Checksum: 14804 Path: utzoo!utgpu!tj From: tj@gpu.utcs.toronto.edu (Terry Jones) Date: Thu, 17-Dec-87 10:14:35 EST Message-ID: <1987Dec17.101435.26808@gpu.utcs.toronto.edu> Organization: University of Toronto Computing Services Newsgroups: comp.lang.postscript Subject: Re: Problem with printing large PostScript files References: <3203@vdsvax.steinmetz.UUCP> <1987Dec16.164551.9109@jarvis.csri.toronto.edu> Reply-To: tj@gpu.utcs.UUCP (Terry Jones) Distribution: na >We have similar problems here with people switching printers from Appletalk >back to the serial port without power cycling. The Apple prologue is still >in memory, and subsequent TeX/troff jobs mysteriously run out of memory... >If only there was a way to >a) given the exitserver passwd, clear the internal memory >or at least >b) reset the printer softly, without the damage repeated power cycling > inflicts. Just thought I would follow up on this. We are in a position where we power cycle the printer between EACH user here. Even if we don't switch from one communication to another. A couple of reasons for this. We charge for output (amazing!) and we use the page count the comes up on the startup page as hardcopy record. Also as mentioned it clears the printer memory. EVEN when two users in a row are on the Mac the printer should be cycled because there are so many different versions of Laser-Prep that are neither upward or downward compatible that either the software chokes and says power cycle the printer, or else the thing bombs with an obscure PostScript error. If we were in a position where people coming in could be prevented from using their system and finder and LaserPrep then maybe the second reason wouldn't be valid, but likely it would turn out that they either NEEDED a more recent version or else a VERY old version. This still comes back to the fact that LaserPrep permanently stores things in printer ram. So it takes a couple of seconds to download LaserPrep each time... big deal. DON'T use exitserver. DO read the PostScript developers guide. Save yourselves headaches. Oh well. Maybe ONE developer is listening out there somewhere. tj