> [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: > > Simon Goodwin mentioned in the last QL Today that there are plenty of > > compatible printers out there, as Linux faces a similar problem > > Either this was not in QL Today or I really have missed something here. Letters page, page 36 of volume 8 issue 5.
The printers page on my website has a list of QL-compatible printers, contributed by several people. > Probably one could write a different frontend for the drivers, but I > don't know how difficult that would be (my gut says that I shouldn't > touch that task with a 10ft long pole). This is always the problem with printer-type software. Many of my programs have had printer drivers over the years and most users seem to have 'problems' with them. Even the most simple of things like your driver only prints circles 99% correctly are enough to put you off having anything to do with putting drivers into software due to the sheer amount of time you have to spend on supporting the same old queries over and over again. Most people just won't accept that getting an Epson printer to print 99% circles is miraculous, never mind 100%. The printers ain't designed to do it. And if such simple things as aspect ratios cause that much hassle to software writers, they certainly ain't going to touch printer drivers with Marcel's 3m long pole. And even then you still need to > a) alter existing applications according to the new interface or b) > provide a virtual Epson printer or whatever. Given that most QLers are used to Epsons in one form or another, with most QL programs assuming some form of Epson compatibility somewhere between FX80 and ESC/P (2) that would seem the obvious way to go. Another possibility for graphics at any rate is to extend the SDUMP drivers to include HP PCL and possibly Windows GDI-type output, I suppose, though probably impractical. > > My theory (where are PROGS when you need them) is that the drivers > > actually already exist in the main on the QL - in the form of ProWeSs > > drivers. > > ProForma (which really was much ahead of its time) features some drivers > but the last one was written ages ago and therefore it will probably > have the same problems with current printers. >From what I remember, Prowess drivers only drove printers with command sets, not GDI printers. It was possible to generate drivers which would output GIFs or fax pages or whatever, though. At the end of the day, drivers are largely filters which convert one form of data into another. (Here's a block of QL graphics in memory, convert it into Epson bit image data mr printer driver sir) -- Dilwyn Jones
