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Re: Off-topic: VPC puzzles

Hi Carlos & Everyone,

On Nov 4, 2005, at 6:28 PM, Carlo Caballero wrote:
Printing is really the only problem (no big news there) and seems
to be
related to USB confusions. I am still using VPC 3.0, and it's
possible an
upgrade to a more recent version that talks directly to OS X will
solve all
the problems. But since Russ (who has VPC 6) told me he doesn't
ever print
from XyWrite, I'm taking a chance that VPC 6 or 7 won't straighten
things
out for me (I've gone ahead and bid on a clean copy of VPC 6.0,
post OS X,

but pre-Redmond).
When we talked offline, all i had used was the printf command in xy
4. Since then, and this discussion, i went ahead and tried just
printing the current document, using vpc 6, from my powerbook,
running OS X 4.3, connected to a HP PS printer via a wireless
connection. I can report success!! (There is a way to setup your
application, in this case XY, to use a default printer connected to a
default port location. This is listed in the help.) So it does work!!


Here's a list of interesting experiences:

1. XY3 will print, but never XY4.

I can confirm that this DOES work!
2. XY3 will only print using DEFAULT.PRN, not the drivers
appropriate to an

HP laser printer. Naturally, the output using DEFAULT.PRN is severely
impoverished.
My experience, using Xy4, using the Print command in Xy4, it goes to
my HP Laserjet IV.

3. I can print to a *networked* printer reliably, but again only
in XY3

with DEFAULT.PRN, never XY4.
haven't tried a network printer, specifically. My printer is
connected to my Airport network, on another computer. I CAN print to
this.


4. Everything on my Mac, except the monitor, is connected via USB (of
course). If I have the option "USB Enabled" turned on in VPC, jobs
only
reach my desktop printer 10% of the time. If I *disable* USB, then
the
jobs reach the printer. This is the real paradox: to communicate
with a

USB printer, disable USB devices!
At least under VPC 6, as i understand it, the application that you
want to print from has to be setup properly. Since XY4 knew nothing
about USB, I have my XY4 setup to send output to LPT1 with an
AppleLaserwriterII driver. After that, printing from VPC works.

5. Disabling USB devices also makes access to an external floppy
and zip
drive regular and reliable. With "USB enabled," access is spotty,
and once

it went, I didn't get it back until I disabled USB. I don't know if I
should be embarrassed, but it took me quite awhile to think of
disabling

USB devices to get access to them.
Don't know about that. I used to use zip drives, as a USB enabled
device, and that worked. I since use thumb drives, and have them
mounted as shared devices.

6. All this playing with USB settings in the VPC preferences menu
has no
effect on my keyboard or mouse, which have always worked fine,
despite the

fact that they, too, are USB devices.
I currently use a USB keyboard (keytronic keyboard made for the mac,
the best IMO).

What is most puzzling to me about all this is the inconsistency. 
Why am I

*sometimes* able to print, even with USB enabled (again, excuse the
cognitive dissonance)? In a sense, now that I've found the secret to
getting a print job through the wires, what I have to figure out
how to get

past XY3 and DEFAULT.PRN.

Can't say.
Also, i have remapped, under OS X, the Expose function keys (F9, F10,
F11, F12) to be shift F9, etc.) and this removed and problems with
using Xy function. keys.


Like i said, i think it all works, and is doable!

Good luck!

Russ

Carlo
CarloC@xxxxxxxx