SPARC to Apple LaserWriter IIG connection
2007-12-25 8:21:00
Here is a summary of the responses I got regarding hooking up an
Apple LaserWriter IIG to a SparcStation. Although there wasn't alot of
technical meat in my original question most folks understood the problem
and were very helpful. Others were not so forgiving.
-Ray
P.S. I apologize for the double mailing. The first message went out
with an old address and when I hadn't seen it in over 24 hours I
figured it might have gotten lost. Most people were forgiving of this
as well.
Thanks to the following folks:
From: uunet!mtu.edu!mrmach (Mark R. Mach)
From: Andrew J Cole <uunet!cbl.leeds.ac.uk!ajcole>
From: uunet!cs.adelaide.edu.au!cameron (Cameron Humphries)
From: Arie Bikker <uunet!geo.vu.nl!aribi>
From: uunet!cs.rochester.edu!bukys
From: "Chris Phillips" <uunet!cs.yorku.ca!chris>
From: uunet!vcrt.hq.videocart.com!mandrews (Mike Andrews)
From: uunet!hermes.chpc.utexas.edu!merworth
From: Mauricio Daher <uunet!ceci.mit.edu!mau>
From: Phill St-Louis <uunet!hivnet.ubc.ca!phill2>
and even:
From: uunet!isor.vuw.ac.nz!ray
=============================================================================
First the original query:
Fellow managers,
I received the following message from a colleague in one of
our other offices. I looked through my archives (about 5 years of Sun
stuff in a full-text database) and couldn't find anything conclusive.
There were a couple of messages that mentioned trying to hook a IIG up
and having problems but there were no concrete solutions. I thought I
would turn toward this group for help. Anybody care to enlighten us?
Thanks in advance,
Ray
P.S. I am not sure if they have Transcript or one of the other ASCII
to PostScript converters.
===BEGIN INCLUDED MESSAGE===
We have successfully connected our SUN SPARC to the Apple IInt printer;
however, we have been unsuccessful connecting to the Apple IIG printer.
Has anyone had this similar problem and, more importantly, has anyone been
successful in connecting a SUN SPARC to an Apple LaserWriter IIG printer?
SUN says if we get NEWSPRINT, it will facilitate this; however, we also know
that we should be able to make this connection without NEWSPRINT.
What's puzzling is that we connect to the Apple IInt successfully, so one
would think that you wouldn't have any problems connecting to the Apple IIG.
===END OF INCLUDED MESSAGE===
=============================================================================
Now for the responses:
=============================================================================
From: uunet!mtu.edu!mrmach (Mark R. Mach)
Date: Sat, 26 Jun 93 16:18:26 EDT
I use CAP (Columbia Appletalk Package) which includes printer
filters that will redirect prints to a LaserWriter on the network.
We have two IIg's hooked up using this method, and they work great.
You can get CAP for free via anonymous ftp from various sites --
munnari.oz.au being one that comes to mind.
--
Mark R. Mach, mrmach@mtu.edu
=============================================================================
From: Andrew J Cole <uunet!cbl.leeds.ac.uk!ajcole>
Date: Sun, 27 Jun 93 09:20:06 BST
Look at the info-appletalk there have been lots of problems mentioned there
related to the LW IIg and many mentions of problems being solved by upgraded
ROMs.
Andrew
=============================================================================
Date: Mon, 28 Jun 93 09:39:40 +0930
From: uunet!cs.adelaide.edu.au!cameron (Cameron Humphries)
Are you connecting them via serial line or ethernet?
I had a play at connecting a IIg to an IPX via serial line and did not have any
success at all.
Ethernet however is easy. Just grab the CAP package from munnari.oz.au and it
will work with little effort.
-Cameron
Cameron Humphries
Systems Administrator email: cameron@cs.adelaide.edu.au
Department of Computer Science phone: +61 +8 303 4485
The University of Adelaide fax: +61 +8 303 4366
=============================================================================
Date: Mon, 28 Jun 93 14:35:15 +0200
From: Arie Bikker <uunet!geo.vu.nl!aribi>
Hi,
We did that once. If I recall correctly we put the IIg in mode 6 (19.2 Kb
Postscript) with the switch on the back. The cable was a NULL modem, but I'm
not shure about that, anyway, that's easy to check.
