Slow Printing

[William D. Rouner <us252637@serc.3m.com>]

I've sent this to bug-macl and the response suggested that I post
this...so here it is:

Is there any way to speed the printing of ASCII text files?  
Using version 1.2.2, I have tried both the Fred hardcopy function
and the window example file hardcopy method modified to suppress
the print job dialog box.  In both cases, it takes about 35 to 40
minutes to print a 10 page report.  About 1/3 of the time is spent
drawing the characters into a print file, then another 1/3 to 1/2
time transferring the file to the printer, and the remainder is the
printing itself.

Were I to print the output file using another application such as
MacWrite, the print takes less than five minutes.  Two printers
have been used:  ImageWriter and the HP DeskJet.

I'm not a good ToolBox hacker (it took me a day to hack the window
example hardcopy method to bypass the print job dialog box and I
failed in an attempt to speed things up by using the PrintText call),
so working source or binary code would be greatly appreciated.  Any
workaround will do, either to ACL itself (preferred) or a function
that launches another application to print the file, then returns
would be acceptable (though that still leaves the problem of how to
suppress the print job dialog).

Thanks!
William Rouner, 3M HESD KBSD
Building 260-6A-08, 3M Center
St. Paul, MN 55144-1000
(612) 733-9086
INTERNET:  wdrouner@serc.3m.com