The LaserWriter Driver 8.x Auto Select Feature

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By Denny Carag

This article explains the LaserWriter Driver 8.x "Auto Select" feature. However, when following the information presented here, you must first make sure that "Auto Select" is selected as the paper source in the LaserWriter 8.x Print dialog.

Installed and Preferred

This setting only affects print jobs coming from the Macintosh you "Configure". Either the 250-sheet or 500-sheet cassette can be chosen as the default paper tray by selecting the printer in the Chooser, clicking on Setup, and then on Configure. Once the Configure dialog box displays, the 500-sheet cassette can be set for Installed and Preferred, which makes it the default paper tray for that paper size. Thus, if there is Legal-sized paper in the 500-sheet tray, then any Legal-sized print job uses the 500-sheet cassette. If the 500-sheet cassette is set only as Installed, then the default paper tray used is the 250-sheet cassette (for all jobs using the paper size installed in that cassette).

To access the Configure dialog box with LaserWriter Driver 8.2 or greater, you must click on Setup once to select the PostScript Printer Description (PPD) file, and then click on Setup again to get the option for Configure.

PostScript and Default Paper Tray

This affects ALL print jobs coming from ANY Macintosh since the value is modified at the printer, not the client (as in the preceding Installed and Preferred procedure).

You can set any of the paper trays (Multipurpose, 250-sheet, 500-sheet, or Envelope) as the default paper tray by downloading the PostScript code (see PostScript Code on page 10) to the printer. The default tray selected is used automatically for any print jobs of the same paper size as in the default tray that you set.

Here is the PostScript to set the default paper tray:

VALUE TRAY SELECTION
0 250 sheet cassette

1 Multi-purpose tray

2 500 sheet cassette

3 Envelope tray

Text Paper Tray Chart

NOTE: The VALUE column pertains to the integer preceding the setdefaultpapertray command on the second line in the PostScript code.

PostScript Code

Use this PostScript code at your own risk. You are responsible for the support of any problems associated with changing the default tray. You should also inform others using the printer that you have changed the default tray. Changing the default tray on the printer may cause the paper out LED to light if there is no paper present in the default tray, or if the wrong size paper is used in the tray. When this happens, there is nothing wrong with the printer's hardware.


   %=========================================================
   % Begin PostScript Code
   %
   serverdict begin 0 exitserver
   statusdict begin 1 setdefaultpapertray end
   %
   % end PostScript Code
   %=========================================================

WARNING: If you choose to use the PostScript code provided in this article, you assume all risks involved in making these changes. PostScript code, if not entered correctly, can place the LaserWriter into a condition requiring service.

Individual Documents

Tray selection is NOT stored with each individual document, however, page size is. Thus, with "Auto Select" the LaserWriter driver does its best to match the page size with the appropriate tray, depending on how the printer was configured using the preceding procedures.

Sticky Trays?

LaserWriter 8.x DOES NOT automatically use (for the next job) the last paper tray used in the previous job, unless the current print job is of the same paper size as the previous job.

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