PC printing vs MAC printing

[bbaliner]

Hi everyone,

It seems like PC is more agreeable with FM printing. For instance, on PC it is enouph to specify Print Setup, and then create the script based on it. The script will remember the settings, but other applications will not (good)

On MAC, however, you must "save the settings" if you need to specify tray or just print current record. Fine, but these settins are saved globally for all applications on this machine. So now if I'm printing the word doc, it'll be printed with same settins as File Maker layout (bad)

Also, I think MAC prints based on the Layout Mode, while PC looks at the Preview mode.

Is there a way around it?

Thanks for your help.

Bikeboy

[BobWeaver]

If you're using a postscript printer, then you can use Applescript and hacked .ppd files to change paper trays number of copies etc. It's messy but it works. I posted the details in the development standards forum a few months ago.

[bbaliner]

BobWeaver,

I am using a postscript printer. Could you please explain what hacked.ppd files are?

I saw your solution on development standards, but how do I tell the printer to have certain settings (print current record, tray 2) only for this script, without saving those settings globally on this machine?

Thanks for your advise

[BobWeaver]

I posted two topics on printer selection. Did you read the correct one? Here is the link:

http://www.fmforums.com/ubb/ultimatebb.php?ubb=get_topic;f=8;t=000030

To summarize:

You create new .ppd files that override the tray selection, so that the user's tray selection from the print dialog is ignored. So, if you want to print using the bottom tray without having the user manually select it, you create a special .ppd file (call it BtmTray.ppd) that ignores the user selection, and causes the print job to use the bottom tray. Put it in the printer descriptions folder along with the regular .ppd file.

You use applescript to substitute this 'hacked' .ppd file for the regular one. You do your printing. Then, you use Applescript to restore the original .ppd file. The details are all given in the original post.

To override the default number of copies, you should be able to find the .ppd code for that and modify it accordingly. I haven't needed to do this so far, so I haven't experimented with it.

Also, I'm no expert on Postscript. I expect that a Postscript expert could modify the .ppd file to do things like print the first page from the top tray, the next three pages from the bottom tray and then repeat the cycle. Great for printing multi-page letters and such.

Ultimately, you could use Applescript in combination with a scriptable text editor to cusomize .ppd files on the fly.

[edit: corrected "file" to "folder"]

[ April 15, 2002, 11:22 AM: Message edited by: BobWeaver ]

[bbaliner]

Thank you BobWeaver,

Applescript is totally new to me, I will play around with it. It seems like I can learn a lot from your post.

Biking days are here again!