Hugh.

I have been so interested in your updated LaserWriter driver that I have been searching with these 4 requirements.

TCP port 9100

PS 3

PCL 5/5e to PCL 6

Ethernet 10/100

I came across this little B&W printer (Xerox B210) that seems to check all the boxes.

https://download.support.xerox.com/pub/docs/B210/userdocs/any-os/en_GB/Xerox_B210_sfp_ug_en.pdf?_ga=2.127546381.1093801063.1634612854-971138043.1634612854

I am going to buy this printer for use on the GS (ROM 01, GS/OS 6.0.4, Uthernet ll)

Before I do, based on your knowledge of the driver, PCL and PS requirements, do you have any thoughts on compatibility.

Mostly printing letters with TrueType and or Bitmap fonts.

Leon

Leon,

I re-checked the specs on that Xerox B210 printer and it *does* seem to
check all the boxes for using it to print PostScript from GS/OS Desktop
applications with the DCPPD under GS/OS 6.0.x with the Uthernet II card,
Marinetti and TreeHugger. Very good.

I see the B210 was a PC Magazine Editor's Choice, sports 1200 x 1200 DPI
and is also very reasonably priced.

You mentioned printing with TrueType and Bitmapped fonts:

The DCPPD will print using the PostScript fonts that are either resident
in the printer, or that have been downloaded in advance by the user.

I searched in vain for a list of the PostScript fonts Xerox includes
with the B210. All the docs mention printing a list of the resident
PostScript fonts from the printer's control panel, but nowhere could I
find a listing.

I suspect that it has at least 90 resident PostScript fonts, and would
obviously include the original 35 fonts (Courier, Helvetica, Palatino,
etc...) contained in the Apple LaserWriter Plus, plus a whole bunch more.

In your GS/OS applications, you will want to use screen fonts (either
bit-mapped or TrueType with Pointless) that have names corresponding to
the PostScript fonts present in the printer. The DCPPD does *not*
download bitmapped IIgs fonts, but rather specifies in the PostScript
job the name of the font requested. In most cases, if that font is not
present, then the printer will use the Courier font instead.

So, if the names of the fonts you using are even slightly different,
there will not be a match.

One solution is to rename (only if necessary, obviously) your TrueType
font name (there are utilities to do this) so that it does match the
PostScript font name.

If you need to use a font that is not resident in the printer, it must
first be downloaded to the printer. I might suggest the LaserBeam 1.1
program (from GS+ Magazine) for doing that. It also allows one to
re-name the PostScript font as it is being downloaded, so that would be
another method of insuring a match between your GS/OS screen fonts and
the printer fonts.

Unrelated to the DCPPD --

Your printer also supports PCL 5e, so you can also use it with the
Harmonie drivers. As you probably know, Harmonie, since it sends a
bit-mapped image of most objects (rendered on the Apple IIgs), will be a
great deal slower than PostScript and probably much lower in quality.
But, it *does* download font bitmaps if that is what you need.

Finally -- since the interface here will be the Uthernet II / Ethernet
connection, we still don't have a widespread way of printing from ProDOS
8 applications (such as AppleWorks) over Ethernet. I do know this
problem has been/is being worked on, but that's all the information I
can share at the moment.

Please let me know if I can answer any questions for you on any of this,
and please let us know how it goes for you.

Hugh Hood

On 10/18/2021 11:20 PM, Sargenle53 wrote:
> Hugh.
>
> I have been so interested in your updated LaserWriter driver that I
> have been searching with these 4 requirements.
>
> TCP port 9100
>
> PS 3
>
> PCL 5/5e to PCL 6
>
> Ethernet 10/100
>
> I came across this little B&W printer (Xerox B210) that seems to
> check all the boxes.
>
> https://download.support.xerox.com/pub/docs/B210/userdocs/any-os/en_GB/Xerox_B210_sfp_ug_en.pdf?_ga=2.127546381.1093801063.1634612854-971138043.1634612854
>
> I am going to buy this printer for use on the GS (ROM 01, GS/OS
> 6.0.4, Uthernet ll)
>
> Before I do, based on your knowledge of the driver, PCL and PS
> requirements, do you have any thoughts on compatibility.
>
> Mostly printing letters with TrueType and or Bitmap fonts.
>
> Leon
>
>

