Path: utzoo!mnetor!uunet!lll-winken!lll-lcc!lll-tis!ames!ucbcad!pasteur!ucbvax!medix.UUCP!martin
From: martin@medix.UUCP (Dr. Brian K. Martin)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.apollo
Subject: Re: Hooking up a printer to Apollo (a suggestion and some questions)
Message-ID: <8801171211.AA00632@uhccux.uhcc.hawaii.edu>
Date: 16 Jan 88 20:49:15 GMT
Sender: daemon@ucbvax.BERKELEY.EDU
Organization: The ARPA Internet
Lines: 66

> Date: 15 Jan 88 07:40:47 GMT
> From: uhccux!imagen!atari!portal!cup.portal.com!Jinfu_Jinfu_Chen@ucbvax.Berkeley.EDU
> Organization: The Portal System (TM)
> Subject: Hooking up a printer to Apollo
> Message-Id: <2487@cup.portal.com>
> Sender: uhccux!apollo-request@YALE.ARPA
> To: apollo@YALE.ARPA
> 
> 
> I wonder if an Eqson compatible with serial port can be connected
> to an Apollo's RS232 port. It would be nice to have a fast line
> printer just for printing text without going to the Imagen or
> Versatec. Has anyone done this yet? Any comments from Apollo?
> 
> Jinfu Chen
> Motorola
> 


I have a PCPI LaserImage 2000 hooked up to the /dev/sio1 port on my DN3000.
It's a serial laser printer with diablo 630, epson, HPGL and HP PCL emulation.
To set it up, I had to make up a null-modem cable with pins 2-3 swapped, and
with the hardware handshaking disabled by jumpering pins 4-5 and 6-8-20 on each
side of the cable  (an EE friend suggested this cable, I don't know why it
works).

It runs fine at 19200 baud, using XON/XOFF handshaking, IFF new line delay is
set to zero (with the "tctl line 1 -nld 0" command).  Otherwise, the printer
stops talking to the Apollo (is this a bug?).  I'm still at SR9.5.

I also use this same port and cable to transfer files to my Mac II.  All I do
is start up siologin on /dev/sio1, log in with the Mac II in vt100 emulation
mode, then transfer files using YMODEM at 19200 baud.

Now for some questions of my own.  I've never gotten the apollo print
utilities prf and prsvr to work with my printer.  I end up with partial files
printing out, files stacking up in the queue, etc.  I'd use lpr, but I also ran
into the same problems as with prf.  Does anyone have any suggestions?
Right now, I'm using a Bourne shell script which initializes the /dev/sio1
port then executes a "cat $* >/dev/sio1" command.  It works fine, but it's
not a print spooler. 

Is there a printer driver for the Apollo print utilities for any of
the following:
	1) HP LaserJet+
	2) HPGL
	3) Apple ImageWriter II

Are any of these drivers public domain?  

Is there a filter which converts troff output to a form suitable for driving
an HP LJ+ or Apple IW-II?  Currently, I'm using nroff with an "mm" macro
package I wrote to drive the laser printer in diablo 630 mode.  It takes
advantage of the proportional-spaced fonts, but I'd prefer to use troff if
possible. 

Thanks in advance,


    Brian K. Martin, M.D.
    MediX (new name)
    3420-A Hinahina Street
    Honolulu, Hawai'i 96816

PHONE: (808) 735-5661
ARPA: uhccux!medix!martin@nosc.mil
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