ThinkC Printing from minivmac

[RickLawson]

Ok, I have an idea for an easier way to print from minivmac.

Using some python code to monitor a folder inside the minivmac image for postscript files and when it detects one it prints it using your host computer and then deletes it

This idea came to me all based on the excellent machfs module and some python code I hacked up to export my ThincC projects

This way you just print from minivmac using the laserwriter extension and use postscript and it *should* magically appear on your local printer in a minute or so

Anyone else interested in this?

 

[Mu0n]

I'd be interested. For me, the ultimate step would be whatever idea would let you print the game diploma after you beat uninvited/shadowgate/déjà Vu while you're in-game, but you can screenshot those screens with cmd-alt-shift 3 iirc and then you could maybe print off that MacPaint screen cap with an alternative to your method maybe.

 

[Crutch]

This is a good idea. Not having explored those HFS python functions too much yet, if you just periodically poll the filesystem, how do do know if you’re getting a postscript file in a half-written vs. complete state?

 

[RickLawson]

I’ll see if postscript has an EOF marker and if not will have to fall back on watching for file size to quit changing

 

[RickLawson]

Yeah it does - see example below when I printed to postcript file from macwrite

%%Trailer
cd
end
%%Pages: 1 0
%%EOF

 

[RickLawson]

Interestingly found that postscript generation was very slow using laserwriter 7 driver but super fast with laserwriter 8 driver