Contents for Options Help

Help Topics

Dithering

Contrast Control

Darkness

Print Quality

Fast Printing Direct to Port

Print TrueType Fonts As Graphics

Use Printer Patterns

Optimize for Performance

Copyright © 1992-1994 by Lexmark International, Inc.


Print Quality

Print Quality Enhancement Technology (PQET) is a technology that produces smoother edges for better looking text.  PQET is the default.  PQET provides edge smoothing for a less jagged appearance on 300 dpi jobs.  PQET is not used on Quick Print 600 dpi quality jobs.  No degradation of graphics should occur with PQET selected.

Standard printing is used to have unmodified image data printed.

Toner Saver provides a more economical way to print by distributing toner to every other PEL.  For this reason, text appears lighter when Toner Saver is invoked.  Toner Saver is not used on Quick Print 600 dpi quality jobs.


Fast Printing Direct to Port

Fast Printing Direct to Port uses enhanced parallel interface protocols to transfer data to the printer.  These protocols allow for bi-directional communication and faster data transfer.  To get the maximum benefit, the printer's Parallel Protocol should be set to Fastbytes.

Note: This option is available only for local printers and with Windows in Enhanced (386) Mode.


To set the printer's Parallel Protocol, using the front panel (from the READY screen):

1) select SETUP,

2) select MORE until ADVANCED MENU is displayed,

3) select ADVANCED MENU,

4) select MORE until FASTBYTES is displayed,

5) select FASTBYTES,

6) select ON or OFF,

7) press READY.


Print TrueType As Graphics

If your document contains a lot of graphics but not a lot of repeated TrueType text, it is recommended that you use this feature. If your document does not contain a lot of different TrueType fonts, printing them as graphics requires less printer memory and may speed up printing time.

This option is also useful if you want to print graphics over text such that only the exposed portion of a character is displayed.

To print TrueType fonts as graphics

1	In the printer setup dialog box, choose the Options button.

2	In the Options dialog box, select the Print TrueType As Graphics check box.

3	Specify any other options you want.

4	Choose the OK button.

NOTE: For the Print TrueType as Graphics option to be available the Graphics Resolution must be set to 300 dots per inch.


Dithering

The Dithering setting affects the amount of detail in the graphics images.  The overall appearance of graphics is affected by the combination of the Graphics Resolution, Dithering, Contrast Control, and Darkness settings.

Contrast Control

Darkness


Contrast Control

The Contrast Control setting determines the degree of difference between levels of gray.  The overall appearance of graphics is affected by the combination of the Graphics Resolution, Dithering, Contrast Control, and Darkness settings.

Dithering

Darkness


Darkness

The Darkness setting determines the darkness of the print.  Light provides finer line width, higher definition graphics, and wider variety of gray scales.  Dark provides the darkest or boldest text and the darkest gray scales.  The overall appearance of graphics is affected by the combination of the Graphics Resolution, Dithering, Contrast Control, and Darkness settings.

Dithering

Contrast Control


Use Printer Patterns

When "Use Printer Patterns" is selected the printer driver can use the printer's built in gray scale patterns.  This is usually faster than having the printer driver send the patterns to the printer as graphic images.  Using the printer's built in patterns does reduce the selection of gray scale patterns available to the printer driver.  Also, with some applications, white text on black or gray backgrounds may be missing when Use Printer Patterns is selected.


Optimize for Performance

Selecting Optimize for Performance configures the printer driver to minimize the application/printer driver overhead.  In most cases, printing performance is increased.  However, with some applications, selecting Optimize for Performance can result in missing or incorrect overlay of text and/or graphics.


Screen Font Substitution

The Screen Font Substitution check box controls the way the printer driver lists printer resident fonts that have corresponding TrueType screen fonts. Normally this box should be checked.

When Screen Font Substitution is on, the printer driver does not list the printer resident fonts which have corresponding TrueType screen fonts installed.  Instead, only the screen font is listed. For example, Arial will only appear in an application's font selection dialog box once. When the document is printed, the printer driver uses the printer resident font in place of the matching screen font. A document that uses Arial will be printed with the printer resident Arial font.

When Screen Font Substitution is off, the printer driver lists both the TrueType screen fonts and the printer resident fonts. For example, Arial will appear in an application's font selection dialog box twice, once as a screen font and a second time as a printer font. When the document is printed, the printer driver uses the font that was selected.  If a TrueType screen font is used in the document, that screen font will be downloaded to the printer and used to print the document. If the printer resident font is used in the document, it will be used to print the document.

There might be unique situations where it is desirable to create a document that specifies the the printer resident font rather than the screen font.  Or, it may be desirable to force the screen font to be downloaded for printing.  In either of these cases, Screen Font Substitution should be turned off.