Subject: Info-Mac Digest V16 #187 MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: multipart/mixed; boundary="Info-Mac-Digest" --Info-Mac-Digest Info-Mac Digest Tue, 13 Oct 98 Volume 16 : Issue 187 Today's Topics: [*] TidBITS#450/12-Oct-98 "Insufficient System Memory to Run Word" (C) National Geographic Maps (Q) i-Mac SCSI, ADB, and HP 870cse support [!] Regarding the Graphics Accelerator virus [Q] 1 GB max? [Q] Lost sound [Q] power manager reset on G3 Series Powerbook [Q] What is the maximum length for a Serial Cable? application/octet-stream. ergonomics software package Fast scrolling Global Village PC Card software Have I got a memory leak? Help needed to conet Mac & Win NT hidden Desktop files I need help or im dead on monday Info-Mac Digest V16 #176 Internet Explorer 4.0: CRASHES Internet Explorer: Merging Preference Panels Is Mac software available? it was desperate, but it worked... : D MacOS8.5 Monitor; Blinking. To Death? Need 56K modem info Pmac 7100 and Possible bad VRAM (?) PPP: How to accept incoming calls ? (Q) Print Lag from Hell - HP LaserJet Print Lag from Hell - HP LaserJet Problem printing to DJ870 via AT Problem printing to DJ870 via AT solved (sort of) quark Express file to word or nisus writer? Repair of disk questions Set default editor with Sys 7.5? Solution to Browsing Hell? Sonnet Sonata Pro 24 Problems Third-party CD Drives for PowerMacs UMAX Astra 610S for Mac and PC? What is the maximum length for a Serial Cable? The Info-Mac Network is a volunteer organization that publishes the Info-Mac Digest and operates the Info-Mac Archive, a large network of FTP sites containing gigabytes of freely distributable Macintosh software. Email Addresses and Instructions: * To submit articles to the digest, email . * To subscribe, send email to with subscribe in the Subject line. * To unsubscribe, send email to with unsubscribe in the Subject line. * To change your address, unsubscribe from the old address, then subscribe from the new address. If that fails, try using the list maintenance form at before contacting us. * Please send administrative queries to . * To submit files for the archive, email the binhexed file with a description to . Submissions must be made by the author or with permission of the author. It may take up to a week to process; check mirror sites for the status of new uploads. FTP and Web Addresses and Instructions: * To submit files larger than 800K, email a description to and then use an FTP client to upload the binhexed file to info-mac.org, using the userid "macgifts and the password "macgifts". Or, click . * A full list of Info-Mac mirror sites is available at the URL below: * Search the archive at . Info-Mac volunteers include Gordon Watts, Adam C. Engst, Demitri Muna, Michael Bean, Liam Breck, Hugh Lewis, Tom Coradeschi, and Shawn Bunn. The Info-Mac Digest is sponsored in part by StarNine Technologies, developers of Internet server software for the Macintosh, including Web and email publishing systems. We'd also like to thank AOL for the main Info-Mac machine. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- --Info-Mac-Digest Content-Type: multipart/digest; boundary="----------------------------" Content-Disposition: attachment; filename="Info-Mac Digest V16 #187" ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 12 Oct 1998 22:00:00 -0700 From: TidBITS Editors Subject: [*] TidBITS#450/12-Oct-98 TidBITS#450/12-Oct-98 Our examination of how moderately normal people can use MacsBug continues this week and includes valuable information on how to create logs for developers when you're beta testing a program. Also in this issue, Adam looks at the apparent demise of Claris Emailer, and we note important software releases including QuarkXPress 4.04, Eudora Pro 4.0.2, AutoShare 3.0, and FileMaker Pro 4.0v2, and the "almost here" StuffIt Deluxe 5.0. Topics: MailBITS/12-Oct-98 Emailer and the Death of Software MacsBug for the Merely Geeky, Part Two [Archived as /info-mac/per/tb/tidbits-450.etx; 30K] ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 7 Oct 1998 21:59:34 -0500 From: Dan Peck Subject: "Insufficient System Memory to Run Word" >WJ Shack wrote: >> >>There is a problem with Word 5.1 on PowerMacs. You will get this message >>no matter how much memory you have on your Mac. You need >>FixWordSystemMemory 2.1 which should be available (for free) on any >>Info-Mac mirror. >> >>FixWordSystemMemory is a system extension that tries to fix a problem >>where Microsoft Word 5.1 (and perhaps 5.0 as well) refuses to startup, >>complaining that there is a lack of system memory. . . In my experience >>it is a >complete fix for the problem To expand on a previously mentioned point,if you launch any PowerMac native application before you launch Word, the System heap should be OK to run Word. As much as I hate to suggest buying anything from Microsoft: You might also consider upgrading to Word 98, which is as good a program as Version 6 was a horrible one. If you can find a copy of WordPerfect, it's also worth a look. As little known as it is, it is still my favorite word-processor on the Mac. Dan Peck