NEC SuperScript Network and PS Option Kit Release Note ================================================================ This document contains the additional information not available in the printed documentation or in on-line Help. .For Aldus PageMaker 5.0 User Problem may occur when a GDI-directed printing job resumes after recovering from an error, which may bring out a printer status display dialog. The printing progress dialog box from PageMaker stays on the screen even when the printing process is finished. To Solve: 1. NEC SuperScript software do some remedies of this problem so that in most of the cases users do not have to worry about it. NEC SuperScript software automatically set the focus back to the progress dialog box when printing process resume. 2. If problems do exist, try following: a. Never minimize PageMaker 5.0 during printing. b. Use NEC SuperScript print manager to do spool printing. (check the item in printer setup) Reason: PageMaker 5.0 monopolize all input control during printing so that user has no chance to change input focus from the printing progress dialog box. However, NEC SuperScript software pops up a printer status dialog and therefore takes the input focus when there is a printer error which is beyond expectation of PageMaker 5.0. Chances are when input focus isn't back to the progress dialog after printing process resumes (e.g., minimize PageMaker 5.0 when printer status display dialog pops up then resume printing), the dialog box will never go away unless you exit PageMaker 5.0. (Such kind of problem occurs for any application which pops up a dialog when PageMaker 5.0 is printing.) .Shortcut key operation when the Printer Status Display appears On some particular PC, the shortcut key operation is not available when the Printer Status Display appears. If you have this problem, please use the mouse. .For NEC Slientwriter SuperScript 610 printer User If your local printer is NEC SuperScript 610, the printer will not go into Power Saving Mode while the Local Printer Status Display is running. If you want to use Power Saving option, it is necessary to terminate the Printer Status Display. .Print mode in the printing from DOS prompt. If you print a file in the MS-DOS session within Windows, please select the appropriate mode in the DOS Printing Option dialog in the SuperScript Console as follows. - Printing from DOS application Select the print mode that corresponds to the printer driver used by the DOS application. - Printing of a file in PCL or ASCII (text) format from DOS prompt Select the PCL mode. - Printing of a PostScript (EPS) file from DOS prompt Select the PostScript mode. .Windows System Resources After starting Windows 75% to 85% of the Windows system resources should be available. If this is not the case, background pictures, screen saver and unused fonts have to be deleted or deactivated. Generally for complex and big print orders all momentary unused programs should be closed to release as much as possible system resources. In the DOS memory - in the area up to 640 KByte - more than 500 KByte recommend. Drivers and programs which are loaded with AUTOEXEC.BAT and CONFIG.SYS should be moved in the high DOS memory area. Users of DOS version 6.0 or higher can perform thus automatically with the program "MEMMAKER". .WIN.INI File The file WIN.INI should not be bigger than 64 KByte. In general all unnecessary entries f.e. no longer installed programs, fonts or printer should be removed. Before editing the WIN.INI file a backup should be made. .Defragmentation of Hard Disk Windows as well as application programs and drivers create temporary files on the disk. Those are deleted again after use. Consequently gaps are caused in the data area. Are now created big temporary files like for printout of SuperScript printer, those have to be splitted as not enough coherent location is available. This can cause a slow down of the system or an error in the printout. To solve the problem the hard disk on which Windows is installed should regularly be checked with a defragmentation software, users of DOS version 6.0 or higher can perform thus automatically with the program "DEFRAG". .Available Memory on the Harddisk Free disk drive must be available to operate SuperScript printer dependent on used resolution (300 or 600 DPI) about 12 MByte. Temporary files are not deleted in spite of an incorrect program abortion and require on the hard disk memory location. All files with the ending "TMP" should be deleted from the DOS level. .Competition Of Drivers On The Parallel Interface Each parallel interface must be required with a SuperScript printer driver with a bidirectional mode. Data transfer programs which use the parallel interface in the bidirectional mode. .Setting To Parallel Interface The parallel interface in the setup program of the PC has to be adjusted to bidirectional or compatible. If this is partial not possible as of elder PC the SuperScript has to be connected to a second parallel interface (plug-in card configurated as LPT2). It is also possible to inquire the PC manufacturer or a dealer for a new version of the setup program. Extension cards in the PC are assigned to a so called IRQ. Here, it concerns to a number from 1 to 15. The parallel interface LPT1 requires normally the IRQ 7 and LPT2 the IRQ 5. High speed interface of the SuperScript printer with a double requirement of IRQ numbers can lead to problems by the recognition of printer or can lead to incorrect printouts. Extension cards like sound cards, network cards, etc. have to be checked to the adjusted IRQ number. For PC with VL-BUS it exists combination cards containing a parallel interface too. Should here occur problems a normal parallel interface for the SuperScript printer must be used. .Connection to PC and Printer SuperScript printers have a high speed interface according to IEEE1284 which is used bidirectional. For this reason the used printer cable must be qualitative high-graded. That means all wires are performed and the cable is shield. It is to note that the plug on PC and printer have a good contact point and are fixed. Switch boxes on which several PC or printer are connected can occur problems when operating the SuperScript printer. If this is the case the SuperScript printer must be connected directly to a parallel interface. .Memory Extension In The Printer NEC SuperScript 610plus and 660 disposes of a recording for standard memory extension module of 1 MByte. Please take detailed information to this out of the respective user's guide. Should in spite of observing of all above mentioned items the operating of the SuperScript printer not be correct the installation of a memory extension can solve the problem. .Problems With Video Drivers If Windows can not be triggered anymore (black monitor) after installation of SuperScript drivers with the WINDOWS setup program the standard VGA mode must be selected and WINDOWS must be started up once again. If the printout indicates errors from Windows (conflicts with graphics driver) a new version of graphics driver should be required from the manufacturer of graphics boards or from dealers or mail boxes.