http://www.mentasm.com/~mramiga/files/prefs/printgfx.htm (Amiga Plus Extra No. 5/97, 05/1997) |
The PrinterGFX Preference Editor |
The PrinterGfx Preferences editor provides options to control the printing of graphics. Before using the PrinterGfx editor, be sure to select the printer driver for your printer with the Printer Preferences editor.
The PrinterGfx Preferences editor contains the following gadgets:
Dithering prints patterns of dots in different colors (or different densities) so that they appear as one color or as shades of gray. This has the affect of smoothing out the picture and giving the impression of more colors. The available dithering options are:
The standard type of dithering. Color intensities are formed using an ordered pattern of dots. The dots can vary in color, but are of the same density and are printed in straight rows and columns.
Color intensities are formed by varying the size and density of the dots.
Color intensities are formed by a complex algorithmic formula. Floyd-Steinberg dithering yields smoother shading by distributing the intensities of each pixel throughout the dots comprising that pixel, as well as throughout neighboring dots.
Scaling is the process of changing the size of an image. The actual size of the printout is determined by the Limits setting. The available Scaling options are:
Fraction
Closely matches the size you have set in Limits, possibly distorting the image. Pixels are enlarged or reduced as necessary.
This option works best when printing pictures with extensive shading.
Integer
The number of dots in the printout is an integer multiple of the number of pixels on the screen. (If a picture on the screen is 320 x 200, the printed picture can be 320 x 200, 640 x 400, 960 x 600, and so on.) Select this option when printing a picture that contains thin vertical and horizontal lines (such as a grid) or text.
Image
Determines whether an image is printed normally or with a reverse shading. This option affects only Black & White and grey scale printing. When set to Positive, the image is printed as it appears on the screen. When set to Negative, the image is reversed, similar to a photographic negative.
Aspect
Determines the direction on the paper the image is printed. When set to Horizontal (often called Portrait), the image is printed as it appears on the screen. When set to Vertical (often called Landscape), the image is printed sideways.
Allows you to select the colors to print. Not all printers support these options.
The available options are:
Black & White
Colors are printed as either black or white, determined by the Threshold setting. Dithering has no effect.
Grey Scale 1
Colors are printed in varying shades of grey.
Grey Scale 2
This option supports a maximum of four shades of grey and is used for printing pictures designed using the A2024 monitor.
Color
Colors are printed as they appear on the screen. This can only be used with color printers.
Determines the colors on the screen that are printed as black or as white. This setting is effective only in Black & White mode.
Increasing the Threshold value causes more colors to be printed as black.
Selects the graphics print density. The lower the density, the faster the image prints on those printers with multiple densities. When a higher density is selected, more dots create a sharper image. However, it takes longer for the image to print.
This option is not supported by every printer.
Used to smooth any diagonal lines that appear jagged. This option is best suited for use with programs that do graphic dumps of text. When smoothing is turned on, printing may be slower.
Floyd-Steinberg dithering cannot be used with Smoothing.
Horizontally centers the printed picture on the page. Any value entered for the Left Offset is ignored when Center Picture is on.
Matches the colors on your printout more closely to the colors on the screen. Color correction can be used on red, green, or blue or on a combination of colors.
Color correction reduces the number of printed colors. When color correction is not used, all the available colors displayed by the Amiga can be printed on a color printer. For each color that is chosen for correction, several shades of that color are lost. The number of colors that can be printed is shown in the Colors gadget to the right of the color correction boxes.
Determines the distance to shift, or offset, the printed picture. This is similar to setting up a left margin. The Center Picture option disables Left Edge.
To enter the value, select the Left Edge gadget, delete the current value, enter the correct value, and press Return. Choosing Use Metric System? in the Settings menu lets you specify the value in millimeters rather than tenths of inches.
Interprets the Width and Height limits, depending on the Type setting. The available options are:
Ignore
Ignores Width and Height limits. The printed picture's size is the size requested by the application. The only restrictions are that its width cannot be greater than:
(right margin - left margin) + 1 characters per inch or mm Height is usually restricted to the length of the paper.
Bounded
The printed picture's size is bounded by the Width and Height limits. Width and Height are interpreted in tenths of inches by default or millimeters if Use Metric System? has been chosen in the Settings menu. For example, if the printed picture can be up to 4.0 x 5.0 inches, set Width to 40, Height to 50, and select Bounded.
Absolute
The Width and Height limits are interpreted as absolute values. For example, if the printed picture should be exactly 4.0 x 5.0 inches, set Width to 40, Height to 50, and select Absolute. This distorts the picture as needed to fit. To use this option fraction scaling should also be selected. Choosing Use Metric System? in the Settings menu lets you specify the value in millimeters rather than tenths of inches.
You can, however, use Absolute to get a normal aspect ratio printout that is a specific width or a specific height, but not both. Set either the Width or Height limit to the desired dimension and set the other limit to zero. For example, if Width is set to 40 and Height to 0, then the printed picture is 4.0 inches wide and as tall as necessary for the correct aspect ratio. If both dimensions are set to zero, the printed picture is as wide as possible and as tall as necessary to retain the picture's proportion.
Pixels
The Width and Height limits are interpreted as pixels. If one of these values is set to zero, the same rules as for the Absolute option apply. The printout is the width or height specified and as tall or as wide as necessary to retain proportion.
Multiply
The Width and Height limits are used to multiply the source picture's width and height. For example, if you specified a Width of 2 and a Height of 4, the printed picture is two times the source picture's width in pixels and four times the source picture's height.
Width/Height
Lets you specify the dimensions of your printout. The value is interpreted as increments of tenths of an inch or millimeters, unless Pixels or Multiply is the selected Type.
To enter a value, select the text gadget, delete the current value, type the correct value, and press Return.
Hints for Faster Graphics Printing