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Chapter 13. Desktop Printer Manager

Desktop Printer Manager (DPM), shown in Figure 13-1, is an application that was introduced in Mac OS 8.5. Located in the startup disk:System Folder:Scripting Additions directory, it is controlled entirely by Apple events and scripts. It does not have a graphical user interface or an Application Switcher icon. As an AppleScripter you have the privilege to control these applications that others rarely know exist, as long as they are scriptable.

Figure 13-1. Desktop Printer Manager application in the Scripting Additions folder
figs/ascr_1301.gif

As you have probably figured out by its name, DPM lets you write powerful scripts that create and set several properties of desktop printers. These are desktop icons (they can be located in folders other than the Desktop folder) that can be used for printing or otherwise processing documents and files. You just drag and drop the document on to the icon, as you would when manually placing a file in a folder. Desktop printers can be created for PostScript printers, not, alas, with the trusty Hewlett-Packard DeskJet that is connected to my Mac. PostScript is an Adobe Systems graphics programming language that has become an industry printing standard. For instance, if you have a LaserWriter, which uses the LaserWriter 8 driver, then you can control desktop printers with DPM. You can also create desktop printers with the Desktop Printer Utility in the startup disk:Apple Extras:Apple LaserWriter folder.

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