We checked this setup with both NeWSPrint and Transcript with the following
printcap entries:
testIIg:\
:mx#0:br#19200:sf:sb:\
:xc#0177777:\
:ms=-parity,ixon,-opost:\
:lp=/dev/ttyqa:\
:sd=/var/spool/testnIIg:\
:lf=/var/spool/testIIg/log:\
:af=/var/spool/testIIg/acct:\
:if=/usr/share/newsprint/lpd/if:\
:gf=/usr/share/newsprint/lpd/gf:\
:nf=/usr/share/newsprint/lpd/nf:\
:tf=/usr/share/newsprint/lpd/tf:\
:rf=/usr/share/newsprint/lpd/rf:\
:vf=/usr/share/newsprint/lpd/vf:\
:cf=/usr/share/newsprint/lpd/cf:\
:df=/usr/share/newsprint/lpd/df:\
:of=/usr/share/newsprint/lpd/of:
afp:\
:lp=/dev/ttya:sd=/usr/spool/afp:\
:lf=/usr/spool/lw/lw-log:af=/usr/adm/lw.acct:\
:br#19200:rw:fc#0000374:fs#0000003:xc#0:xs#0040040:mx#0\
:sf:sb:\
:if=/usr/tran/sparc/lib/psif:\
:of=/usr/tran/sparc/lib/psof:gf=/usr/tran/sparc/lib/psgf:\
:nf=/usr/tran/sparc/lib/psnf:tf=/usr/tran/sparc/lib/pstf:\
:rf=/usr/tran/sparc/lib/psrf:vf=/usr/tran/sparc/lib/psvf:\
:cf=/usr/tran/sparc/lib/pscf:df=/usr/tran/sparc/lib/psdf:
The newsprint entry won't be of any good t you if you don't have it,
but the transcript entry has all the flag settings in place.
Hope this helps,
Arie Bikker
___=======-----
------------------------------------
-- Drs. Arie Bikker --
-- Instituut voor Aardwetenschappen --
-- Vrije Universiteit --
-- Amsterdam Netherlands --
-- aribi@geo.vu.nl --
------------------------------------
=============================================================================
Date: Mon, 28 Jun 93 09:13:32 -0400
From: uunet!cs.rochester.edu!bukys
I would think that you could swap in a IIg and a IInt and everything
would continue working.
Except that the IIg has or had serial ports problems. I recall Adobe
issuing a patch to Transcript to work around them. A call to Apple
Tech Support might discover whether new IIg PROMS were ever issued.
(If they were I never heard about it.)
=============================================================================
Date: Mon, 28 Jun 1993 10:34:33 -0400
From: "Chris Phillips" <uunet!cs.yorku.ca!chris>
We have had problems with connecting the IIF LW to a machine where the
distance was long for the rs232 connection. I believe that the Apple rs232
does not generate true rs232 wave forms(12v) but rather ttl (5v) wave forms
and this causes a problem over distance. I have the printer working 98%
reliably by modifying lprps to accept garbage from the apple (where the bad
drivers show up) and continue to handshake with Postscript. But this is
really a hack, as we are moving to a new building and a new set of problems
anyway... A proper solution might be one of the rs232 "boosters" from Inmac
or Blackbox, (They call them "mini" line drivers). We also considered
ethernet printer boxes...
Chris Phillips (chris@cs.yorku.ca)
=============================================================================
From: uunet!vcrt.hq.videocart.com!mandrews (Mike Andrews)
Date: Mon, 28 Jun 93 9:24:32 CDT
We're using an Apple IIg printer on our LAN. What kind of problem are
you having? You should be able to connect via the serial port to a
Unix host. We drive ours via serial and localtalk via a GatorBox.
It's configured for PostScript only. Actually the config disks for ours
have been lost. We can't reconfigure the serial port or otherwise.
If you have the disks you can set the printer to emulate an HP LaserJet.
It will not not auto-switch from PostScript to HP mode as far as I know.
Hope that helps some.
--
Mike Andrews |VideOcart, Inc.
mandrews@hq.videocart.com |Chicago, IL USA
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=--=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
Think you've got problems? How many SHOPPING CARTS are on YOUR WAN?
=============================================================================
Date: Mon, 28 Jun 93 10:20:15 CDT
From: uunet!hermes.chpc.utexas.edu!merworth
Ray,
When we put an Apple IIG into service at our site, we had similar problems.
