Path: utzoo!attcan!uunet!microsoft!roberth
From: roberth@microsoft.UUCP (Robert HESS)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.apple
Subject: Re: Postscript File generation on a GS
Summary: Why does LaserWriter require AppleTalk?
Message-ID: <50010@microsoft.UUCP>
Date: 13 Feb 90 17:39:20 GMT
References: <7618@wpi.wpi.edu> <7631@wpi.wpi.edu>
Organization: Microsoft Corp., Redmond WA
Lines: 52

In Tan Lee Peng asks:
>
>I am having trouble getting the GS to turn out Postscript files.
>Is there a simple way to make the GS write a document as a 
>Postscript file ???? Please email replies .

To which Bevan Wang replies:

> Here are the steps to creat a Postscript File.
>
> 1.) Go to the Control Panel(NDA or CDA) and set slot 7 to AppleTalk.
> (For those who have Vulcans, move it, and don't pseduo slot it to 7)

 [...rest of the process deleted for brevity...]


Ok, silly question:

  Why does AppleTalk have to be installed/enabled for the LaserWriter to
  'Print To File'? Maybe my situation is unique (I doubt it) but the
  reason I want to create a postscript file, is because I *don't* have
  AppleTalk running, and I *don't* have a LaserWriter to talk to even if
  it was. I want to create a postscript file so I can transfer it to my
  PC at work where I *do* have a PostScript printer.


For a long time, I couldn't try the (Apple-F) trick, because I didn't have
a hard drive, and couldn't get all the necessary files onto a 3.5 System
Disk. When I finally got a Hard Drive, I of course stuck it in slot 7,
since I would never need AppleTalk. But then when I went to try the (Apple-F)
trick, I realized I needed to move this elsewhere. Looking at the slot
assignments:

    1=Printer 2=Modem 3=Screen 4=Mouse 5=Disk 6=Disk 7=AppleTalk

I first tried 3, APW crashes. I then tried 1, MouseTalk crashes (?). I of
course need my mouse, I also use both 3.5 and 5.25 drives, so that really
doesn't leave me with anything else.

Is there any reason the LaserWriter driver can't be just another printer?
Why can't it be a 'direct-connect' printer? Or better yet, why can't
'PrintToFile' be the default if AppleTalk isn't connected, rather then
bringing up a "Can't Print Document" message box?

-Robert
 __________________________________________________________________________
     #####   ####### |	  Robert B. Hess, Microsoft Corp., Redmond, WA
    ######  #######  |-----------------------------------------------------
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