QMS Printing Notes for MS-DOS Applications: DISPLAYWRITE, Word, and Ventura Publisher Below are hints for printing from specific applications on both QMS-PS laser printers and QMS ColorScript thermal-transfer printers. Instructions are for both types of printers unless otherwise indicated. The first few sections of these notes cover general information about printing from a PC. The remaining sections address printing from specific applications. Configuring the Printer at the Control Panel Some QMS printers can be configured through their control panels. These printers have LCD message windows that display configuration menu options, and configuration (arrow) keys that allow you to navigate the configuration menu. If your printer can be configured from its control panel, you can access many printer functions, including many PS Executive functions, through it. The PS Executive Series Utilities The PS Executive Series Utilities software included with your printer shipment allows you to access printer features easily from your host computer. Included are utilities for communication setup, printer hard-disk management, font downloading, and other routine functions. If you have not installed this software, we strongly recommend that you do so now (but it is not required for printer use). The utilities documentation explains how to use and install the software. About Printing Modes If your printer supports ESP (Emulation Sensing Processor) technology, and if you are in an environment where different printer languages are used (for example, PostScript and HP PCL), you should make sure the printer is in ESP mode. This allows the printer to select the appropriate printer language (from those installed on the printer) by analyzing file data sent from most popular, commercially available applications. If you are in an environment where only one printer language is being used, you can configure the printer for only that language if you wish (as long as that language is installed in the printer). You can set the printer mode through the printer's control panel (if your printer is configurable from its control panel) or through the PS Executive Series Utilities software, which came with your printer. About HP PCL and HP-GL Emulations Most QMS printers support either HP-GL (Hewlett-Packard Graphics Language) or HP PCL (Hewlett-Packard Printer Control Language) or both. Check your printer or emulation documentation to find out exactly which plotters, LaserJet printers, and PCL levels your printer supports, and how to use them. Printer Drivers Having the correct printer driver installed in your application is an important part of achieving trouble-free printing. A printer driver file converts generic printer commands from applications into printer-specific commands. Before the printer can communicate fully with an application, the proper printer driver must be installed in that application. Many applications have drivers built in, making printer selection a simple matter of choosing a driver from a menu. If you already use a PostScript printer, the driver defined for that printer may work with your new QMS printer. If your application does not offer a driver for any QMS printers, you may be able to use a LaserWriter driver (if you are working in PostScript) or a LaserJet driver (if you are working in HPPCL). However, if you have new features such as additional resident fonts, you may want to install a new driver capable of handling these features. If your application does not offer a multiple-tray printer driver, it may not support paper tray selection. Likewise, if the application does not offer a color printer driver, it may not support color printing. Sometimes drivers are available from application manufacturers. Drivers for QMS printers are also available through the QMS bulletin board and through CompuServe; see þQMS Customer Support,þ below, for information. QMS Customer Support You have several sources of help, depending on the type of help you need: 1.Call your QMS printer vendor. Your local vendor (the one from whom you bought the printer) is best equipped to help you. The vendor has specially trained service technicians available to answer questions, and the equipment to analyze your problems. 2.Call your application vendor. Often, þprintingþ problems have more to do with the application than with the printer. 3.Use the QMS bulletin board [(205) 633-3632] or CompuServe, if you have access to a modem. The bulletin board operates at 1200/2400 baud, 8 data bits, no parity, 1 stop bit. For general questions that do not require an immediate response, simply leave your questions on e-mail addressed to the Sysop. (Turn-around time for answers on the board is typically one business day). The bulletin board is not designed to replace the Customer Technical Support offered by QMS. If you use CompuServe, type GO DTPVEN to enter the DTP forum. QMS is section 3 of that forum. CompuServe is not staffetechnical support people, but the QMS library section contains printer drivers, utilities, and announcement files. 4.Call QMS Customer Technical Support We are available from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Central Standard Time, at (205) 633-4500. You can also fax questions to us at (205) 633-3716. Please indicate whether you would like a faxed or a phoned reply. For support outside the US, contact your nearest vendor or QMS branch listed in your printer documentation. DISPLAYWRITE Printing Notes NOTE: HP PCL set-up instructions are provided for use only if you have files prepared to print on a LaserJet printer. If you can choose the setup in your application, always use PostScript for superior performance and print quality. DISPLAYWRITE 5 PostScript Setup DISPLAYWRITE 5 allows selection of the PostScript driver during printer configuration. The printer should be used in PostScript or ESP mode. DISPLAYWRITE 4 HP PCL Setup A PostScript driver is not available for DISPLAYWRITE 4. However, the printer can be used in ESP mode (if available) or in HP PCL emulation with this application. If your printer control panel allows you to change modes, use it. If not, use the PS Executive Series or see your printer documentation for how to put the printer in HP PCL emulation. 