slow WP5.1 graphics to HP Deskjet
Message-ID: <67630003@hpcupt1.cup.hp.com>
Date: 21 Mar 91 01:47:40 GMT
References: <67630001@hpcupt1.cup.hp.com>
Organization: Hewlett Packard, Cupertino
Lines: 82

Well, I tried the Workperfect advice for a workaround.  Full page tables
with lines, printed twice: once with text set to "do not print" and once
with graphics set to "do not print".

Disappointment!  The graphics printing speed did NOT improve.

Today, from an internal HP notes group I got the canonical explanation
of the slow graphics performance from Wordperfect 5.1 to the Deskjet
Plus which seemed to be the most clear from a source in the division
which builds the Deskjet.  Some of the posting follows:

8888888888888888888888888888888888888888888
Organization: Hewlett Packard, Vancouver, WA

> I auditioned HP printers for screen-dumps from a Graphon X-terminal and
> found the same thing.  All HP ink-jet printers (including DeskJet+) seem
> to print from the Graphon much more slowly (say, 10x) than they are
> capable of.  The Graphon was configured for a LaserJet+; there must be
> some ugly interaction with the inkjet printers. 

>>The inkjet printers all support compression on graphics.  The laserjets
>>don't.  So laserjet applications don't run on the inkjets as fast as 
>>they could.

Here is the real answer:

The DeskJet+ and 500 are fully capable of doing high speed graphics
(usually faster in graphics than laser printers) and mixing text and
graphics at reasonable speed.  The problem is with some printer drivers
are just "warmed over" LaserJet drivers that do one of the 2 following
"data compression tricks" that helps the performance on laser printers
but cause the DeskJets to print with just a few nozzles (instead of
all the nozzels).

1)  The printer driver continually changes the "left graphics margin"
by moving the cursor and then telling the printer to start printing
at the current cursor position.  Note that there really is not such
thing as a left graphics margin, but by moving the cursor and then
specify start the raster graphics at the cursor position one is attempting
to create a left graphics margin.

2) The printer continually modifies the raster graphics width.

On a laser printer, the above tricks can be used as a form of data
compression.  On a DeskJet, either of the tricks require flushing data
and re-allocating its limitted memory, resulting in printing with just
a few nozzles.  The DeskJets have true data compression modes to reduce
the data and the above "tricks" generally are discouraged unless
the left margin and raster width does not change over a page (or changes
very infrequently).

If you ever see a DeskJet+ or DeskJet 500 print with just a few nozzles,
the driver is most likely doing one of the above "mistakes" (which
are not mistakes for laser printers).  I didn't know WordPerfect 5.1
had that problem.  In any case, call the vendor and complain.  The
                   ---------------------------------========
DeskJet+ and 500 should always be using most of its nozzles (technically
48) when printing graphics.  If you are just seeing one or 2 nozzles
(raster rows) per print pass, the driver is not well optimized for
the DeskJet -- probably due to the fact it is just a warmed over
LaserJet driver.  Our support people also complain to the vendors,
but complaints from real customers can often do more good.

The DeskJet+ and DeskJet 500 should be about 1 page per minute for
graphics dumps.  If you get anything less, you probably have a poor
driver.  Of course you have to factor in the time to image the page,
so its best to image to a file and then dump the file (use the MS-DOS
copy /b filaname PRN) command to measure the actual print time.

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I underlined the words "call the vendor and complain."

Well, the Wordperfect number to call for non-impact non-laser printer
support (DeskJet YEAHH) is:  1-800-541-5097.   
I recommend that a few of us DeskJet owners give them a call!

I checked around on some of their other support numbers and asked if any of
the WordPerfect support people monitor the net.  They said they monitor
their own bulletin board system.  Too bad. :-<

Joe Martinka