BASIC Support for LaserWriters and ImageWriters I, II, LQ (30048)

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The following is a description of the Apple ImageWriter I and ImageWriter II printers and their features:

1. Are dot-matrix printers
2. Can print ASCII bytes in character mode and also bit-graphic images of characters in graphics mode
3. ImageWriter file in the System Folder is the driver
4. Supported by BASIC

The following is a description of the Apple ImageWriter LQ Printer and its features:

1. Is a high-resolution dot-matrix printer
2. Requires special fonts installed in the Macintosh System file
3. Prints bit-graphic images of characters
4. BASIC does not support the following statements on the ImageWriter LQ:

   LPRINT
   LLIST
   LCOPY
   The "LPT1:DIRECT" device

5. BASIC supports the following features on the ImageWriter LQ:

   OPEN "LPT1:"
   OPEN "LPT1:PROMPT"
   The PRINT option from the File menu to print a program listing

The following is a description of the Apple LaserWriter and the Apple LaserWriter+ and their features:

1. Use PostScript (from Adobe, Inc.) page-description language to print
2. Use LaserWriter and Laser Prep driver files in the System Folder
3. BASIC does not support the following statements on the LaserWriter:

   LPRINT
   LLIST
   LCOPY
   The "LPT1:DIRECT" device

4. BASIC supports the following features on the LaserWriter:

   OPEN "LPT1:"
   OPEN "LPT1:PROMPT"
   The PRINT option from the File menu to print a program listing

5. The BASIC Interpreter Version 3.00 supports the Apple LaserWriter only with Version 4.10 LaserWriter and Laser Prep files on the Macintosh System Version 3.2.
   
   The "Device I/O" error, the "Out of Heap Space" error, and system hanging can occur when printing from BASIC Version 3.00 with later versions of LaserWriter, Laser Prep, and Macintosh System files.
6. Programs compiled with the BASIC Compiler Version 1.00 should work correctly with any version of the LaserWriter, Laser Prep, and Macintosh System files.
7. QuickBASIC Compiler Version 1.00 programs require a Macintosh System no earlier than Version 4.1 and should work with the versions of the Laserwriter and Laser Prep associated with this System.

The following is a description of the Apple LaserWriter NT and its features:

1. Contains a 68000 chip on board
2. Uses PostScript (from Adobe, Inc.) page-description language to print
3. Not fully tested with BASIC, but results should be the same as for the normal LaserWriter (please refer to the LaserWriter description above)

The following is a description of the Apple LaserWriter NTX and its features:

1. Contains a 68020 chip on board
2. Uses PostScript (from Adobe, Inc.) page-description language to print
3. Not fully tested with BASIC, but results should be the same as for the normal LaserWriter (please refer to the LaserWriter description above)

The following is a description of the Apple LaserWriter SE and its features:

1. Directly connects to the Macintosh and cannot be used on the AppleTalk Network
2. Uses Macintosh QuickDraw CALLs instead of PostScript language to print
3. Requires a special printer driver
4. Not tested with BASIC, and probably will not work correctly with BASIC

The following is a description of the General Computer Personal Laser Printer and its features:

1. Connects directly to the Macintosh
2. Not tested with BASIC

To confirm the version number of the ImageWriter or LaserWriter file, do the following:

1. Select (single click) the file.
2. Choose Get Info from the File menu (or press COMMAND-I). The Get Info box usually contains version-number information.

Please note that you can use the WINDOW OUTPUT #n statement to redirect screen graphics and fonts to the above devices named "LPT1:" and "LPT1:PROMPT" after opening them as #n with the OPEN statement. (The character-mode device name "LPT1:DIRECT" does not support WINDOW OUTPUT #n.)