BufferInit v1.14 ref. file BufferInit_v114.zip After downloading, unzip using WinZIP or a similar utility. Resulting file is BUFFERINIT.SHK After transferring BUFFERINIT.SHK to your Apple IIgs, unShrink using GS.ShrinkIt ("GSHK", "ShrinkIt.GS", ...). BufferInit v1.14 Documentation Printer Buffer software for the Apple IIgs Copyright (C) 1989 by Jeff Noxon What Is BufferInit? BufferInit is a FREEWARE program for your GS that will automatically expand your printer buffer every time you boot your system. Please give copies of BufferInit to everyone you know. There are three files included with BufferInit: BufferInit.docs --> This file. (renamed) BufferInit.32 --> The 32k buffer version. Installing this file will create a 32k buffer for your printing. BufferInit.64 --> The 64k buffer version Installing this file will create a 64k buffer for your printing. Compatibility with Software BufferInit should work under all versions of ProDOS 16 later than 1.3 and all versions of GS/OS. Most of the testing has been done under system disk version 5.0.2 however. BufferInit is only compatable with printers connected to the Printer Port in the back of the GS. BufferInit will buffer most ProDOS 8 programs and most GS/OS or ProDOS 16 programs that do not use the desktop interface (super-hires, pull down menus, etc.) The exception to this rule is programs that bypass the GS's print driver tool. I have the understanding that one such program is WordPerfect GS, therefore I would expect it's printing to be buffered perfectly. BufferInit won't interfere with the operation of these programs, but it also won't provide any buffering when you print with them. This might change with future versions of GS/OS that do not enforce this limitation. Installing BufferInit The first thing you must do is go into the control panel and make sure that Buffering for the printer port is set to "Yes". If you choose to skip this step BufferInit won't buffer a thing. Now you need to decide how big you want your buffer to be. If your print large files, then you will probably want to use the 64k version. Otherwise, I would suggest using the 32k version so that another 32k of your computer's memory can be spared for other tasks. I also suggest using the 32k version if you have a limited amount of memory in your system. Do not try to use both the 64k and the 32k versions, because the buffer cannot exceed 64k! To install BufferInit program on a system disk, you need to copy the file "BufferInit.xx" into the system/system.setup folder of the system disk (note that the "xx" will be "64" or "32" depending on the size of the buffer you want). If you are using the finder, open the "System" folder on your system disk, and then open the "System.Setup" folder within it. Then drag the file BufferInit.XX into the "System.Setup" folder. The file will then be copied onto the boot disk. You can install BufferInit on as many boot disks as you like, and it takes very little disk space. If you are using a hard disk, I suggest simply installing BufferInit on the hard disk instead. Using BufferInit BufferInit works transparently. Simply start printing something, and when BufferInit's buffer is loaded up your system will be free to do other things. You can even exit the program that started the printing and run something else. I have had no problems with switching between applications or between ProDOS 8 and GS/OS while printing. Many applications (including AppleWorks) will not allow you to buffer two documents at once. In other words, if you start printing one file and before it's finished you start on another one, the second document might start printing before the first one is finished. This happens because those programs initialize the printer every time you print a new file, clearing the print buffer in the process. This just means it is better to wait for one document to finish before you start another. A few programs exist that create their own buffer for printing. These programs also destroy that buffer when you exit them. The problem here is that your buffer might be knocked back down to the 2k default. If this happens, then go into the desk accessories menu and select "Resize Print Buffer". Not much will appear to happen, but the printer buffer will be restored to it's 64k (or 32k) size. This function is also useful if you run a program that creates an 8k buffer, for example, because you can force it to use BufferInit's larger buffer instead. Clearing the print buffer can be accomplished by selecting "Resize Print Buffer" also. For example, if you start printing a document and for some reason you want to stop printing, select the "Resize Print Buffer" desk accessory to do that. If you are using a program that has a buffering option, be sure to tell it you DON'T want buffering. This will save memory and should keep BufferInit's buffer active when you exit that program. A good example is AE's AppleWorks Expander program -- if you use the AE Expander, you should set the GS Print Buffer to OFF. On a final note, if BufferInit can't find enough memory when it is loaded, it will not install the "Resize Print Buffer" CDA and the buffer will not be active. If you don't have enough memory for a buffer it is unlikely you have enough memory to run any application programs, however it is possible this might happen on systems with little RAM. Credits BufferInit was written in 65816 assembly language by Jeff Noxon. I used the Merlin 16 assembler, which is a great assembler to use if you are writing small programs which don't need to be linked with other languages. If you are a beginning assembly programmer, I suggest you look into it. If you wish to include BufferInit with your (commercial or otherwise) program, I have no problem with that as long as you give proper credit to me in your documentation. --- If you have found a bug in BufferInit, or want to send me comments or donations, you can write me at: Hybit Software 11806 S. Marcia Circle Houston, Texas 77071 or by network: uucp: [ucsd, nosc] ..!crash!pro-houston!jeffn inet: jeffn@pro-houston.cts.com arpa: crash!pro-houston!jeffn@nosc.mil