RE: FrameMaker and Windows 2000

["Brierley, Sean" <Sean -at- Quodata -dot- Com>]

Hallo:

I recommend you visit the Adobe sponsored User-toUser Forums. Goto
http://www.adobe.com and follow the support links to User to User Forums.

For example, Dov Isaacs posted the following there:

The following information relates to support for PostScript printing and
related issues under Microsoft's recently released Windows 2000: 
(1) There are no current plans for an AdobePS PostScript printer driver
version for Windows 2000. The AdobePS 5.x drivers do not install under
Windows 2000. 
(2) The PostScript printer driver that ships with Windows 2000 is the result
of a joint project of Adobe and Microsoft. It is functionally equivalent to
AdobePS 5.1.1+. 
(3) There is an updated PostScript printer driver already posted on
Microsoft's Windows 2000 update site. This update resolves a severe
incompatibility problem between FrameMaker 5.5.x and the PostScript printer
driver for generating Acrobat data and for separations printing. This
updated driver is functionally equivalent to AdobePS 5.1.2. The URL to
obtain this updated driver is: 
<<http://microsoft.com/windows2000/downloads/recommended/q252891/default.asp
>> 
(4) There is currently NO facility to create printer instances with the
PostScript printer driver using any general user-specified PPD as you
currently may with the AdobePS PostScript printer drivers with Windows NT 4.
You must use the "Add Printer" wizard within the Printers window. The
Microsoft-provided, abbreviated PPD files may or may not directly correspond
to the PPD files you currently have and/or really need. And not all printer
models may be included with the wizard. "Fixing" the wizard to correct this
problem requires hacking around with .inf files. We recommend that you
"don't try this at home!" 
(5) To address the very severe shortcomings of (4) above, Adobe is currently
completing the testing of a comprehensive Windows PostScript printer driver
installation package for ALL "current" versions of Windows (Windows'9x,
Windows NT 4, and Windows 2000). Based upon the version of Windows detected,
this installer installs the latest version of the driver (AdobePS 4.x for
Windows'9x, AdobePS 5.x for Windows NT 4, or uses the system driver for
Windows 2000), and provides the capability of creating new printer instances
based on user-specified PPD files. 
(6) Installation of Acrobat 4.05a under Windows 2000 does automatically
create a printer instance for the Acrobat Distiller printer using the
correct Distiller PPD along with the system PostScript driver! 
(7) For users upgrading a Windows NT 4 system to Windows 2000 ... Existing
driver instances using AdobePS 5.1.x actually continue to work under Window
2000, albeit with a different user interface than the native Windows 2000
driver. However, new printer instances using AdobePS 5.1.x cannot be created
once the system is upgraded to Windows 2000. 
(8) Type 1 font support in terms of simple installation, screen display, and
driver integration is now provided natively by Windows 2000. ATM (Adobe Type
Manager) now has only two functions under Window 2000: 
a) The full version of ATM provides true font management functions in terms
of activation, deactivation, etc. of fonts and sets of fonts. (These
functions are NOT provided by the "lite" version of ATM!) 
(b) Multiple Masters font instances are NOT supported natively via Windows
2000. ATM continues to provide such support. 
The existing current version of ATM for Windows NT 4, ATM 4.0, is reported
to work as a font manager under Windows 2000 although a new version of ATM,
specifically tested for Windows 2000, will be available in a few months. 
(9) InDesign 1.0 for Windows does not support the native Windows 2000
PostScript driver. A version that does fully provide such support will be
available within a few months. 
- Dov 

Otherwise, your company sounds a tad Dilbertian. Tell him no deadlines can
be met if the change happens because the fledgling OS has not been planned
for and preliminary testing shows it incompatible with major tool . . .
<sigh>. How can you switch operating systems without planning, considering
your major software and tools . . . oh, you know . . .?
Bonne chance.
Sean
sean -at- quodata -dot- com


> -----Original Message-----
> From:	Gilda_Spitz -at- markham -dot- longview -dot- ca
> [SMTP:Gilda_Spitz -at- markham -dot- longview -dot- ca]
> My life has been a living hell lately, due to a major deadline crunch. I'm
> hoping some of you techwr-lers can help.
> 
> In the midst of all the regular overtime and aggravation that is pretty
> well standard at deadline-time, I was informed that our department had to
> switch over to Window 2000 (we're now on Win 95). I was given no advance
> warning, and therefore no time to do any research. I've been scrambling to
> test our various pieces of software on the one computer that has Win 2000
> installed. They want to switch the others any day now. Just what I need
> right now : - 0
> 
> I'm finding lots of problems, mostly related to fonts and printer drivers.
> We've downloaded the updated PostScript printer driver from the MS Win
> 2000
> web site, but we're still having trouble. Adobe says that Frame is not yet
> supported on Win 2000. There are also major problems with Quadralay Web
> Works Publisher, related to their Rasterizer.
> 
> I've explained all this to upper management. I've begged the VP to allow
> us
> to stay on Win 95 for now, but he's been pretty adamant so far.
> 
> Can anyone out there make any suggestions? I'm at the end of my rope.
> 
> Gilda Spitz