Apple 310 manual Software Parameters, Product Strings, Communication Device Parameters

C H A P T E R 2

LaserWriter Select 310 Software

Product Strings

Table 2-2 lists values assigned to the product strings associated with the LaserWriter Select 310 printer.

Table 2-2	Product string values
String name	Type	Value
product	string	LaserWriter Select 310
productA	string	LaserWriter Select 310
version	string	52.5

Software Parameters

This section defines the software parameters that enable you to set up and configure the LaserWriter Select 310 printer. These parameters fall into two broad categories:

■communication device parameters

■compatibility operators

Communication Device Parameters

The LaserWriter Select 310 printer has two communication ports: an RS-232 serial port and a Centronics 36-pin parallel port. The section “Setting Communication Parameters,” later in this chapter, defines communication channel parameters. Chapter 3, “Communication Channels,” provides detailed information on this subject.

The LaserWriter Select 310 printer does not need to change parameters for the parallel communication channel, nor is it equipped to do this.

Compatibility Operators

The PostScript language has undergone a number of significant extensions. The language is designed to be a universal standard for device-independent page descriptions, but each PostScript language implementation supports features and capabilities particular to that implementation. Appendix D, “Compatibility Strategies,” in the PostScript Language Reference Manual, second edition, presents guidelines for taking advantage of language extensions, while maintaining compatibility with PostScript interpreters.

Level 1 implementations provide a collection of device control and system parameter configuration operators and procedures, most of which are defined in the dictionary statusdict. The contents of statusdict are product dependent, although an attempt has been made to maintain a consistent specification for common features. It is the dictionary for product-specific operators and other definitions.

Software Parameters 19