TITLE
    DOS PC-to-LaserWriter IIf,IIg: Troubleshootg Print Problem(3/94)
Article ID:
Created:
Modified: 		9930
3/17/92
3/10/94
TOPIC


    We have a Macintosh LC and an AST Premium II (386-PC compatible) connected to an Apple LaserWriter IIf. We have no problem printing from the Macintosh to the LaserWriter, but we can't print from the AST to the LaserWriter.

    We added these mode statements to the autoexec.bat:

    mode com1:9600,n,8,1
    mode lpt1:=com1:

    which redirects the print command to com1.

    When we tried to print screen, nothing happened. When we tested with CheckIt (PC diagnostics), we got a print error.

    We tried to print from WordPerfect 5.1 using HP emulation, and it won't print. We set the printer select switch to 1 and ran the self-test, which showed RS-232C, 9600, Raw Input. We had a cable made to the specifications in the Tech Info Library article titled "LaserWriter IINT to IBM PC: Pinouts for DB-25 Connection. We tried it both with HW handshaking (DTR) and SW handshaking (XON/XOFF) -- WordPerfect 5.1 has a setup for XON/XOFF, and we set it to on.

    Can you help us troubleshoot the problem?

DISCUSSION


    Are you sending PostScript or HP emulation? For both the Macintosh and the PC to be connected at the same time, both have to send PostScript to the printer. The printer cannot switch between HP emulation and PostScript on the fly.

    This configuration requires the printer select switch to be set to either 0 or 5.

    Here's a test you can run to determine if this is a hardware or software problem:

    1) Turn off the printer and set the select switch to 1 (HP LaserJet
    Emulation).

    2) Ensure that you are using a Null Modem Cable.

    3) Issue the appropriate Mode Commands:

    Mode Com1: 96,8,1,n,p

    Mode LPT1: = Com1:

    4) Issue a CTRL-P. This redirects the screen output to the list device.

    5) Perform a few DIR commands. You should see the light on the LaserWriter
    blink.

    6) Issue a CTRL-L. This sends a form feed to the printer and ejects the
    page.

    7) Issue a CTRL-P. This redirects the output back to the screen.

    If the keyboard hangs or the light doesn't blink during this procedure, you have a hardware problem. The likely causes are the cable, the serial port on the IBM, or the logic board on the printer.

    If you get output, the problem is most likely in software. Check the configurations of the applications you are using on the PC side.

    Note that this only tests the hardware configuration. You should set the printer back to PostScript, so that the Macintosh can print to it.

    Article Change History:
    10 March 1994 - Added keyword and reformatted article.

    Support Information Services

Copyright © 2000 Apple Computer, Inc. All rights reserved.