This Python script will convert an ImageWriter II data stream/capture into a TIFF file. This was incredibly handy for running multiple tests without needing to actually print it on the printer to see the results.
I’ve been rebuilding a #RaspberryPi installation that supports my classic Mac habit 😄
I used to use the awesome #MacIPGW image which includes a ton of pre-configured software like #netatalk. But it hasn’t been updated in a while so I used it as excuse to start from scratch.
I used this Pi Zero W as my starting point. HDMI video stopped working on it for unknown reasons. I added an Ethernet/USB hub hat and a #TashTalk 2 hat for #LocalTalk devices.
In the interest of science, I did an ImageWriter II comparison print of CUPS vs the MacPalette driver for Classic. I think MacPalette wins here. There appears to be better color range and the text is a little sharper.
I lifted some halftone settings and stuffed them into the ImageWriter II foomatic PPD and did some test strip prints.
At both resolutions, the result seems to be the same? So maybe that’s not the setting I need. Maybe it can’t be changed? MacPalette II still wins here!
A print is initiated from a device to the CUPS-PDF driver on my #netatalk Raspberry Pi.
The resulting PDF is placed in the AFP share of netatalk/afpd.
An emulated PPC Mac 9.2.2 running the #AppleScript below is watching for new files in that folder and will print them using Acrobat Reader to the #ImageWriterII via #LocalTalk using the MacPalette II driver.
It works, but crashes with dialog that I can't auto-dismiss.
Ok, so this centipede printer workflow isn’t really reliable so I dove into CUPS to try and see if there’s a way to alter the dithering.
I tried adding different settings to the PPD file but nothing produced any changes.
Until I added “DitherPPI” (a GS option) and it produced a result that was pretty good! I tried various values (30, 80, 120, 180) but they all looked identical. In any case, this is good enough for me!
This animation shows the simulated output of CUPS ImageWriter II DitherPPI setting approximately from 2 to 31. After that, it changes to a more posterized dither and is the same for any larger value. You can see the dithering dots start very large and shrink down with each new value.
After a few tries I was able to fully print from Quark XPress to the ImageWriter II over #AppleTalk with the #AirTalk from the #PocketChip! It wasn’t quick but it worked!