Miraplacid Publisher 2010 Howto

1. How to make page numbered images to be sorted properly (format page numbers in filenames)

You need to use full form of {{PAGE}} tag: {{PAGE(number_of_digits)}}.
It will generate numbers with leading zeroes.

2. How to print to Publisher from DOS program?

To set up Miraplacid Publisher to catch DOS text print job, you need to do the following:

Share Publisher on the network.

On PC with your DOS program, create the following batch file:


net use lpt1: /delete 
net use lpt1: \\Your_Computer_Name\SharedPrinter

Run this batch file.
Open Advanced Settings software.
Set Datatype to TEXT and press OK.

You should be able to print from a DOS program to LPT1. Try it out from EDIT, open a text file, and print it.

3. How to print to Publisher from service or other program when nobody is logged in?

Normally, Publisher core works under Interactive User, using the same account and in the same session as user printing application. This allows Publisher to support correctly such personal folders like Profile, Desktop, My Documents, etc.
But, when nobody is logged in, Windows does not allow COM applications to run if they are set up to be working under Interactive User account. In this case, even setting AutoSave to "ON" will not help because the core will not be started.
To run Publisher successfully in such a "server" environment, you need to:

Launch Publisher user interface from your desktop or program folder.
Set all Publisher options to desired values. Please, do not use personal folders in {{SYSFOLDER}} tag.
Set AutoSave checkbox to "ON" in System and Format options.
Click to "Administer" button in the same tab.
In Administration software, change RunAs option to System Account. Press Ok.
Close user interface. The configuration will be saved.

In result, Publisher will work in automatic mode, without user interface and under System account.
If you will need to change configuration, just open user interface, make your changes and close it.

4. How to set up Publisher to work as a network printer?

As any other printer, Publisher may be shared on a network by setting standard sharing properties in Printers/Printers and Faxes folder. You may install Publisher on your network server, share it and choose any suitable name for this shared printer.
But, you will not be able to use Publisher interactively, i.e., with User Interface. By default, User Interface will pop-up on the server. So, before you will start using Publisher as a shared printer, you will need to change and save all necessary settings, and set AutoSave mode to ON to prevent User Interface component to start.
However, you will not be able to use personal settings for this printer users - no personal folders, {{USER}} tags, etc, because Publisher core will run under the same account for all users. Additionally, if you use server without logged in users, you may need to perform steps from previous recipe (3).
If you need to have personalized settings, or need to launch User Interface for your users, we recommend you to consider Terminal Server Edition.

5. How to generate grayscale TIFF files with inverted colors

This is a common problem with TIFF format.
Some applications treat 1's as black color, some - as white. Our implementation behaves like most serious graphics software (like Photoshop). If you still need to invert colors, just check "Colors and Gamma" -> Invert checkbox in the Settings dialog.