Milesquare Associates ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 10 Oct 1998 22:07:20 -0500 From: abrody Subject: (C) National Geographic Maps Dear Digest readers, I just got in my copy of National Geographic Maps from MacZone today, and surprise! It is a PC compatible version only. Luckily I have an OrangePC card, and it works on it, but just in case anyone was thinking about getting a Mac version of Mindscape's National Geographic Maps from MacZone, wait a little longer. Mindscape is releasing a Mac version soon, but not just yet. I spoke to the sales person there, and they don't have the Mac version. Usually I have nothing but good things to say about MacZone. Even the person who sold me the product thought it was Mac compatible from what he read. Apparantly the people who stocked the item into the computer weren't given the latest information when it came in stock. By the way PC Connection had only the PC version when I called, and they knew it was a PC version. The good news is that it uses Apple QuickTime 3.0 for PC. The bad news is the program does not operate fully functioned on a Mac. If you want to double check that a Mac version is available, call Mindscape's sales at 800-881-9919. Sincerely, abrody@smart.net ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 11 Oct 1998 21:42:02 -0500 From: abrody Subject: (Q) i-Mac SCSI, ADB, and HP 870cse support Dear Comp.sys.mac.hardware, and Comp.sys.mac.digest readers, The simple question is when, and who will have adaptors and drivers available now to connect SCSI external hard drives and CD-R drives, ADB keyboards, and Hewlett Packard 870Cse printers. Before I even think of the i-Mac, I want to make sure the USB issue is a non-issue for the peripherals I currently own. Also is there someone making just a plain SuperDrive for USB? I don't want the Iomega Superdisk, seeing as I have had so many bad experiences with removable hard disks I don't want a repeat, all I really need is a 1.4MB floppy drive. The 120MB SuperDisk is overkill, and costs too much. Please e-mail your responses if you know of a firm date commitment for any of these products. Or you could post it to comp.sys.mac.digest as I hardly ever go to comp.sys.mac.hardware. Thank you. Sincerely, abrody@smart.net ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 8 Oct 1998 10:24:10 -0700 From: "Adam C. Engst" Subject: [!] Regarding the Graphics Accelerator virus Hi folks, Now that the backlog of postings have cleared out (sorry for the unexpected hiatus - it was caused by a file accidentally appearing in the wrong directory, thus short-circuiting the digesting process), we wanted to address the issue of the Graphics Accelerator Trojan Horse/virus. Graphics Accelerator was first submitted on 25-Sep-98. The next day we received reports of the virus and immediately removed it. It has NOT been replaced in the archives, as some people feared when the digest announcing its upload (#181) made it through the backlog. Once a digest is formed, we can't edit the messages in it without playing havoc with the digesting system. We never distribute files that we know to be infected with a virus, and we remove infected files as soon as their status becomes known to us. However, remember that there is often a time delay between the upload of a new program and its abstract appearing in the digest. Plus, we often receive multiple submissions of the same file, which can cause abstracts to appear in several digests. Finally, we don't control how often mirror sites update, so it's possible that we could remove a file from the main Info-Mac Archive without being able to delete it from all mirror sites immediately. We do scan all submissions for viruses with the latest version of SAM. That prevents all known viruses from getting into the archive but unfortunately cannot stop new viruses. In an ideal world, we'd test each submission thoroughly before uploading, but the massive volume of submissions precludes such testing. cheers... -Adam -- Adam C. Engst, TidBITS Publisher/Info-Mac Moderator -- ace@tidbits.com http://www.tidbits.com/ -- http://www.pht.com/info-mac/ ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 11 Oct 1998 16:11:21 +0100 From: "Gregory M. Gabriel" Subject: [Q] 1 GB max? Hello all, I was wondering if anyone out there could point me to some references and/or could help me out with the followiwng question: It is possible to address a maximum of 4096 MB of RAM under a 32 bit addressing system such as the MacOS and as far as I know the Macintosh supports such a huge amount of RAM. But now I read somewhere that Apple reserves 3 GB of those 4 GB for drivers, graphic buffers etc. So far I have found only one reference of this i.e. in the glossary of GURU under the lemma '32 bit addressing'. Another reletad issue is how Apple would implement this reservation? Does the System only allocate 1 GB out of the possible 4 GB as heap for application to launch into? Are there some 'official' documents of Apple out there which could clarify this issue or does someone has a working knowledge on this? It could turn out handy when the next