On Wednesday, October 20, 2021 at 12:36:46 AM UTC-4, Hugh Hood wrote:
> Leon,
>
> I re-checked the specs on that Xerox B210 printer and it *does* seem to
> check all the boxes for using it to print PostScript from GS/OS Desktop
> applications with the DCPPD under GS/OS 6.0.x with the Uthernet II card,
> Marinetti and TreeHugger. Very good.
>
> I see the B210 was a PC Magazine Editor's Choice, sports 1200 x 1200 DPI
> and is also very reasonably priced.
>
> You mentioned printing with TrueType and Bitmapped fonts:
>
> The DCPPD will print using the PostScript fonts that are either resident
> in the printer, or that have been downloaded in advance by the user.
>
> I searched in vain for a list of the PostScript fonts Xerox includes
> with the B210. All the docs mention printing a list of the resident
> PostScript fonts from the printer's control panel, but nowhere could I
> find a listing.
>
> I suspect that it has at least 90 resident PostScript fonts, and would
> obviously include the original 35 fonts (Courier, Helvetica, Palatino,
> etc...) contained in the Apple LaserWriter Plus, plus a whole bunch more.
>
> In your GS/OS applications, you will want to use screen fonts (either
> bit-mapped or TrueType with Pointless) that have names corresponding to
> the PostScript fonts present in the printer. The DCPPD does *not*
> download bitmapped IIgs fonts, but rather specifies in the PostScript
> job the name of the font requested. In most cases, if that font is not
> present, then the printer will use the Courier font instead.
>
> So, if the names of the fonts you using are even slightly different,
> there will not be a match.
>
> One solution is to rename (only if necessary, obviously) your TrueType
> font name (there are utilities to do this) so that it does match the
> PostScript font name.
>
> If you need to use a font that is not resident in the printer, it must
> first be downloaded to the printer. I might suggest the LaserBeam 1.1
> program (from GS+ Magazine) for doing that. It also allows one to
> re-name the PostScript font as it is being downloaded, so that would be
> another method of insuring a match between your GS/OS screen fonts and
> the printer fonts.
>
> Unrelated to the DCPPD --
>
> Your printer also supports PCL 5e, so you can also use it with the
> Harmonie drivers. As you probably know, Harmonie, since it sends a
> bit-mapped image of most objects (rendered on the Apple IIgs), will be a
> great deal slower than PostScript and probably much lower in quality.
> But, it *does* download font bitmaps if that is what you need.
>
> Finally -- since the interface here will be the Uthernet II / Ethernet
> connection, we still don't have a widespread way of printing from ProDOS
> 8 applications (such as AppleWorks) over Ethernet. I do know this
> problem has been/is being worked on, but that's all the information I
> can share at the moment.
>
> Please let me know if I can answer any questions for you on any of this,
> and please let us know how it goes for you.
>
>
>
>
> Hugh Hood
> On 10/18/2021 11:20 PM, Sargenle53 wrote:
> > Hugh.
> >
> > I have been so interested in your updated LaserWriter driver that I
> > have been searching with these 4 requirements.
> >
> > TCP port 9100
> >
> > PS 3
> >
> > PCL 5/5e to PCL 6
> >
> > Ethernet 10/100
> >
> > I came across this little B&W printer (Xerox B210) that seems to
> > check all the boxes.
> >
> > https://download.support.xerox.com/pub/docs/B210/userdocs/any-os/en_GB/Xerox_B210_sfp_ug_en.pdf?_ga=2.127546381.1093801063.1634612854-971138043.1634612854
> >
> > I am going to buy this printer for use on the GS (ROM 01, GS/OS
> > 6.0.4, Uthernet ll)
> >
> > Before I do, based on your knowledge of the driver, PCL and PS
> > requirements, do you have any thoughts on compatibility.
> >
> > Mostly printing letters with TrueType and or Bitmap fonts.
> >
> > Leon
> >
> >
Hugh…

Printer has been working perfectly as you thought it would. You recommended some strategies for making sure the fonts I wanted were downloaded and installed in the printer.. The program you had recommended was Laserbeam 1.1 published in GS+ magazine on disk. I have not been able to find that program on Asimov, what is the Apple GS or MacGui and Archive.org.