1.In DISPLAYWRITE, press 9 or F for Profiles. 2.Press 2 or R for Revise Profile. 3.Press Enter to modify PROFILE.PRF or enter a user-defined profile. 4.Press 2 or W for Work Station. 5.Press 1 for Options for printer 1. 6.Enter A (Automatic Feed) for Paper Handling. 7.Enter HPLASER.PFT for Printer Table Name. (If this file in not available, contact IBM technical support.) 8.Press Enter to exit to the Work Station menu. (Other parameters may be modified.) 9.Press ESC to return to the Revise Profile menu. 10.Press ESC to return to the End/Save menu. 11.Press 1 for End and Save. Microsoft Word Printing Notes Microsoft Word 5.5 PostScript Setup Make sure the printer is in either PostScript or ESP mode, then use the following procedure: 1.In Word, select File. 2.Select Printer Setup. 3.Select the POSTCRP.PRD driver. 4.Select the appropriate printer port. 5.Select OK. Microsoft Word 5.0 PostScript Setup It is recommended that you put your printer in PostScript-only mode (instead of ESP mode) when setting Word 5.0 for PostScript printing. Then follow this procedure: 1.In Word, go to the Print menu. 2.Go to Options. 3.To print in portrait, select 8.5 x 11. To print in landscape, select 11 x 8.5. 4.Enter the appropriate printer port setup. 5.Press Escape to return to the Print menu. Microsoft Word 4.0 PostScript Setup To set up Microsoft Word version 4.0 for a QMS printer, use the following procedure: 1.In Word, go to the Print menu. 2.Go to Options. 3.To print in portrait, select 8.5 x 11. To print in landscape, select 11 x 8.5. 4.Enter the appropriate printer port setup. 5.Press Escape to return to the Print menu. Problem with Boxed Text When printing text surrounded by a border in PostScript mode, the first character of each line has a horizontal bar as an overstrike character. To correct this problem, modifications must be made to the POSTSCRP.INI file. Before making these modifications, save POSTSCRP.INI as POSTSCRPT.BAK to preserve the original POSTSCRP.INI information. Then, 1.In Word, go to the Transfer menu. 2.Go to Retrieve. Enter POSTSCRP.INI as the filename. 3.The 19th line reads as follows: /sh /sh /sh /light /med /dark 4.Replace the first /sh with /sp. 5.The 19th line now reads as follows: /sp /sh /sh /light /med /dark 6.The 43rd line reads as follows: /.notdef {} def 7.Insert the following line after line 43: /sp {} def 8.Go to Transfer. 9.Go to Save. 10.Save file as Unformatted. 11.Turn the printer off and on to clear the old POSTSCRP.INI from virtual memory. NOTE: Make this modification to POSTSCRL.INI if any landscape printing is required. Printing Extended Characters in PostScript Appendix A of the Microsoft Word 4.0 reference manual contains a table of the extended characters that Microsoft Word 4.0 supports. Modifications are required for the PostScript driver to support these extended characters. Before making these modifications, save POSTSCRP.INI as POSTSCRPT.BAK to preserve the original POSTSCRP.INI information. Then, 1.In Word, go to the Transfer menu. 2.Go to Retrieve. Enter POSTSCRP.INI as the filename. 3.Locate each extended character to be accessed in appendix A. Note the decimal code. 4.Locate the line that reads: /foreignvec [ 5.After this line, insert the decimal code for each character to be accessed, for example: 249 /bullet 6.Go to Transfer. 7.Go to Save. 8.Save file as Unformatted. 9.Turn the printer off and on to clear the old POSTSCPR.INI from virtual memory. NOTE: Make this modification to POSTSCRL.INI if any landscape printing is required. Ventura Publisher Printing Notes Ventura Publisher 2.0 PostScript Setup Before you begin, make sure that the printer is in either PostScript or ESP mode. 1.In Ventura, go to the Options menu. 2.Select Set Printer Info. a. Click POSTSCRIPT for the printer type. b. Click the appropriate printer port. c. Click Select New Width Table 1) Click POSTSCRP.WID for the width table. 2) Click OK to select that width table. d. Click OK to save setup. Ventura Publisher 2.0 HP PCL Setup Before you begin, make sure the printer is in HP PCL or ESP mode. NOTE: HP PCL set-up instructions are provided for use only if you have files prepared to print on a LaserJet printer. If you can choose how to set up your application, always use PostScript for superior performance and print quality. 1.In Ventura, go to the Options menu. 2.Select Set Printer Info. a. Click HP LJII, 300 DPI for the printer type. b. Click the appropriate printer port. c. Click Select new Width Table. 1) Click HPLJII.WID for the width table. 2) Click OK to select that width table. d. Click OK to save the setup. Trademark Acknowledgements QMSþ, QMS-PSþ, QMS ColorScriptþ, and the QMS logo are registered trademarks of QMS, Inc.; QMS ColorScriptþ is a trademark of QMS, Inc.; PostScriptþ and Adobeþ are registered trademarks of Adobe Systems, Inc., registered in the U.S.A.; Appleþ and LaserWriterþ are registered trademarks of Apple Computers, Inc; CompuServeþ is a registered trademark of H & R Block; Microsoftþ and MS-DOSþ are registered trademarks of Microsoft Corporation; Ventura Publisherþ is a registered trademark of Xerox Corporation; WordPerfectþ and DrawPerfectþ are registered trademarks of WordPerfect Corporation; Hewlett-Packardþ, HPþ, HP PCLþ, HP-GLþ and LaserJetþ are registered trademarks of Hewlett-Packard Company; IBMþ is a registered trademark and DISPLAYWRITEþ is a trademark of International Business Machines Corporation; ITC Zapf Dingbatsþ is a registered trademark of International Typeface Corporation.