6.24 PostScript Printer Communications

Most PostScript printers support both serial and parallel ports. The fastest and most efficient way to connect your printer to your computer is usually with a parallel port (LPTx). If your printer has both a parallel and a serial port, the parallel port should be used.

If you are using serial communications and have a newer PostScript printer, you may be able to increase the transmission rate from the standard 9600 baud. Many printers support communications of 19,200 baud.

The following is a PostScript program that can be sent to the printer to set it up for 19,200-baud communications. Save the following in a file called 19200.PS and then use the MS-DOS copy command (COPY 19200.PS COM1:) to send it to the printer.

% set laserwriter for 19200 baud

% set up hardware handshaking

% see page 121-122 of apple manual for details

% use ETX/ACK (cts/rts)

serverdict begin 0 exitserver

statusdict begin 25 19200 7 setsccbatch end

% a ^D should be appended to this file in most cases

Note:

This will set the speed permanently (even after a power cycle). Use the following PostScript program to reset the communications channel to the default 9600 baud.

% set laserwriter for 9600 baud

% set up hardware handshaking

% see page 121-122 of apple manual for details

% use ETX/ACK (cts/rts)

serverdict begin 0 exitserver

statusdict begin 25 9600 0 setsccbatch end

% a ^D should be appended to this file in most cases

You will also have to set the port on the computer to this speed by issuing the following command, which should go in your AUTOEXEC.BAT file:

MODE COM1:,19200,n,8,1