From: dplatt@ntg.com (Dave Platt)
Newsgroups: comp.protocols.appletalk
Subject: Re: papif+fastpath5+postscript2 printer problem
Date: 16 Nov 92 19:28:38 GMT
Organization: New Technologies Group, Inc.  Palo Alto CA

>Hi There,
>
>We too have a specific printing problem connected with a FastPath 5.  In 
>our case it is a QMS PS2000 printer.
>
>The situation:
>	QMS PS2000 + LaserWriter IINT  -> FastPath -> outside world
>
>	The QMS is not PS level 2.  ( I checked with QMS)
>
>	When the FastPath is a 4, both printers are visible
>
>	When the FastPath is a 4+ or 5, only the LaserWriter is visible.
>	This is true from either a Mac or a CAP host.
>
>	(a 4+ is a 4 with the 5 ROMS + extra memory)

I've had problems with two QMS printers connected to our LocalTalk
network (a QMS 1700 we had on trial, I believe, and a QMS 860).  The
symptoms are quite consistent:  the printers simply do not show up in
the Chooser on any Macintosh (on either LocalTalk or EtherTalk) or via
atlook.

Based on experiments I've performed, I believe that the QMS LocalTalk
interfaces are particularly sensitive to the physical network-wiring
configuration... more so than any other devices on our network.  If I
connect one of the affected QMS printers to a "stub" LocalTalk net
consisting of one Mac, two terminated PhoneNet boxes, and one piece of
wire, it shows up in that Mac's Chooser and works just fine.  As soon as
I connect this "stub" network into the rest of our LocalTalk network,
the printer vanishes from the Chooser.

I've tried plugging the QMS printers into the LocalTalk network at
several different locations... including one PhoneNet box which is
normally used to drive our LaserWriter IINT (which works with complete
reliability).  They won't work at any of those locations.

Our PhoneNet is pretty large - there's a lot of wire strung through the
walls (it's a pure daisy-chain rather than a star).  It's entirely
possible that our net is outside the "official" limits of PhoneNet, and
that the signal received by the QMS printers is either weak or suffers
from reflections.  It's also possible that the QMS LocalTalk
transmitters are a bit under-powered, and other machines simply are not
"hearing" them.

QMS Tech Support was not terribly helpful... I was told that they've
seen this problem on QMS printers, and on LaserWriters and other brands
as well.  According to the tech with whom I spoke, this sort of flaky
behavior is a common symptom of a LocalTalk network which is
misconfigured or is pushing (or is actually beyond) the specified
network limits, and it can affect any device on the net.

My hunch, though, is that the QMS printers are more sensitive than most
other devices.

While we're on the subject of QMS printers - I've run into what appears
to be a significant bug in the QMS UltraScript interpreter.  I've tried
generating some output from the Douglas CAD/CAM PC-board layout
program... it comes out fine on a LaserWriter IINT, and on the 600 DPI
laser-printer at a local service bureau, and on the QMS 1700 (all of
which have true Adobe PostScript), but there are major "bleeding arcs"
(moon-shaped defects) in the output from the QMS 860 (which uses
UltraScript).

I've provided the complete PostScript file to QMS Tech Support, and also
given a copy to our QMS salesman (complete with printouts showing the
appearnace of the problem).  To date, I've received _no_ followup from
QMS - no explanation of the problem, no suggested workaround, no
estimate as to when a fix will be available.

I'm not terribly happy with this situation, and at the moment I cannot
recommend buying a QMS printer with UltraScript.

-- 
Dave Platt                                                VOICE: (415) 813-8917
              Domain: dplatt@ntg.com      UUCP: ...netcomsv!ntg!dplatt
 USNAIL: New Technologies Group Inc. 2468 Embarcardero Way, Palo Alto CA 94303