It was attached to Appletalk and Ethernet. Our solution to the problem was
to upgrade the memory of the IIG from 2Mbytes to 4Mbytes. Once this was
done, we could access the printer from any of our systems.
Boyd Merworth
The University of Texas System
Center for High Performance Computing, CMS 1.154, Austin, Texas 78712
merworth@chpc.utexas.edu {harvard,gatech,uunet}!cs.utexas.edu!merworth
=============================================================================
Date: Mon, 28 Jun 93 12:21:34 -0400
From: Mauricio Daher <uunet!ceci.mit.edu!mau>
I'd go with what Sun said:
What NewsPrint will do for you is set up the correct serial line
masks, and such so that you can make a connection to the LaserWriter.
If you're not experienced in serial line connections, then it's worth
it to START by running the NewsPrint install. You should use it
anyway, it's much better than TranScript, but if you have to, TS
also has a pretty good configuration script.
Anyway, try this:
Also check cabling: Should be null modem (2 and 3 crossed at least)
Have you tried tip'ing the printer?
edit /etc/remote
add line
cua0:dv=/dev/ttya:br#9600
then type
tip cua0
assuming your printer is on /dev/ttya...change it accordingly.
Also is your Sun configured for RS232? The is a jumper on the CPU
board of IPC's and SPARC2's that switches both ports between RS232c
and RS423. The latter has higher line voltages, and could damage
your LW, which uses RS232c, and maybe the problem you're having.
Your might also try adding the following lines to /etc/printcap:
.
:br#19200:\
:rw:\
:fc#0000374:\
:fs#0000003:\
:xc#0:\
:xs#0040040:
and make sure the LW is set for 19200baud, 8 databits, no parity, 1
stop bit, XON/XOFF. This should be switch position 2 on the LW
thumbwheel.
Hope this helps...
---------------------------------------------
Mauricio Daher
---------------------------------------------
System Manager for
the
Center for Educational Computing Initiatives
---------------------------------------------
MIT E40-381 mau@ceci.mit.edu
253-8651 mau@athena.mit.edu
---------------------------------------------
=============================================================================
Date: Mon, 28 Jun 93 10:24:45 PDT
From: Phill St-Louis <uunet!hivnet.ubc.ca!phill2>
I have connected two IIg printers and two IINTX printers to our networks.
Here is the printcap for the IIg that is connected using only 4 wires:
lp|LaserWriterIIg|ps|Data Centre:\
:lp=/dev/ttyb:\
:sd=/usr/spool/lpd/lp:\
:sh:\
:ms=ixon,-ixany:\
:lf=/usr/adm/ps-errs:\
:af=/usr/adm/ps.acct:\
:br#9600:rw:fc#0000374:fs#0000003:xc#0:xs#0040040:mx#0:sb:\
:if=/usr/tran/sparc/lib/psif:\
:of=/usr/tran/sparc/lib/psof:gf=/usr/tran/sparc/lib/psgf:\
:nf=/usr/tran/sparc/lib/psnf:tf=/usr/tran/sparc/lib/pstf:\
:rf=/usr/tran/sparc/lib/psrf:vf=/usr/tran/sparc/lib/psvf:\
:cf=/usr/tran/sparc/lib/pscf:df=/usr/tran/sparc/lib/psdf:
The filters are from the Transcript software, which is a very old version in
our case, but it works fine.
We had a problem with the setup of this printer. Nothing seemed to be coming
out of the printer, no matter what we sent to it. When we added a form feed
to the printcap, everything has since printed perfectly. I cannot
remember which of the above chicken scratchings is the form feed. I just
looked them up in the man pages back when I was working on the problem.
I am on vacation for one week after today, so if you have a question, you are
going to have to ask it today or wait a week.
Phill
=============================================================================
Date: Tue, 29 Jun 1993 09:33:56 +1200
From: uunet!isor.vuw.ac.nz!ray
This is the second time I have seen your message, but it still does not
really pose a problem to be addressed. We have a LWIIg accessible from
a network of Suns, through some magical Ethertalk Phase 2 Multigate
box using the CAP software, but I do not know what to tell you about.
You do not pose your problem. How are you trying to connect? Serial?
LocalTalk? EtherTalk? And what do you mean by "we have been
unsuccessful connecting to the Apple IIG printer"? What does or does
not happen when you try? to reboot? to print?
Try again to ask a real question.
