🚀 go-pugleaf

In article <4592@watdcsu.waterloo.edu> dsnow@watdcsu.waterloo.edu (Doug Snow) writes:
>In article <1714@devvax.JPL.NASA.GOV> dean@devvax.JPL.NASA.GOV (Dean Okamura) writes:
>>Is there a simple way to un-do the WordPerfect set-up that remains even
>>when the power is recycled on a LaserWriter?
>>We have a LaserWriter that cannot print output from the Mac which was
>>previously hooked up to a PC running WordPerfect.
>>
>>As far as I can tell, the "offending command" is:
>>
>>    25 9600 7 setsccbatch
>>
>>Note: I copied the 7 from the WordPerfect PostScript.  The LaserWriter
>>documentation states that the parity values range from 0 to 3. The
>>WordPerfect comments claim that this results in no parity.

The LaserWriter documentation states that the parity values range from
0 thru 3 because they do.  The values 4 thru 7 are not supported in the
LaserWriter.  More recent devices do have that support.  The values 4
thru 7 specify the same *parity* settings as 0 thru 3 (specifically,
ignored, odd, even, and none in that order) but they also select DTR
flow control, whereas 0 thru 3 select XOFF flow control.

>How are you printing from the Mac, via appletalk? If so, where is the
>switch pointing?
>
>The 7 in the above statusdict routine just changes the 25 pin channel
>to do NoParity, DTR flow control. A 3 means NoParity, Xon/Xoff
>flow control. You could back the whole thing to the original state
>of even-Xon/Xoff by executing the following..
>
>servdict begin 0 exitserver
>statusdict begin
>25 9600 2 setsccbatch
>end

Close...But it's "serverdict", not "servdict".

>But I'll bet dollars to donuts it has no effect on data streams presented
>by appletalk to the 9 pin appletalk connector. Something else is wrong.
>We have a slew of lasers with both WP and Apple Users switching among the
>two modes.. the machines have all been set to Noparity (8 bits of data
>is important).

You win!  The first parameter to setsccbatch specifies which port (the 
*25* pin port vs the *9* pin port).  The parameters presented to
setsccbatch affect the 25-pin and 9-pin ports when the communications
switch is set to batch (1 on a QMS PS800 or PS810, 9600 on a LaserWriter).
It does not affect it when the switch is set for AppleTalk (3 on QMS PS800
or PS810, AppleTalk on a LaserWriter).  Note that the 9-pin connector is
not specifically an AppleTalk port.  It is an RS422 port which can be used
for AppleTalk when the communications switch is set accordingly.  It can
also be used as a normal serial port in place of the 25-pin connector.

So how do your WP and Apple users switch between the two modes?  Sounds
like they have to go to the printer of their choice and change the switch.
Or do you have your WP machines (you didn't say whether they are PCs) on
AppleTalk, in which case setsccbatch is irrelevant for you.

>Send mail if you still have trouble.

Please post...We can all learn by reading these messages.  That's why 
this news system, and this group, are here!  Personally, I'd like to 
know more about your setup for two reasons:
   1) I don't understand why you're having a problem switching 
      between batch mode and AppleTalk mode;
   2) I am about to setup a QMS PS800 in a similar environment.

Finally, *why* is WordPerfect fiddling with the serial port communication
parameters :-) ?  That is not something that such a program should be doing.
It's the person who is connecting the devices together who must set 
appropriate parameters, and only that person.  Once that person has gone to
the trouble of getting it working, it should be left bloody well alone by
software.
-- 
Sid Van den Heede		Voice: 416-792-1137
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