Do you have an ideas where I might locate it..

Thank you….
Leon

On 1/6/2023 12:28 AM, Leon wrote:
> Hugh…
>
> Printer has been working perfectly as you thought it would. You
> recommended some strategies for making sure the fonts I wanted were
> downloaded and installed in the printer.. The program you had
> recommended was Laserbeam 1.1 published in GS+ magazine on disk. I
> have not been able to find that program on Asimov, what is the Apple
> GS or MacGui and Archive.org.
>
> Do you have an ideas where I might locate it..
>
> Thank you…. Leon

Leon,

The 1.1 version of Laserbeam is from the V5N4 issue of GS+ Magazine.

It is contained on the disk that accompanied the issue, and is available
here:

<https://www.brutaldeluxe.fr/products/gs/EGO%20Systems%20-%20GS%20Plus/GSPLUS_V5N4.po>

You may also wish to read the article in GS+ about how to use it. You
may find it as a .pdf available here:

http://www.apple-iigs.info/fichiers/gsplusv5n4.pdf

One final thing -- you may need to ensure that the name of the font you
download to the printer is also the name of the screen font you are
using on the IIGS. I haven't looked at this particular matter in several
months, but I believe a screen font editor will allow you to change the
internal screen font name as needed.

Let us know how it goes.

Hugh Hood

On Wednesday, October 20, 2021 at 12:36:46 AM UTC-4, Hugh Hood wrote:
> Leon,
>
> I re-checked the specs on that Xerox B210 printer and it *does* seem to
> check all the boxes for using it to print PostScript from GS/OS Desktop
> applications with the DCPPD under GS/OS 6.0.x with the Uthernet II card,
> Marinetti and TreeHugger. Very good.
>
> I see the B210 was a PC Magazine Editor's Choice, sports 1200 x 1200 DPI
> and is also very reasonably priced.
>
> You mentioned printing with TrueType and Bitmapped fonts:
>
> The DCPPD will print using the PostScript fonts that are either resident
> in the printer, or that have been downloaded in advance by the user.
>
> I searched in vain for a list of the PostScript fonts Xerox includes
> with the B210. All the docs mention printing a list of the resident
> PostScript fonts from the printer's control panel, but nowhere could I
> find a listing.
>
> I suspect that it has at least 90 resident PostScript fonts, and would
> obviously include the original 35 fonts (Courier, Helvetica, Palatino,
> etc...) contained in the Apple LaserWriter Plus, plus a whole bunch more.
>
> In your GS/OS applications, you will want to use screen fonts (either
> bit-mapped or TrueType with Pointless) that have names corresponding to
> the PostScript fonts present in the printer. The DCPPD does *not*
> download bitmapped IIgs fonts, but rather specifies in the PostScript
> job the name of the font requested. In most cases, if that font is not
> present, then the printer will use the Courier font instead.
>
> So, if the names of the fonts you using are even slightly different,
> there will not be a match.
>
> One solution is to rename (only if necessary, obviously) your TrueType
> font name (there are utilities to do this) so that it does match the
> PostScript font name.
>
> If you need to use a font that is not resident in the printer, it must
> first be downloaded to the printer. I might suggest the LaserBeam 1.1
> program (from GS+ Magazine) for doing that. It also allows one to
> re-name the PostScript font as it is being downloaded, so that would be
> another method of insuring a match between your GS/OS screen fonts and
> the printer fonts.
>
> Unrelated to the DCPPD --
>
> Your printer also supports PCL 5e, so you can also use it with the
> Harmonie drivers. As you probably know, Harmonie, since it sends a
> bit-mapped image of most objects (rendered on the Apple IIgs), will be a
> great deal slower than PostScript and probably much lower in quality.
> But, it *does* download font bitmaps if that is what you need.
>
> Finally -- since the interface here will be the Uthernet II / Ethernet
> connection, we still don't have a widespread way of printing from ProDOS
> 8 applications (such as AppleWorks) over Ethernet. I do know this
> problem has been/is being worked on, but that's all the information I
> can share at the moment.
>
> Please let me know if I can answer any questions for you on any of this,
> and please let us know how it goes for you.
>
>
>
>
> Hugh Hood
> On 10/18/2021 11:20 PM, Sargenle53 wrote:
> > Hugh.
> >
> > I have been so interested in your updated LaserWriter driver that I
> > have been searching with these 4 requirements.
> >
> > TCP port 9100
> >
> > PS 3
> >
> > PCL 5/5e to PCL 6
> >
> > Ethernet 10/100
> >
> > I came across this little B&W printer (Xerox B210) that seems to
> > check all the boxes.
> >
> > https://download.support.xerox.com/pub/docs/B210/userdocs/any-os/en_GB/Xerox_B210_sfp_ug_en.pdf?_ga=2.127546381.1093801063.1634612854-971138043.1634612854
> >
> > I am going to buy this printer for use on the GS (ROM 01, GS/OS
> > 6.0.4, Uthernet ll)
> >
> > Before I do, based on your knowledge of the driver, PCL and PS
> > requirements, do you have any thoughts on compatibility.
> >
> > Mostly printing letters with TrueType and or Bitmap fonts.
> >
> > Leon
> >
> >
Hugh.

