Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Path: utzoo!mnetor!seismo!rutgers!cbmvax!daveh From: daveh@cbmvax.cbm.UUCP (Dave Haynie) Newsgroups: comp.sys.amiga Subject: Re: Re: The trouble with the Amiga Message-ID: <1118@cbmvax.cbmvax.cbm.UUCP> Date: Mon, 15-Dec-86 12:48:48 EST Article-I.D.: cbmvax.1118 Posted: Mon Dec 15 12:48:48 1986 Date-Received: Tue, 16-Dec-86 21:33:55 EST References: <1257@cadovax.UUCP> Organization: Commodore Technology, West Chester, PA Lines: 79 > > I've found it difficult, or rather virtually impossible to get DPaint to > print stuff out that includes text fonts cleanly. I'm using a Canon 1080a > color ink jet, with a driver I found on Compu$erve. > > I know DPaint II seems to be better at it, but I'd like to know, where is > the problem. Can the printer driver correct this better, or is it a > DPaint problem? The printer.device can print things out in a variety of way. It can be told to give you integer pixel mapping (what you want for text), scaled as a % of the total printer size (better for graphics), or absolute measured size (like, for CAD applications). Along with this are various modifiers, one of which forces the output to maintains a consistent aspect ratio. Now, if I tell the printer.device to give me a full page with consistant aspect ratio, from a 640x200 screen (for example), and my printer gives me 1200 pixels across, you know something's going to come out a little weird. The problem with DPaint is that it asks for a full-size, consistant aspect-ratio printout. This is hardwired into the program, so as long as you're using DPaint's printing option, you're only using a very small protion of the full power of the printer device. The only thing I can think of that might help you out is to fool around with the margins in Perferences; I think DPaint looks at these (never used it much, I could be wrong). If it is looking, you might be able to get very close to forcing DPaint into an integer-ratio pixel mapping by selecting the right margins. If not, you may have to look around for a better IFF printing utility. > Is it possible to produce printer drivers that will force a more 1 to 1 > pixel mapping screen-to-printer? My Canon has 640 dots across, and that > seems like a pretty good fit! I've been able to set up DPaint to give me > a good 640 across fit by adjusting the page width with preferences, but > then the page length seems to have no effect, and the mapping comes out > 1 to 1 horizontally but not vertically. This is because DPaint is still telling the program to produce a consistant aspect ratio, which almost invariably requires vertical scaling to take place. > I then end up with several > horizontal lines being replicated in various places apparently to compensate > for the aspect ratio. I'd like to turn this off, and get a more 1 to 1 > mapping both horizontal and vertical. Not just with DPaint, but with the > NotePad and whatever else I can muster. The DPaint folks should have offered you more options in the print menu. Turning off the Aspect Ratio flag would give you the results you're looking for, they just don't let you do it. > So what should be the answer here? Better guidelines for applications > programmers? Better guidelines for printer-driver-writers? New features > /options in the drivers? You'll probably see this problem with most printers; the scaling doesn't mess with images too badly, especially if you're also using the dithering provided by the print driver to simulate color. But unless you've got a printer that has a very large DPI number, text is going to look funny when its scaled to non-integer ratios in either direction. I don't think its a problem with the driver at all, its the application program. None of this stuff was hidden from the application programmer, its all there in the ROM Kernel Manual, in the section on the printer device. I could see DPaint I missing some of this, they were probably rushing to get it out, and they were the first. DPaint II, however, really has no excuses; neither does NotePad (since it was written a C-A). Its sounds like basic programmer laziness. > Keith Doyle -- ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Dave Haynie {caip,ihnp4,allegra,seismo}!cbmvax!daveh "Laws to supress tend to strengthen what they would prohibit. This is the fine point on which all the legal professions of history have based their job security." -Bene Gesserit Coda These opinions are my own, though for a small fee they may be yours too. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~