188 lines
6.8 KiB
Plaintext
188 lines
6.8 KiB
Plaintext
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
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Print Spooler Classic Desk Accessory
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~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
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by Bill Tudor
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Copyright (c) 1990 All Rights Reserved.
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Version: 1.01
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Updated: 10-Dec-1990
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~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
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This file contains the documentation for the Print Spooler CDA, an Apple IIgs
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Classic Desk Accessory that allows you to perform background printing of up to
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14 Apw/Orca source files (Src), Merlin source code (Txt), or standard text
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files (Txt).
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Note: | Spooler.DA, Print Spooler, Print Spooler CDA, and Print Spooler
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| Classic Desk Accessory are ALL terms used to identify this program.
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Requirements:
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------------
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+ Apple IIgs computer/at least 1Mb of RAM
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+ printer connected to internal slot 1
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Features:
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--------
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+ Merlin file expansion
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+ up to 14 files in the print queue
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+ automatic tab expansion
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+ "point & shoot" file selection
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Cost:
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----
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Spooler.DA is FREE!
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Spooler.DA is copyright (c) 1990 by Bill Tudor. Users may make and distribute
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copies as they wish, al long as this documentation is included in the
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distribution. If you feel like supporting my programming efforts,
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any amount of renumeration would be appreciated. Send comments and/or
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payments to:
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Bill Tudor
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1220 Gerling Street
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Schenectady, NY 12308
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GEnie: W.TUDOR
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Testing:
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-------
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Spooler.DA has been tested under the Merlin, APW/Orca, and ProSEL shells, as
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well as the Finder as various other programs. Because of the nature of the
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program, Spooler.DA is NOT guarenteed to work with all programs. In addition,
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Bill Tudor is NOT responsible for any damages resulting from the use of this
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program and/or instructions. Use at your own risk.
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Limitations:
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-----------
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+ The Spooler.DA will only work under GS/OS. You cannot enter the CDA from
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ProDOS 8.
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+ The Spooler.DA should continue background printing even if a ProDOS 8 program
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is run...but this has not been tested.
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+ You CANNOT print to slot 1 while the spooler is running.
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+ The spooler only works with Txt and Src files. Merlin Txt files will be
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expanded, as will tab characters. Any other control characters in the text
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are simply ignored.
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+ You cannot disable VBL IRQ's while the spooler is running.
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+ You MUST have enough free RAM to hold ALL of the files in the print queue.
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+ Avoid the use of IRQ intensive programs (like communication programs) while
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the Spooler.DA is active.
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+ Spooler _may_ have problems with programs that disable interrupts often or
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when running during large amounts of disk access.
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+ Spooler will not work if the host program destroys background task queue.
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1. Overview:
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========
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The Spooler.DA remains dormant in memory until a print session is active. You
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can tell that a session is active by either observing the action of your
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printer or listening for periodic 'clicks' of the IIgs speaker. When the
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Spooler is active, it sends a line of text to the printer about once every
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half-second. You may continue to use your IIgs normally while the spooler
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sends information to the printer. When the print job is complete, the spooler
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places itself back in a dormant state until it is again activatied via the CDA
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menu.
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2. Getting Started.
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===============
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Simply copy the Spooler.DA to your *:System:Desk.Accs folder on the system
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disk and re-boot the computer.
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2. Setting up the Print Queue.
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==========================
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Enter the IIgs CDA menu by pressing <command-control-esc> and select the CDA
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called "Print Spooler". You will be presented with a main menu screen. The
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menu lists all the files currently in the print queue, and provides options
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for left margin, line numbers, adding a file to the queue, and deleting the
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queue. The options are described below.
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A. Adding a file to the queue [Option 1]
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-------------------------------------
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- Selecting option [1] will cause the Print Spooler CDA to first prompt you
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for the path of the file you wish to add tp the print queue. Select the
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DIRECTORY (folder) that contains the file you wish to print. After the
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directory has been established, you will be asked to select the filename. You
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can press <ESC> at any time to return to the main menu.
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The following command are available | Note: Only files of type
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when selecting the PATH (Directory): | ---- DIR are shown.
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Path Selection Commands:
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-----------------------
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Escape = abort; return to menu oa-Period = abort; return to menu
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Up Arrow = change last directory Left Arrow = drop dir. from path
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Down Arrow = change last directory Right Arrow = append dir. to path
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Tab = change disk drive Clear = clear entire path
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Return = accept path as is
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The following commands are available | Note: Only files of type
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when selecting the FILE: | ---- Src or Txt are shown.
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File Selection Commands:
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-----------------------
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Escape = abort; return to menu
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oa-Period = abort; return to menu
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Up Arrow = change filename
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Down Arrow = change filename
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Return = accept the current filename
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B. Deleting the print queue [Option 2]
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-------------------------------------
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- select option [2] to delete the entire print queue and start the file
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selection process from the beginning again.
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C. Printing line numbers [Option 3]
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-------------------------------------
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- select option [3] to toggle printing of line numbers on/off. If line number
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printing is set to ON, all of the files in the print queue will be printing
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with a line number at the begining of each line.
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D. Left Margin [Option 4]
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-------------------------------------
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- Selecting option [4] will increase the left margin by 1 character at a time
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up to a maximum of 8 characters. If this option is selected when the left
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margin is already at 8 characters, the left margin value wraps back to 0.
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E. Quiting [Escape ]
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-------------------------------------
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- Press ESCAPE to exit the Print Spooler CDA. If there are ANY files listed in
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the print queue, background printing will begin. Printing continues until all
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of the files in the queue are printed. You will here a click in the Apple IIgs
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speaker every time the Spooler finishes a line (about every 0.5 seconds).
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3. Cancelling a print job.
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======================
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If the Print Spooler CDA is entered while a print job is currently in session,
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you will be asked if you want to cancel the print job. Selecting "Y" will
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abort the current print job and allow you to setup a new print file queue.
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Note that you may have to manually eject the final page from the printer.
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Selecting "N" will exit the CDA and allow the current print job to finish up.
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You CANNOT use the Print Spooler CDA while a print job is in session.
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Enjoy!
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