TITLE
    LaserWriter 16/600 PS: Sun Solaris Through TCP/IP
Article ID:
Created:
Modified: 		16781
11/17/94
8/27/98
TOPIC

    This article provides information on configuring the Apple LaserWriter 16/600 PS printer for printing from a Solaris workstation.

    It includes instructions for both Solaris OpenWindows and Common Desktop Environment, and is supplemental documentation for the "LaserWriter 16/600 User's Manual" (which has no Solaris documentation) and the "LaserWriter 12/640 User's Guide" (which does not cover Common Desktop Environment).

DISCUSSION

    Overview of Solaris Printing

    Solaris 2.x printing use lp printing available with UNIX System 5. Solaris includes two utilities that add BSD features to the lp printing system.
    • lpsystem - register remote systems with the print service: This utility supports System V network printing and provides compatibility with BSD network printing (lpd)
    • lpr - send job to the printer: This utility is actually version of lp that supports lpr flags, for backwards compatibility to SunOS 4.x
    The following instructions are provided for Solaris (SunOS 5.x) system administrators. SunOS 4.x (sometimes called Solaris 1.x) instructions are in the printer documentation. SunOS 4.x is a version of BSD UNIX and uses lpr for printing.

    Before configuring the Solaris system, the LaserWriter needs to be installed on the Ethernet network and assigned an IP address. See your the printer's documentation for detailed instructions.

    Apple Computer, Inc. supports printing only from Solaris 2.x over ethernet using TCP/IP and lp to the LaserWriter. Alternative forms of printing with other protocols, such as PAP in AppleTalk, or physical connections such as direct parallel connections are possible, but not supported by Apple Computer Inc.

    Overview of C and Page Description Languages

    The LaserWriter 16/600 and LaserWriter 12/640 provide printing support for Postscript, PCL, and plain text. Both printers support specific modes, or an "Autoselect" mode.

    This article is written assuming the printer's TCP/IP port is set for "Postscript" or "Autoselect." Most Solaris customers print only text or Postscript. These instructions use built-in Solaris print spooler features to ensure that plain text files are transmitted as Postscript to the printer. Customers wanting to print PCL from Solaris must set their printer to "Autoselect."

    Steps for "Open Look":

    1) Become root - use "su" to become root within an xterm, shell tool or command tool.

    2) Run the Administration Tool - Type: admintool &

    3) Run the Printer Manager - Click the "printer manager" button.

    4) From the "Edit" Menu select "Add Printer", "Add access to remote printer"

    5) Set the "Printer Name" - the printer name is the name of the printer queue referred to in lp command. For example, if you create lp - applelw <filename>

    6) Set the "Printer Server" - Use the hostname or IP address of the printer. The hostname should be entered in the /etc/hosts file, NIS database or DNS.

    7) Verify or change "Print Server OS" to "BSD". Click "add" when done. The new printer appears in the Print manager window.

    8) Change the "File Contents" menu to "PostScript."
    Select "edit" -> "modify" -> "name of printer"
    Change the "file contents" to "PostScript" and click apply. The default is "any" Click "Apply" to save changes.

    Setting the "file contents to PostScript" allows all files to print to the Laserwriter correctly. Without making this change, text jobs sent to the printer using lp and lpr may not be formatted correctly.

    Steps for CDE:

    1) Login as root

    2) type admintool &

    3) Select "Printers" from the "Browse" menu

    4) From the "Edit" Menu select "Add Printer"

    5) Select "Add access to printer"

    6) Set the "Printer Name"
    The printer name is the name of the printer queue referred to in lp >command. For example, if you create a printer queue called "colorlw", you would print with the using the following:

    lp -d applelw <filename>

    7) Set the "Printer Server"

    Use the hostname or IP address of the printer. The hostname should be >entered in the /etc/hosts file, NIS database or DNS.

    8) Change the file contents to PostScript.
    From a terminal window, type: lpadmin -p <printer name> -I postscript

    This command tells Solaris to convert all non-postscript jobs to postscript before forwarding the job to the Color Laserwriter. Without making this change, text jobs sent to the printer using lp and lpr may not be formatted correctly.

    Printing from Specific Applications

    If configured properly, Solaris converts text jobs to a basic PostScript job that results in plain, portrait, courier text output.

    printtool - Openwindows tool for printing files
    printtool creates PostScript jobs and will work normally. Users can type in path names or use drag and drop icons from the file manager to the icon well. The default format will product 2-UP landscape output that has been "prettied" in the mp utility.

    MAE - The virtual Macintosh
    MAE produces PostScript using lprwriter. Set lprwriter to "lp -d <printer queue name>" If AppleTalk is supported on the Ethernet, MAE users can use LaserWriter driver and print using AppleTalk as well. Newer Apple Laserwriter drivers may provide new features (ColorSync, duplex support, etc) that is not available via TCP/IP based printing.

    lp - send requests to an LP print service
    lp is the standard line command used for printing files in System V UNIX.

    For example: lp -d applelw <filename>

    lpr - send job to the printer
    Although Solaris is System V, an lpr utility is provided. The lpr command is a front end to lp and is not a normal version of lpr. However the differences should not affect the use of the LaserWriter. Example print command: lpr -P applelw <filename>

    For more information on configuring printing in Solaris, you should consult the Solaris documentation that came with your workstation. For more information on UNIX printing in general, you should consult a UNIX system administration book such as the "UNIX System Administration Handbook" by Evi Nemeth, Garth Snyder, Scott Seebastian, Trent R. Hein.

Document Information
Product Area: Printers
Category: LaserWriters
Sub Category: LaserWriter 16/600 PS

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