version of PhotoShop arrives. Kind regards, Gregory M. Gabriel *** Windows NT: Insert wallet into Drive A: and press any key to empty. -- Anonymous *** ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 11 Oct 1998 10:46:37 +0100 From: John Bull Subject: [Q] Lost sound Help please. I can't get any alert sounds - just a flash of the menu bar. At least, this is the case when I don't have RAM doubler installed. With RAM doubler the alert sounds work fine. So it looks like a tight memory problem. But with what, and how do I fix it? When I go to the "monitors and sound" control panel, the check box comes up "mute". I can uncheck it, but it rechecks itself if I then do anything to cause a sound. My machine was all working OK, but I for forced to re-install the system software recently after a major disaster. Now I'm have trouble coaxing the system to love me again. Any ideas? John OS System 7.5.3 on a Powerbook 1400c. Don't suggest OS 8, on which most of my existing stuff will not work. I sometimes run with RAM doubler not installed because of a conflict between it and MacSLIP, which no-one appears to have any answers for. ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 13 Oct 1998 08:43:42 -0700 From: Mark Hurty Subject: [Q] power manager reset on G3 Series Powerbook Noticing that the battery on my powerbook was not charging while the computer was plugged into AC, I thought I should reset the power manager. This has worked for me in the past, but now I get no satisfaction. I've used the reset sequence (ctrl + fn + shift + power) and zapped PRAM to no avail. The batter still won't charge (even when the system is off and the unit is plugged in.) The AC adapter is clearly providing adequate juice to run the computer. The control strip shows the battery as partially charged and the machine is running on AC but the usual lightning bolt icon which indicates charging is not visible. When I push the battery's tester button, the green LEDs indicate a 75% charge. Clues? Mark Hurty hurty@idiom.com ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 13 Oct 1998 09:53:14 -0500 From: Philip Emery Subject: [Q] What is the maximum length for a Serial Cable? I have an Epson PhotoEX that is hooked up to my printer port (on a Power Computing Power Center 150) and I want to place it on a desk at the back of my space. To do this the cable has to go quite a distance. Just wondering what the maximum length of the cable could be. I looked on the Apple web site, but couldn't find anything. The Epson is NOT localtalk-able, so it has to be a direct cable from the Mac to the printer. Any info is greatly appreciated. thanks ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 07 Oct 1998 14:27:00 +0000 From: Dan Alvey Subject: application/octet-stream. When using Netscape browser with my Mac, I frequently try to download attachments labeled "application/octet-stream". Netscape says it doesn't know what to do woth this file. I can find no plug-ins to open this file. What's the deal. I have the feeling there is a very simple solution staring me in the face. Thanks for any suggestions, Victory@Tstar.Net ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 7 Oct 1998 15:14:05 -0600 From: jacob reichbart Subject: ergonomics software package the closest thing i've come across on the mac is an application called . it's manufactured by a company in vancouver. you have control of a 3d mannequin and can do reach and seat the figure, for example. the early version i worked with had minimal export capability but may be the current version exports dxf or eps. it wasn't originally designed for human factors work but can be easily adapted. another package designed for human facotrs studies is called SAMMIE (system for aiding in man machine interaction evaluation). it was developed at the university of loughborough in central england. i ran it on a prime system under primos in conjunction with medusa. perhaps it's been ported to unix or mac (or worse). please keep me informed about what you uncover. on 07/10/1998 1:32 pm, info-mac@starnine.com wrote: >I'm looking for a software on human ergonomics, like the topics found in >Henry Dryfuss's "The Measure of Men" book. >As I'm an industrial designer, it'd be useful to have handy software tool >that lets you play with a "Dryfuss Man" (maybe integrated in CAD??) and see >what happens in the different postures of men. > >** Arch. Paolo Bartoli >** pbartoli@iname.com >** >** http://space.tin.it/arte/bpxba ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 8 Oct 1998 18:52:44 -0700 (PDT) From: lhutzler@earthlink.net (Roy Hutzler) Subject: Fast scrolling On my PowerMac 7300 with OS8.1, the scroll speed has suddenly jumped to high speed so it is uncontrollable. I recall a similar problem with an earlier system, OS 7.5 or so, but I have not seen this problem since then. I checked for possible INIT conflicts, but the problem is there after a startup with extensions OFF. What can cause this, and what is the cure. All I can think of is to reinstall the system, and I'll do that as a last resort. Any other ideas? Roy Hutzler ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 13 Oct 1998 08:59:12 -0400 From: "Quattlebaum.Bill" Subject: Global Village PC Card software I support 500+ Macintosh users about 50 of which have laptops that use the Global Village Ethernet/Modem 56K PC Card. GV has some of the most confusing steps to install and update the laptop to the correct software version for the specific model laptop. Last week and once before I went around and around with their automated email response system trying to get a human being to help me sort out the software quesion: how can I get a single version of their software that will allow me to install on the various laptops with the installer placing the right extensions for that model. Well - I give up and after years of recommending GV modems (internal and external) I will look elsewhere. Please share your experiences with 1) other modem/ EN PC Cards and their software 2) System 8.1 and 8.5 compatibility (GV is NOT 8.5 compatible from my testing) 3) Any PC Card models that will work for modem and EN with the default Apple installed drivers so I can forget all together about special software. thanks, Bill QB Quattlebaum NIEHS ------------------------------ Date: 7 Oct 98 21:32:55 -0400 From: "D. Scott Beach" Subject: Have I got a memory leak? Wise Listfolk: I'm running OS 8.1 on a 7600/132 with 80Mb RAM. Virtual memory and RAM Doubler are not running. Every now and then, I'll check my "About This Computer..." and find that once the used RAM and the largest unused block get added up, I'm 10 or 20 MB shy of my 80Mb. I want to leave virtual memory off so I can get better performance out of Virtual PC, audio and video digitizing. My work-mate tells me that without virtual running, the Modern Memory Manager isn't used and that's why the numbers aren't kept track of quite right. Does this sound right? I thought it was always on even though the Memory control panel in OS 8.1 no longer says so. Any suggestions to solve my problem would be appreciated. Thanks in advance. - Scott ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ D. Scott Beach, sbeach@front.net A rabid Mac dude in Toronto. ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 8 Oct 1998 21:26:10 -0400 From: Ana Franca y Mirko Subject: Help needed to conet Mac & Win NT Hi: We want to conect a PowerMac 6400 to a WindowsNT 4.0. Currently we are using Open Transport TCP/IP over an ethernet network. The problem is that even the shared disk appears on the Mac desktop it is locked. It is possible to read all disk but no way to write. We try DAVE 2.0 a few weeks ago to no avail. The other end say all the privileges are asigned so we are stucked. Do you know a way to get a full citizenship on the PC neigborhood? Do you know of a simpler way to acomplish this? Any help will be apreciated. Thanks in advance. NOTA: Nuevo telefono en funcionamiento _/ _/ _/ _/ _/ _/ _/ _/ _/ _/ _/ _/ _/ _/ _/ _/ _/ _/ _/ _/ _/ _/ _/ :+) ;-) 8-{=3D Nicolas, Ana Franca y Mirko von Berner-Serbolov Alvarez Correo a Atachments a Pagina en (525)8127460 Telefono/Mensajes/Fax/Modem/ (525)8130498 casa (525)4089793 movil _/ _/ _/ _/ _/ _/ _/ _/ _/ _/ _/ _/ _/ _/ _/ _/ _/ _/ _/ _/ _/ _/ _/ ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 08 Oct 1998 16:01:44 -0400 From: hope@eat.spam (Joni Hope Julian) Subject: hidden Desktop files It seems that, with MacOS 8, there are more hidden Desktop files now than ever. There's the old style "Desktop" for floppies and System 6 and previous hard drives. There's "Desktop DB" and "Desktop DF" since System 7 for hard drives (or System 6 hard drives with Desktop Manager). But now I notice there's "OpenFolderList DF" and "DesktopPrinters DB" as well! Several years ago, I was troubleshooting a bad crop of PowerMac 7100's, and discovered they all had Desktop, Desktop DB, and Desktop DF files. Well, no wonder they crashed randomly! (The answer is a bad upgrade to System 7.5.3 or higher caused a self-corrupting system with the symptom of creating a Desktop file with a date of 01/01/04, so do a clean install and upgrade.) I explain to people that Desktop + DB and DF = schizo Mac. On Monday, I was called in to cure a PowerMac 5400 with MacOS 8.1 on the campus Ethernet. Ethernet worked, printing didn't, and it crashed randomly. As is now my habit, I started by looking at hidden files at the root of the hard drive. I saw all five: Desktop, DB, DF, OpenFolderListDF, and DesktopPrinters DB. I know that Desktop + DB and DF is bad news, so I deleted the plain Desktop (whereupon printing was instantly fixed much to the amazement of the small crowd watching me). My question is, does it matter to have the two flavors of DB and DF? Since you can't mix the System 6 style Desktop file with the System 7 style Desktop files, what about System 7 files with OS 8 files? My sense is that's OK, but I thought someone else might know more. Thanks, y'all! - Joni hope at unc dot edu ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 09 Oct 1998 21:42:48 +0000 From: Rod Jones Subject: I need help or im dead on monday Dear Sir/Madam I am in absolute dire straites, and would be very grateful for 3 