Printing PostScript Level One Files

[Mac128]

In the days before we could have a laser printer in every home, I would work on documents on various Macs, print to PostSript files to preserve all the settings and formatting of my specific system and application and then take them to Kinko's to print on their $7000 LaserWriter. I would hand them the disk and they would print the documents and hand it all back.

What I'm wondering is how they did it, since now I find myself working with Level 1 LaserWriter files. Was there a specific application Kinko's used? Or is it some System trick like making the PostScript files in the first place? I realize I will need a Level 1 compatible printer in order to actually print them, but the first step is divining how the files themselves were handled by the system.

Anybody remember?

 

[Charlieman]

There were various applications that allowed you to send raw PS to a printer. Cricket Draw came with one -- I recall using it in the mid/late 1980s to test raw PS files that I had written before I embedded them in PageMaker docs. Have you checked what the LaserWriter Utility from Apple can do?

If you have a Mac with System 6 and later, here are some useful tricks using Mac OS X:

http://www.vintagemacworld.com/osxprint.html

 

[Mac128]

Yes that is a fantastic site for printing old files, I'll take this opportunity to thank you for it! Unfortunately as you indicate on it yourself, printing a Level 1 PS file on a modern printer will not work, even the early Level 2 (LW 7 driver) seem to cause troubles.

As for the Apple LaserWriter Utility, I did find this: http://developer.apple.com/technotes/qd/qd_525.html

Which also requires System 7.

This solution calls for some kind of conversion from Level 1 PS to Level 2 which can be opened under Preview in OSX or printed to a real printer under your tutorial. (you might add that to your tutorial Charlieman as the LaswerWriter 7 driver will produce a postscript file which can be opened under OSX and then printed out of Preview, even if it won't directly print to the OS X printer, which by the way works all the way back to System 2.0/Finder 4.1 per http://www.Mac128.com)

I was hoping for some way to upload the L1 PS file into the LW 7 print driver and use the resulting dialogue box to convert it to a L2 PS file. Possibly the PS Level one files can be converted under the System 7 LW Utility. I'll let you know.

 

[Charlieman]

Unfortunately as you indicate on it yourself, printing a Level 1 PS file on a modern printer will not work, even the early Level 2 (LW 7 driver) seem to cause troubles.

My recommendation to use the LW 7 driver was based on the ability to use PPDs. PS Level 1 drivers do not support PPDs, and you just need PPDs to produce good output. Although I guess that any output on a 512K is good...

But Level 2 printers should just understand Level 1. OS X is designed around PS Level 2. Try installing the ESPGS libraries on OS X.

As for the Apple LaserWriter Utility, I did find this: http://developer.apple.com/technotes/qd/qd_525.htmlWhich also requires System 7.

Find an older version of the utility. LaserWriters shipped with a System 6 software bundle.

 

[Mac128]

I looked all through Apple. From available documents there is no reference whatsoever to the LaserWriter Utility prior to System 7.

The LaserWriter 2.0 install disk has nothing like it. The LW II SC installer has a Laserwriter Font Utility. My System 6.0.3 Printer Tools disks have no utilities at all. Even the 6.0.8 Printing Tools disk has no LW Utility, just a LW Font Utility. Even my System 7.0 Install disk only has a LW Font Utility. And there is nothing like that on the Apple Developer's CD from the System 6 era. A Google search around the net produces only System 7 references. In fact Apple only shows the LW Font Utility as par to of the 7.1 package.

I did take a look at the LW Font Utility from the System 7.0 Install disk and it does appear to allow me to download PostScript. So I'll report back concerning Level one files.