
Read_Me file for Apple printers.
--------------------------------

The majority of the files contained in the Apple directory are for the Apple
LaserWriter, the Apple LaserWriter Plus, the Apple LaserWriter II NT and the
Apple LaserWriter II NTX PostScript printers.

However, it should be noted that the definitions actually relate to the
PostScript firmware contained within the printer, so if you have installed
the firmware for a LaserWriter II NTX into a LaserWriter Plus, then you
should use the LaserWriter II NTX definition.


The "Apple.ImgWriteII" printer definition file is for the Apple ImageWriter
II printer. The text highlights available on this printer are good, and ISO
Latin 1 international characters are obtained by switching between different
language character sets, which gives virtually the same selection of
characters as on the Epson MX-80 type III. Some use of backspace over-
printing is made, but this is restricted to pairs of standard characters. It
would seem to be impossible to get the ImageWriter II to overprint two
characters when one or both of the characters requires control sequences to
print the character. Eg. character 255 () should be possible by over-
printing a y and a french character 126 (~ in ISO Latin1,  in French on the
ImagerWriter II), but it seems to be impossible to get them to come out on
top of each other due to the presence of the control sequences for switching
to French and back to American. 

The graphics resolution 80 by 72 DPI corresponds to Faster quality on the
Apple Macintosh, and 160 by 144 DPI corresponds to Best. 160 by 72 DPI does
not correspond to any quality available on the Apple Macintosh. It is
however a very useful resolution, being the highest non-interlaced
resolution available. Colour printing should only be selected if you have
installed a colour ribbon in you ImageWriter II - the ribbon that comes
supplied with the printer is black only.

Colour printing is only performed for non interlaced graphics printouts ie.
160 by 72 DPI or lower. There are two reasons for this. Firstly, interlaced
colour printing would involve an excessively large number of print head
passes (8) over the same line on the paper. Also, on the second interlace
pass the light ribbon colours (eg. yellow) would be printing on top of dark
colours already on the paper. This causes contamination of the lighter
ribbon colour and seriously reduces usable ribbon life - unless you are
happy with muddy yellows.

To connect the ImageWriter II to the Archimedes, first ensure that the
ImageWriter II does not have a LocalTalk option card installed. If it has,
remove the option card (remembering to change the DIP switches as detailed
in the ImageWriter II manual). Check the serial settings in use on the
ImageWriter II DIP switches, and set the Archimedes serial port to match in
the !Printers Connections dialogue. The standard (and preferred) ImageWriter
II serial settings are 9600 baud, 8 bits, no parity, 1 stop bit, no
XON/XOFF.

If you need to make up an Archimedes to ImageWriter II serial lead, the
connections for this are:

    Archimedes 9 pin D          ImageWriter II 8 pin mini-circular
    ------------------          ----------------------------------
            2 --------------------------------- 5
            3 --------------------------------- 3
            5 --------------------------------- 8 and 4
            6 --------------------------------- 2
            7 --------------------------------- 1
         Shield ------Cable Earth Braid------ Shield
    8,4,1 wired together                6 and 7 not connected
      9 not connected