minutes of your time to help me sort out my Hard drive I was getting some weird noises from my external HD. On opening I noticed that the cable from the 28 pin had a 5 pin ( 4 pins one missing) connection half way that was coming apart. However on putting it back together pulled off the two 3 pin connectors into the 28 pin mount at the back of the hard drive. Yes!!! you guessed it I had not made a note of wher it was positioned on the 28 pin. I have no manual. And would really really appricate your help. If it helps I on a MAC part no u7ns20-01-3 serial no u880vlk model micropolise 4743ns I only need to know where the pins go. Cheers Yours soon to be best friend for life Rodney jones Designer- promo UK its 9:15 PM and I 'm still at work. I call you if its helps kbu27@dial.pipex.com ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 12 Oct 1998 22:43:28 +1000 From: David Ross Subject: Info-Mac Digest V16 #176 HI There Someone sent me a AVI movie last week - it played fine on my mac without probs. QT 3/OS 8.1/Movie player 3.0 Perhaps you might try this como and see how it goes. Cheers David ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 12 Oct 1998 11:02:36 +0100 From: dw thomas Subject: Internet Explorer 4.0: CRASHES Printing, opening certain sites causes IE 4.01 to crash. Please don't tell me to go over to NN --i crashes too. I've used NORTON to diagnose the System & get a clean bill of health. Any ideas on extentions that should be removed that IE may not like or tips / other strategies on how to keep IE afloat? All replies appreciated ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 8 Oct 1998 23:33:06 +0100 From: dw thomas Subject: Internet Explorer: Merging Preference Panels I have INTERNET EXPLORER. I have two versions of my preference panels folder. (System crashed and brought old folder back from the dead) I have used IE4.0 for a few weeks and would like to MERGE my old cookies entries with the new entries. Any bright ideas how one goes about accomplishing this? All replies appreciated DWT ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 8 Oct 1998 23:01:56 -0500 From: grantp@his.com (Grant Peacock) Subject: Is Mac software available? We have a PowerMac at home... I'm hoping that our next computer can also be a Mac, but how do I find out if good software exists for the purposes it must fulfill?... and where do I look? This machine will be used for street map finder and printing software, invoices, scheduling and business management. If you could tell me where to start looking, I would be very appreciative indeed. (The initially safer choice is probably to purchase a PC, but I don't want to have to try to teach the others here Windows - since I've avoided it for almost 10 years, and I bet it's a swollen monster by now!) ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 7 Oct 98 15:54:17 -0500 From: Mark Fiske Subject: it was desperate, but it worked... : D At work, I have a couple of G3 Macs running 8.1. The other day, when I needed to bring some work home with me (and to my Mac TV, no less), I thought I'd give something a try. I packed up 8.1's new Color Picker Extension on a floppy, and replaced 7.5's Color Picker with it on my Mac TV. It WORKED (thank GOD!!!). No more guessing about web-safe colors for me! Sincerely, Mark Fiske Fake-8 Technologies. ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 8 Oct 1998 23:17:21 -0500 From: Keith Hamilton Subject: MacOS8.5 Hello, What is the main difference between MacOS 8.0 and MacOS 8.5? Where can I find out allow of info about 8.5? I checked the apple site and only found quick refference to 8.5? Is it worth upgrading to 8.5? Thankz Keith ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 9 Oct 1998 15:19:11 +0100 From: dw thomas Subject: Monitor; Blinking. To Death? Strange one: my Macintosh monitor SONY MULTISCAN 20se now blinking -- or more precisely, the screen rolls over (a bit like the vertical hold is not holding on a standard television set) Any ideas what's wrong? (All the plug in the back are tight & connections sound) All replies appreciated ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 9 Oct 1998 13:22:03 -0700 From: Frank Ripp Subject: Need 56K modem info Last time I looked at 56K modem, there were two competing standards; the general advice was to wait until the "standard" is set. Now that V90 is the official "standard", I'm back in the market. Which Macintosh 56K/V90 modem do you folks out there recommend? I'm looking for reliability, sturdy construction, and an LED readout that displays the connection speed. (My SupraFaxModem 288 has this feature - I wish every modem did!) Any info, pointers to web sites and personal recommendations will be greatly appreciated. Thanks, Frank --------------------------------------------------- Frank Ripp, Senior Technical Writer MDL Information Systems, Inc 14600 Catalina St, San Leandro, CA 94577 Phone: (510) 895-1313 Email: frankr@mdli.com ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 8 Oct 1998 12:57:32 -0700 (PDT) From: Monte Montague Subject: Pmac 7100 and Possible bad VRAM (?) Hello everybody, I