CompuServe Messages

Bill: I usually send my commands to the 890 in a separate file before I run another job, but they can be embedded into the Postscript code of any existing job. I have stripped in hopper and paper size commands in Adobe Illustrator files and also changed device-specific parameters, but I usually find its easier to just send the commands down before I run the job. Some 890 commands can't be embedded. For example, when I switch between my Mac and IBM, I have the Mac change the 890's hardware connection from Appletalk to Parallel. The change becomes effective with the next job run, so it would make no sense putting that code into an actual job. (Unfortunately, since Adobe's Parallel downloader DOESN'T WORK on my IBM clone, I still have to manually change the 890 back to Appletalk when I'm through. Hopefully Adobe will issue an update soon on the downloader). There's a great new book out call "Real World Postscript" from Addison-Wesley that has a chapter on writing device-independent coding which covers how programs make calls to various Postscript printers. Interesting reading if you're interested in more depth than I'm qualified to spout.