Not trying to be negative,
Ray Brownrigg
=============================================================================
Date: Wed, 30 Jun 93 11:34:17 +0200
From: Arie Bikker <uunet!geo.vu.nl!aribi>
Hi,
Yes, we have several running using both postscript and transcript.
I think you could do without either software package, if you only
print postscript. The output filter should then be a simple copy.
First, here's my printcap entry for the IIg, commented out is the
transcript version (BTW, I'm a profound non-believer of the distribution
of printcap entries, See notes at bottom):
#sedp:\
# :lp=/dev/ttya:sd=/usr/spool/sedp:\
# :lf=/usr/spool/sedp/sedp-log:af=/usr/adm/sedp.acct:\
# :br#19200:rw:fc#0000374:fs#0000003:xc#0:xs#0040040:mx#0:sf:sb:\
# :if=/usr/tran/sparc/lib/psif:\
# :of=/usr/tran/sparc/lib/psof:gf=/usr/tran/sparc/lib/psgf:\
# :nf=/usr/tran/sparc/lib/psnf:tf=/usr/tran/sparc/lib/pstf:\
# :rf=/usr/tran/sparc/lib/psrf:vf=/usr/tran/sparc/lib/psvf:\
# :cf=/usr/tran/sparc/lib/pscf:df=/usr/tran/sparc/lib/psdf:
# entry for a local PostScript printer
sedp|PostScript printer:\
:br#19200:rw:fc#0000374:\
:fs#0000003:xc#0:xs#0040040:\
:mx#0:sf:sb:\
:lp=/dev/ttya:\
:sd=/var/spool/sedp:\
:lf=/var/spool/sedp/log:\
:af=/var/spool/sedp/acct:\
:if=/usr/share/newsprint/lpd/if:\
:gf=/usr/share/newsprint/lpd/gf:\
:nf=/usr/share/newsprint/lpd/nf:\
:tf=/usr/share/newsprint/lpd/tf:\
:rf=/usr/share/newsprint/lpd/rf:\
:vf=/usr/share/newsprint/lpd/vf:\
:cf=/usr/share/newsprint/lpd/cf:\
:df=/usr/share/newsprint/lpd/df:\
:of=/usr/share/newsprint/lpd/of:
Next you would need to set the printer to a specific communication mode.
There is a button opperated number wheel on the back of the IIg. The printer
manual explains the meaning of the numbers (I wish apple would stop their
paranoia about user friendly-ness and put in a simple LCD screen with menu
buttons in their printers). Mine has setting 6 which enables 19200 baud
Postscript on the serial line using Xon/Xoff.
The cable I use is an Xon/Xoff only darn anything else kind of NULL modem:
1---------------------1
2------\ /------------2
X
3------/ \------------3
4-+ +-4
| |
5-+ +-5
7---------------------7
6--+ +--6
| |
8--+ +--8
| |
20-+ +-20
So, that's how it should work. Now for some suggestions. If neither TranScript
nor NeWSPrint is used an option might be to use the following minimalistic
output filter (C code):
#include <stdio.h>
/* skip all input until "%!" found */
main() {
char c;
int first = 0;
while (0 <= (c=getchar())) {
if (first == 2) {
putchar(c);
}
else if (c == '%') {
first = 1;
}
else if (c == '!') {
if (first == 1) {
first = 2;
puts("%!");
}
else {
first = 0;
}
}
}
}
This is by now means an efficient way of doing it, but it effectively skips
all input (banner information) until the sequence "%!" is found.
I never did this with PostScript, but I have it running in a slightly modified
way for an HP plotter.
When checking the connection a breakout box is very handy. The least thing it
does for you is show that data is on the line.
Hope this helps,
Arie Bikker
___=======-----
------------------------------------
-- Drs. Arie Bikker --
-- Instituut voor Aardwetenschappen --
-- Vrije Universiteit --
-- Amsterdam Netherlands --
-- aribi@geo.vu.nl --
------------------------------------
"Distrubuting printcap entries is a folly, unless accompanied by detailed
printer setup instructions and cabling layout. Even then it is only of use
for the flag clears and sets for a serial connection. What will we have next?
--
Ray Smith Computer Sciences Corporation
rcsmith@sed.csc.com 1321 Mercedes Drive
rcsmith@aplcen.apl.jhu.edu Hanover, Maryland 21076
RCSmith@DOCKMASTER.NCSC.MIL Voice: 410.691.4000 FAX: 410.691.4070
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