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From: anson@spray.CalComp.COM (Ed Anson)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.mac.programmer
Subject: Re: Color Printing with Color QuickDraw
Message-ID: <2452@spray.CalComp.COM>
Date: 10 Oct 88 21:14:31 GMT
References: <6610@ut-emx.UUCP> <1234600012@uxf.cso.uiuc.edu>
Reply-To: anson@spray.UUCP (Ed Anson)
Organization: CalComp, A Lockheed Company, Hudson, NH, USA
Lines: 28

In article <1234600012@uxf.cso.uiuc.edu> emb1354@uxf.cso.uiuc.edu writes:
>I've tried printing to an IW II with a color ribbon from several color
>Mac II programs.  The output is always black and white.  Apparently the only
>way to get color from the Imagewriter driver is to talk Classic Quickdraw
>color to it.
>
>Answer:  Maybe the printer's GrafPort is an old-style GrafPort.

Right.

All of Apple's printer drivers use only the classic GrafPort. Color
Quickdraw calls to such a port always yield either black or white. The
conversions, to the classic port from color calls, do not take color into
account.

Unfortunately, this means that something drawn in a light color gets drawn
solid white on a Mac Plus or SE. It doesn't show very well on a white
background.

However, the reverse is true. Classic QuickDraw color calls are automatically
translated into corresponding Color QuickDraw actions when drawing into a
color port. Apparently, that's why several applications still use classic
quickdraw to provide color for the Mac II. It's more compatible with the
existing printer drivers and with B&W systems.
-- 
=====================================================================
   Ed Anson,    Calcomp Display Products Division,    Hudson NH 03051
   (603) 885-8712,      anson@elrond.CalComp.COM