Took a while for me to print the list of PS and PCL fonts from the Xerox B210. Was able to get them printed through CUPS, I did not think of it, ah, for a few years as the install CD does not run as the version of OS X I am running is 64 bit and the CD is not.

So, I wanted to email you the samples of the fonts but I could not find an email address for you at Apple2works.com

Let me know if you want me to send you these samples. Perhaps you can help me understand some of the information on the sheets as it pertains to font ids and Esc sequences.

If your interested, let me know..

Thank you.

Leon

Leon,

Sure, I'd like to see the fonts that Xerox built into their printer,
just to see if anyone is including in the printer's firmware more PCL
and PostScript fonts than they used to.

{FWIW, on HP printers you can print a hardcopy of those font listings
from the menu on the printer's own display panel, but I don't know about
your Xerox}.

The font ids and Esc sequences you mentioned will pertain just to the
PCL fonts, and not the PostScript fonts. I use the PCL fonts when
printing from 8-bit programs like AppleWorks. I use the PostScript fonts
when printing from GS/OS desktop programs (and even from 8-bit
PublishIt!4 although it's been a while).

PCL fonts are selected by a unique attribute sequence or by font ID.
PostScript fonts (from within a PostScript job) will be selected by
name. Within AppleWorks, for example, I'll either specify those
sequences by using the CPI settings (or Proportional font selection) or
I just embed an escape character using AppleWorks 'special code' feature
and then complete the sequence. That can get tricky if you also are
using CPI sequences, but you eventually figure out what needs to be done
to get the result you want.

The email address -- I think your news client will show this if you
hover the mouse over my name, but just in case it doesn't it is my name
(first and last without punctuation) at earthlink DOT net.

Hugh Hood

On 7/31/23 10:01 PM, Leon wrote:
> Hugh.
>
> Took a while for me to print the list of PS and PCL fonts from the Xerox B210. Was able to get them printed through CUPS, I did not think of it, ah, for a few years as the install CD does not run as the version of OS X I am running is 64 bit and the CD is not.
>
> So, I wanted to email you the samples of the fonts but I could not find an email address for you at Apple2works.com
>
> Let me know if you want me to send you these samples. Perhaps you can help me understand some of the information on the sheets as it pertains to font ids and Esc sequences.
>
> If your interested, let me know..
>
> Thank you.
>
> Leon