recently purchased a 15AV monitor for my 7100 power mac, and decided to get some more Vram in order to run more colors at higher resolutions. I have plugged in the vram (4x256k) into the slots in the standard pds video card that came with the machine. The problem is that when I try to get millions of colors at 832 x 624 resolution, I end up with a lot of ghosting. At a lower resolution setting (512x???) millions of colors works fine. At the highest setting, I can manage to get thousands of colors and everything seems in order. My question is: Is there a program that would test the vram to make sure it works correctly? (using shareware?) Could this be a software problem? Is thousands of colors the maximum at 1024x768 resolution? Thanks for you help, Chris ps. Please email to me personally, thanks.. _________________________________________________________ DO YOU YAHOO!? Get your free @yahoo.com address at http://mail.yahoo.com ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 11 Oct 1998 14:39:14 +0200 From: kampert@ik1.fzk.de (K.H. Kampert, Univ. Karlsruhe, Tel: +49 7247 823503, Fax: 824047) Subject: PPP: How to accept incoming calls ? (Q) Hello world, I just needed to change from SLIP to PPP for (analog) modem connections to my office. On the office side we are running a modem with call-back feature and that's my problem: After properly logging in, giving my name, password, etc in a PPP connection, the office side closes the session in order to call back, but - and that's the question - HOW DO I ACCEPT THE INCOMING CALL a couple of seconds thereafter TO OPEN THE NEW PPP SESSION ?? This has never been a problem with (Versaterm)SLIP, and I am convinced there has to be such a feature also under PPP. I am running the latest version wof PPP distributed as part of MacOS 8.1 on PowerMac 7100. Any suggestion is appreciated very much! Karl-Heinz Kampert (Kampert@ik1.fzk.de) ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 8 Oct 1998 13:29:16 -0400 (EDT) From: Bill del Solar Subject: Print Lag from Hell - HP LaserJet On Fri, 9 Oct 1998, monib@adam.com.au (Monib Mahdavi) wrote: > I'm running a 7300/200, with 64mb running OS 8.1. Attached to it is a > Hewlett Packard LaserJet 6MP with 20mb of memory in it. Something that has > always concerned me is the lag that hits my computer when pages are > spooling through to the laser printer. The more complex the page, the > longer the lag. Although simple pages still bring about lag for a few > seconds at least. What happens is that the cursor becomes all jerky and > skips across the screen. I use an HP LaserJet IIp with 4 Mb with a PostScript clone cartridge which was made years ago by Pacific Page and a serial printer driver by COMPUTER:applications, Inc (919-846-1411) because that is the only way to use that old printer with an SE/30 with 8 Mb running MacOS 7.5.x or with a 6500/300 with 64 Mb running MacOS 8.1. In both cases there is a significant delay before the IIp starts printing, and it doesn't seem to matter from which application I print. > Surely my 7300 should be able to handle printing > to the 6MP without any problems at all. My IIp when used with an MS DOG (not MS Windoze) no name Intel 386/20 PC clone with 8 Mb does not start printing right away either when MS Word prints a file. However, if I send optimized hand coded PostScript down the serial port to a IIp from either Mac, from a PC, or from a Sun box, downloading the file takes almost no time, and printing begins almost immediately. Printing from MS Word is so slow on the PC clone that I wrote a MS Word macro to "print" documents to a file and a Korn shell script for printing multiple copies of a document. The surprising thing is that using that procedure to print just one copy of a document is faster than letting the application print it by itself. I will port that script to the Mac. Maybe printing to non-Apple printers will be faster with it. > I have tried switching between > foreground printing and background printing and nothing changes. Trying to > keep working and printing at the same time becomes somewhat of a lost > cause. The version of MacOS, foreground versus background printing, or the use of virtual memory make no difference. Printing on an non-Apple laser printer from a Mac is slow. > Is there some setting that I have missed, some extension perhaps? > Is this some bug with the 6MP and the 7300 (...just my luck huh) I have > tried switching between OS 8.1, 8, 7.6 and 7.5 and it's all the same. The reason for the delay in starting to print may be caused by (1) a slow processor running the PostScript interpreter in the printer, (2) a slow serial connection, (3) poor PostScript code generation, or (4) large and complex PostScript prefixes which your applications probably require to print because of the way they generate PostScript. Regarding (1): The processor in your 6MP is about four times faster than the one in our IIp with its Pacific Page cartridge. For us, buying a newer non-Apple laser printer would speed up printing, but I don't think that it would remove all obstacles to speedy printing. Regarding (2): Choose the