Postscript Printers (LaserWriter NT, etc.)
On screen, MacDraw Pro dithers gradients so that the transition between bands of color are almost undetectable. However, most 300 dpi Postscript printers are limited to about 32 levels of gray when printing and cannot print with perfectly smooth color/gray transitions. This is due to resolution limitations of 300 dpi printers. (Some 300dpi printers, such as the LaserWriter IIf and IIg, which utilize PhotoGrade technology, can print more gray levels). The solution is to print to a printer with higher resolution and increase the number of gradient printing steps in the Preferences/Printers window.
TIP: the gradient will print somewhat better as an EPSF image than as a MacDraw Pro object.
QuickDraw Printers (ImageWriter, LaserWriter SC, DeskWriter, etc.)
Many non-Postscript printers cannot print gradients with smooth color transitions. Instead, the gradients print with only a few (8 -12) steps, each step being a wide band without a smooth transition to the next step. Increasing the number of gradient steps in the Printing Preferences will have no effect on the print quality.
This is a limitation of the printer driver. It is not caused by MacDraw Pro. The print driver has to convert the colors in the gradient to gray levels. Each print driver has a limit to how many gray levels it can print. Print drivers that cannot print smooth gradients include all ImageWriters, the StyleWriter (original), the LaserWriter LS and the LaserWriter IISC. Note: some third-party print drivers ( MacPalette II by Microspot; WonderPrint by Delta Tao) support dithered printing (smooth gradients) to these printers. All DeskWriters and the StyleWriter II can print fairly smooth gradients using printer drivers current as of 4/93. Tip: try increasing the number of gradient printing steps in the Preferences/Printers window.