Question:
I noticed after installing GX Helper that I don't have the option to disable Desktop Printing in some applications. Why is this?
Answer:
The option to turn off Desktop printing in the newest versions of Excel (5.0) and Word (6.0) or other recent applications may not appear. These applications are "GX-friendly" and can utilize the QuickDraw GX printer drivers. Because of this, GX Helper does not allow you to disable Desktop Printing.
Question:
How do I Select Specific LaserWriter Options?
Answer:
a) Create a desktop printer using the LaserWriter GX driver in the Chooser
b) Print a one page document or the desktop to the printer
c) Choose Page Setup from a QuickDraw GX savvy application.
d) Select the specific LaserWriter under the "Format For:" pop-up menu. Do NOT choose LaserWriter GX but the specific name of the LaserWriter.
e) Click on the "LaserWriter Options" icon on the left side of the window.
You should see all the options available for the LaserWriter you have chosen such as 300/600 DPI or PhotoGrade. The options available here are dependent on the printer model. Consult your printer's
documentation for a complete description of features.
Question:
How do I Select Multi-purpose Input Trays?
Answer:
a) Create a desktop printer using the LaserWriter GX driver in the Chooser
b) Print a one page document or the desktop to the printer
c) Select the printer on the desktop and choose "Input Trays" from the Printing Menu.
d) Make the appropriate selections.
You will know if QuickDraw GX has queried the specific Desktop Printer properly if the dialog window that comes up for paper trays specifically mentions the printer model (example:LaserWriter Pro).
Question:
I have a number of non-QuickDraw GX print and fax drivers in my extensions folder yet they do not appear in the Chooser. How can I access them?
Answer:
QuickDraw GX drivers show up in the Chooser when QuickDraw GX is active. When QuickDraw GX is disabled, the non-QuickDraw GX drivers appear in the Chooser. They are hidden when QuickDraw GX is active because they are incompatible with QuickDraw GX technology.
Question:
How do I print to an output device that does not have a QuickDraw GX compatible print driver?
Answer:
If you have a non-GX driver you can disable QuickDraw GX via the Extensions Manager control panel and restart. This will let you print using the original driver. The only other alternative is to check with the vendor of the output device to see if they are planning a QuickDraw GX compatible driver.
If you have a PostScript output device, you can print your output to a PostScript file using the application EPSExtension. Refer to the QuickDraw GX ReadMe file for more details on the EPSExtension. Most PostScript devices come with utilities that allow you to download a PostScript file to that device. Two examples of such utilities are Adobe's SendPS or the Apple Printer Utility (for printers that use the Apple LaserWriter driver).
ON Page by COMPUTER:applications, Inc. will parse a PostScript printer description (PDD) for a PostScript or PCL device and make a compatible QuickDraw GX driver.
PowerPrint/GX by GDT Softworks adds the advantages of QuickDraw GX to their collection of printer drivers allowing you to print to over a thousand different PC based printers from the Macintosh desktop.
DOS/Windows-Compatible Printers
MacJET GX (Universal PCL/ HP compatible laser printers) is a universal QuickDraw GX driver for PCL and HP-compatible laser printers.
UNIX print servers
Pathway Print Redirector by The Wollongong Group, Inc. takes advantage of the QuickDraw GX printing capabilities to provide TCP/IP network printing capabilities.
Question:
I installed QuickDraw GX, but I do not have a GX driver for my printer. Where do I get QuickDraw GX drivers?
Answer:
You can contact your printer manufacturer or fax software vendor to see if they have a QuickDraw GX compatible driver available. If there is no QuickDraw GX driver available your can remove QuickDraw GX until a driver is available.
The QuickDraw GX Installer has an easy to use remove feature that will remove the components of QuickDraw GX. After removing GX, it may be necessary to restore some fonts that QuickDraw GX converted. Follow these steps for the removal procedure:
- Quit any open applications or desk accessories
- Locate the QuickDraw GX Installer on the QuickDraw GX Install Diskette or System 7.5 CD. It is located on the Install disk or in the QuickDraw GX Install folder on the CD.
- Launch the Installer.
- When you see the Installer's Welcome screen, click continue.
- Open the pop-up menu (which says Easy Install) and choose Custom Remove.
- Click on the check boxes for the components you wish to remove.
- Click on remove.
The installer will remove the selected components. However, any PostScript fonts that were present in the System folder before the QuickDraw GX installation will not work properly because QuickDraw GX placed them in suitcases that standard System Software will not recognize.
Copies of the old fonts were placed in a folder called *Archived Type 1 Fonts* in the System Folder. Open this folder and copy all the fonts to the Fonts folder within the System Folder. If prompted to replace any existing fonts, go ahead and replace them.
If you converted any Postscript fonts using the Type 1 Enabler application, you will need to reinstall the fonts from original diskettes as that application does not place copies in the archive folder.
Finally, if you used Adobe Type Manager, you should also reinstall that application as it may have been removed when QuickDraw GX was installed.
Question:
I noticed my desktop printer icon has an X through it when viewed through the Save or Open dialog box. Is this normal? It looks fine on the Desktop.
Answer:
The desktop printer icon is a container, similar to a folder, but it cannot be saved to. QuickDraw GX and the Finder work together to place an X through the icon in the Save or Open dialog box so that the
user cannot open it or save anything to it.
Question:
How do I disable the Manual Printing Alert?
Answer:
You need to be using QuickDraw GX 1.1.1 or later. Click on the Desktop Printer icon and a Printing menu will appear. Go to the Printing menu and select "Disable Manual Feed Alerts".
Article Change History:
10 May 1996 - Updated with third party PostScript applications.