PS/2 to LaserWriter: Problem Printing From LaserWriter IINT



I am having problems printing from my IBM PS/2 Model 30 over a LocalTalk PC
Card to a LaserWriter IINT. I also have a Macintosh on the network, and it is
not experiencing any printing problems.

Software includes DOS 3.3, AppleTalk PC Protocol Stack 2.0, AppleShare PC Card
2.0, Microsoft Word 5.0 (using PostScript), and DisplayWrite 4 (using Epson
emulation).

The problem initially was that I couldn't print from Microsoft Word, but I
fixed that. Now, I can print from either program, but when I switch from one
program to the other, I have to go into the Chooser and change the printer
designation. My understanding was that I should be able to set up both printer
configurations (PostScript and Epson emulation) through the AppleTalk PC
software, then indicate through the application which driver to use.

Am I misunderstanding the functionality of the software, or have I set up
something incorrectly?

It sounds like you are not switching between Epson emulation and PostScript
mode within the AppleShare PC Chooser. You set the DisplayWrite 4 to use its
Epson driver, and AppleShare PC is set to convert the Epson Print Code from the
DisplayWriter driver to PostScript code. This is called Epson emulation. You
also use Microsoft Word 5.0, printing with its PostScript driver, and
AppleShare PC is set to pass all printer code directly to the selected printer
(PostScript mode). You cannot do both of these through the same LPT port.

Because the two applications require different LPT port modes, you need to
switch the LPT port's mode from the AppleShare Chooser or with ANET commands
within a batch file.

Another method would be to have all Microsoft Word print jobs go to LPT1, and
all DisplayWrite jobs go to LPT2. The applications provide for designating the
LPT port within their printer options. The same LaserWriter can be assigned to
both LPT ports. The difference is that LPT1 has been set from within the
AppleShare Chooser to PostScript mode and LPT2 has been set to Epson emulation.
This can be done even though both LPT1 and LPT2 are connected to the same
LaserWriter.

Alternatively, you can use a single LPT port set to Epson emulation and print
using an Epson driver from both word processors.


Published Date: Feb 18, 2012