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Q69424: Meaning of Handshake Option in PostScript Driver

Article: Q69424
Product(s): Microsoft Windows 95.x Retail Product
Version(s): WINDOWS:3.0,3.0a
Operating System(s): 
Keyword(s): 
Last Modified: 30-OCT-1999

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The information in this article applies to:

- Microsoft Windows versions 3.0, 3.0a 
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SUMMARY
=======

This article contains information on the exact meaning of the Handshake option
for the Windows 3.0 PostScript driver and is divided into the following
sections:

- Meaning of Handshake Option in PostScript Driver

- PostScript Printer Driver Handshake Option Doesn't Change

- PostScript Code Sent to the Printer When Handshake Set to Hardware

MORE INFORMATION
================

Meaning of Handshake Option in PostScript Driver
------------------------------------------------

There are two selections available when you choose the Handshake option with a
PostScript device: Hardware and Software. Normally, Hardware is the preferable
handshaking method to select.

A frequent misconception is that the Handshake option in the Windows PostScript
driver is used to set the method Windows uses to perform handshaking with the
printer. This is incorrect. The handshaking method used by Windows is set in the
Ports section of the Windows Control Panel.

The Handshake option in the PostScript driver is used to set the handshaking
method the PostScript printer uses. It does not affect the handshaking method
Windows uses. The Windows handshaking method must be set in the Control Panel to
match the method set in the PostScript driver.

To set the PostScript driver Handshake option, do the following:

1. In the Control Panel window, choose the Printers icon.

2. Select the PostScript printer from the list of installed printers and choose
  the Configure button.

3. In the Configure dialog box, choose the Setup button.

4. Choose the Options button in the PostScript Printer dialog box.

5. Choose the Handshake button.

When you use the PostScript Handshake option button to set the printer's
handshaking, the driver sends actual PostScript language code to the printer.
This code sets the handshaking method the printer then uses. This setting
remains intact, even if the printer is turned off, until reset using the same
option.

NOTE: In the Windows Control Panel, handshaking is referred to as Flow Control.
Also, software handshaking is referred to as Xon/Xoff.

PostScript Printer Driver Handshake Option Doesn't Change
---------------------------------------------------------

When you use the Handshake option in the PostScript printer driver to change the
handshake setting of the printer from Hardware to Software, the setting in the
dialog box remains set to Hardware. This is expected behavior.

It is a common misconception that the Handshake dialog box for the PostScript
printer driver indicates what the current handshake setting is for the printer.
Because Windows cannot query the printer to determine which handshaking mode is
being used, there is no way for the driver to indicate the current setting to
the user. This dialog box is intended to send the appropriate PostScript code to
the printer, which sets the printer to either hardware or software handshaking.

PostScript Code Sent to the Printer When Handshake Set to Hardware
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When you configure the PostScript printer driver for printer handshaking with
Hardware, the following PostScript program is sent to the printer:

     !PS-Adobe-3.0
     %Creator: Windows PSCRIPT
     %Title: PSSWHand
     statusdict begin statusdict /jobname (PSSWHand) put end
     serverdict begin 0 exitserver/Helvetica findfont 20 scalefont
        setfont
     100 200 moveto statusdict begin 25 sccbatch exch pop 4 ne{25 25
        sccbatch
     pop 4 setsccbatch(Hardware handshaking enabled.)}{(Hardware
        handshaking already enabled.)}ifelse show 100 100 moveto
        defaulttimeouts 60
     lt{300 setdefaulttimeouts(Wait timeout changed.)}{pop pop(Wait
        timeout already properly set.)}ifelse show showpage quit

Additional query words: 3.00 3.00a win30 dwsa post script

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Keywords          :  
Technology        : kbWin3xSearch kbZNotKeyword3 kbWin300 kbWin300a
Version           : WINDOWS:3.0,3.0a

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