SUMMARY: manual feed mode for a SPARCprinter

From: Richard Feuerriegel (Richard.F.Feuerriegel@agronomy.auburn.edu)
Date: Fri Sep 18 1992 - 22:19:44 CDT


Hello again,

Here is my original question:

>
> Hello,
>
> I have the following configuration:
>
> sun4c (1+), SunOS 4.1.2, NeWSprint 2.0, SPARCprinter
>
> Question:
>
> I need to be able to use the manual feed mode on a SPARCprinter.
> The NeWSprint manuals say to use the :manualfeed macro in pl.
> Unfortunately, this only works for printing files, not to put the
> printer in maual feed for the _next_ printout that is queued.
>
> I would like to be able to put the printer in manual feed mode,
> put in some letterhead, and use a program like WordPerfect to print
> on the inserted paper.
>
> Is this possible? I have been told this feat is intrinsically
> impossible for a print spooler type setup.
>
> Any help would be greatly appreciated. I'll summarize any answers
> I receive.
>

I received two responses. The consensus was that manual feed from a
SPARCprinter is only possible if you send a file to the printer and put
it in manual mode with the pl :manualfeed macro, or if your application
has a button for it. It seems that WP does not support this directly.
(Were still working on that though. We might have a kludge for it soon.)
FramMaker, on the other hand, does have the needed manual feed button in
the print dialog box.

If any SUN employees are listening out there, I have a suggestion: make the
SPARCprinter go into manual feed mode when it senses paper in the slot. Also
some movable paper guides would be nice. (Or is this too much HP'ish? ;)

-- Richard

[]==========================================================================[]
|| Richard F. Feuerriegel ||
|| System Administrator, Agronomy Office: 205-844-3956 ||
|| 210 Funchess Hall Home : 205-745-0005 ||
|| Auburn University, Al. 36849 ||
[]==========================================================================[]

"I haven't lost my mind -- it's backed up on tape somewhere."

"Speak softly and carry a +6 two-handed sword."

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Here are the responses in full:

  ---------------------------------------------------------------------------

<jag@OTRA.com (jeff goldfarb)> said:

> As I understand it, the NewsPrint engine will reset its state
> at the beginning of the next print job and REQUIRES the mode
> (resolution, feed, etc) to be set *within* the postscript
> stream of the job. In other words.. you're out of luck.
>
> On the other hand, you should be able to set such a mode
> on the printer profile in your word processor. Failing
> that, you could specify a printcap which provides for
> the additional filtering through prelim... With
> WordPerfect, of course, you may have difficulty with
> its rather convoluted print procedures (I tried to
> figure it out once, but my heart wasn't in it).

  ---------------------------------------------------------------------------

<birger@vest.sdata.no (Birger A. Wathne)> said:

> Perhaps WP has a printer option to set manual feed?
>
> FrameMaker has a pushbutton in the print option window that you can press to
> get manual feed. It works nicely with my sparcprinter.
 
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