fastest baud rate that the printer and the serial port have in common. If that doesn't work, choose the next fastest baud rate. Repeat that process until you find a baud rate which results in reliable printing. Regarding (3): There is nothing that you can do about the generation of slow PostScript. Writing blindingly fast code in any language is an art, but not all programmers are artists. The only thing that you can do is complain to the manufacturer of your software, but proving that there is a problem may not be easy, and getting them to do something about it may be harder. Regarding (4): A large PostScript prefix which contains a function library of one-character-name functions is an attempt to write PostScript which takes up the fewest characters possible. The assumption is that if a program is small the PostScript interpreter in the printer will have less to do and thus will run faster, but that optimization is nullified by the time that it takes to transmit the prefix and your file from the computer to the printer if the prefix is large. The granularity of the PostScript prefix is probably not fine enough to exclude the PostScript functions which will not be needed by the program; instead, the prefix usually contains everything that you might ever need for any possible program. If the prefix is complex, the PostScript interpreter still has to process it entirely even though not all of it may be used. > At the office we have an old 8100 that is hooked up to a LaserWriter and > it spools pages effortlessly, allowing you to print and work > simultaneously. This worries me. The woes mentioned indicate an excessively high "impedance" interface between Macs and non-Apple laser printers. Might Apple know something about the printer interface that third party printer device driver vendors don't know? > I have tried every variation of turning things on/off > increasing/decreasing memory. You name it baby, I've tried it. I'm hoping > that someone out there is craftier than I am, and can offer some > suggestions or even an answer for my problems. My wife and I have decided that when the IIp stops working we will replace it with an Apple laser printer because we have never seen a Mac print slowly on an Apple laser printer, and we will connect them both to an Ethernet hub for quick transfers from the Mac to the printer while we let the serial port get rusty from disuse. If there is anything that helps a Mac print quickly on a non-Apple laser printer, please let me know. Bill del Solar ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 8 Oct 1998 00:03:08 -0400 From: James G Hardwick CPA Subject: Print Lag from Hell - HP LaserJet 981007 Monib, I have a lesser but still aggravating lag with my 4MV laserjet & my 9500/132 with 128mb memory. The 4mv has 12 megs as orig equipment. My cursor doesn't usually jump around, but I have always been disappointed at the length of time from Com-P to output, especially with even simple MS word (both 5.1 & 98, same deal) docs, less so with excel. Can anyone comment on how long is too long for print lag, in general and in partic for the config each of us has? Thanks for everyone's help, in advance. jh ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 8 Oct 1998 03:14:14 -0500 From: Vincent Cayenne Subject: Problem printing to DJ870 via AT At 10:13 PM -0500 10/6/98, Debbie & John Antolak wrote: >Examples of the types of errors I get are "type 2", "type 1", "printer >error (-4097)", "printer error (-2882)". Have you tried increasing the memory of HP PrintMonitor (in System =46older/Extensions)? I upped mine from the suggested 245K to 1500K. I use a serial (not AppleTalk) connection from my PWB1400/48Mb RAM/OS 8.1/HFS+ to an HP870CXi but I did have problems which were cured by the afore-mentioned memory tweak=8A --------- "Crumpled bits of paper filled with imperfect thoughts" (Rutherford/Robertson) Vincent Cayenne ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 10 Oct 1998 13:47:25 -0500 From: Debbie & John Antolak Subject: Problem printing to DJ870 via AT solved (sort of) Hi All, Thanks to all who replied to my message asking for assistance with printing to a DJ870 using Appletalk. I am now convinced the problem is with HP's driver. D. Scott Beach suggested that I try installing a "wrong" printer driver intentionally. The 600 series driver had the same problem (seems to be almost the same driver). The 890 driver has lots more features, but it complained that print heads were missing from my printer. Then it went ahead and printed anyways. This convinced me that at least there isn't some sort of flaw in my Powerbook's Appletalk. I then tried the Deskwriter 500 series driver, and it prints without any error messages, in the foreground or background (so far). At least now I can print via Appletalk, and I also have the ammunition to tell HP that the problem is not with my Powerbook, but with their 870 print driver. Thanks again to those who took the time to reply... --- Debbie Antolak, JAntolak@worldnet.att.net ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 8 Oct 1998 22:50:43 EDT From: Luskin@aol.com Subject: quark Express file to word or nisus writer? My signature was been scanned into a quark express file. How do I transform this into a form that can be used with either word 6.0.1, or nisus 4.1? I believe that this should be a graphics file... I do not have quark express, but somehow I was able to get word perfect to open the file.. Somehow I was able to get it into word perfect several months ago, and used it, but word perfect 3.5e is so flaky and quits abruptly so often that I am getting ready to abandon it. I would love to be able to sign things in word or nisus writer, and fax them from this computer. Thank you. Michael B. Luskin ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 8 Oct 1998 18:57:38 -0300 From: Francisco Hirsch Subject: Repair of disk questions At 01:23 -0400 07-10-98, Luskin@aol.com wrote: >I am using a G3, with OS 8.0. I am using Disk Repair 8.1. > >I became suspicious that I had some sort of problem when my disk usage >suddenly jumped by half a billion bytes, although everything seems to run >well. Recently something similar happened to me . I am using a g3 with OS 8.1+. Suddenly I lost more than 1.5 gbytes. On searching the disk for big files I found that although the cache for Explorer was suposedly 5 megabytes, it had balooned to 1.5 gbytes. The solution: contents of explorer cache to trash. End of problem. Francisco Hirsch Computer Work Center SRL Buenos Aires, Argentina fhirsch@interlink.com.ar fhirsch@il.com.ar ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 11 Oct 1998 04:59:53 +0712 From: kwick@mitre.org (Ken Wickwire) Subject: Set default editor with Sys 7.5? Up to about Sys 7.1 one could use something called System7 Pac to change the default editor from the appalling TeachText to say BBEdit. With Sys 7.5 and presumably above, the old S7P doesn't do it. Anybody know how it can be done nowadays, with say Sys 7.5.3 (on a PPC or 68k)? Tnx kwick@mitre.org ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 9 Oct 1998 11:21:54 -0400 From: Will Wagers Subject: Solution to Browsing Hell? I have a new PowerPC 6500 with internal 56K modem and 8.1 and have been in Internet Hell since I got it. My system continually hung, especially while browsing. Yesterday, I installed the "iMac Internal 56k" modem script, and have not had a single hang since. Whether this is a real solution, I can't say, because I don't know why it seems to work, but any of you who are also in my Internet hell should try it. Cheers, Will Wagers hyle@gte.net "Reality is the best metaphor." ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 7 Oct 1998 16:33:52 -0700 (PDT) From: Joseph Oberlander Subject: Sonnet Sonata Pro 24 Problems I have a 7100 with a Sonnet G3 card, and when I put their video card in it, it makes my system crash all the time. If anyone has a fix or any information about this, please contact me. ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 11 Oct 1998 20:53:17 -0700 From: Don Gillies Subject: Third-party CD Drives for PowerMacs I just tried an experiment -- I booted my 6100 with the Apple 2x CD, and then i swapped out the 2x CD with a 3rd-party 24x CD. It worked wonderfully. The 24x CD was fully functional. Obviously, apple has placed special checks in its drivers to ensure that there are more sales of apple CD drives. If someone would disassemble the driver and produce a patch that would disable the checks, then it would be simple to use the apple driver with any third-party CD-ROM. However, if there is a need to boot from a CD - we're still probably out of luck, since Apple has probably placed the same checks in its boot ROMs, and so there would be little alternative but to burn your own boot ROMS if you wanted to be able to boot from a 3rd-party CD. All this grief from the marketroids at Apple, no doubt... ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 09 Oct 1998 03:27:46 GMT From: mslieder@my-dejanews.com Subject: UMAX Astra 610S for Mac and PC? If I have a Umax Astra 610S configured for the Mac, will I be able to configure it for a PC? -----== Posted via Deja News, The Leader in Internet Discussion ==----- http://www.dejanews.com/rg_mkgrp.xp Create Your Own Free Member Forum ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 8 Oct 1998 09:47:16 -0500 From: Philip Emery Subject: What is the maximum length for a Serial Cable? I have an Epson PhotoEX that is hooked up to my printer port (on a Power Computing Power Center 150) and I want to place it on a desk at the back of my space. To do this the cable has to go quite a distance. Just wondering what the maximum length of the cable could be. I looked on the Apple web site, but couldn't find anything. The Epson is NOT localtalk-able, so it has to be a direct cable from the Mac to the printer. Any info is greatly appreciated. thanks *********************************************************** Philip D. Emery One Dog Digs Design it's "Good Design" onedog@soup.net http://www.oil.ca/~noise/ *********************************************************** -------------------------------- --Info-Mac-Digest-- End of Info-Mac Digest ******************************