Download FAPA here- What is FAPA?
FAPA is the name of my tiny little freeware application that just prints any document from c:\autoprint (I recommend using PDF files, as this always worked fine for me) to the system's default printer. FAPA does not have any built-in document processors but simply utilizes the system's interface for printing documents using the default application, as assigned in the windows system settings.
- What can I use FAPA for?
Well, I created FAPA because I was not able to set up the printer driver for my Canon i350 on Mac OS X to print over the network. The printer is connected to a windows machine that acts as a print server, so everybody in the network may use it. FAPA continuously watches the directory c:\autoprint and simply prints all documents that are put here. So if you set up the directory to be shared on the network and allowing network users to write to it, you can now use Samba on your Macintosh or Linux computer to write to this directory. FAPA will grab the file and print it. If you wish, FAPA will also delete the file after printing it.
- How do I set up FAPA?
Download FAPA here, unzip the file, and place the EXE file anywhere you want. Now create the directory c:\autoprint and create a network share for it. You must of course give write access to this directory. Now start FAPA. The first message you will get is that FAPA has created it's work directory. Do not delete or rename this folder (c:\autoprint\working). Now choose the polling interval for FAPA and click "Start". FAPA's window will expand and show a little status field. As I already mentioned above, I recommend to use Adobe's PDF file format for your print jobs. You can download the latest Adobe Reader from Adobe's website, so FAPA is able to print PDF files using the Adobe Reader.
- How do I print with FAPA from a Macintosh using Mac OS X?
1.) Press The Apple Key and "K" (or use the Finder menu) to mount the network share (the autoprint-directory on the windows machine) on your Mac. As you want to use Samba for the network connection, use smb://xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx/autoprint where xxx represents the IP address of the windows machine running FAPA. If you want the network share to be mounted automatically every time you log on, you may add the share to your startup items in the system settings. If you need a password to connect to the windows machine, you can configure your key chain so that you do not have to re-enter the password every time the connection is established.
2.) Install any postscript printer driver on your mac, if you didn't do so already. Now, from the application you wish to print from, choose "Print" from the "File" menu. Now choose "Save As PDF" (Mac OS X v10.2.x), or click "Preview" and do one of the following (Mac OS X v10.1.x): If Acrobat opens the preview, choose File > Save As, and then choose Adobe PDF Files from the Format pop-up menu. If Preview opens the preview, choose File > Save As PDF. Specify a filename and save the file to the network-share (autoprint) on the machine running FAPA. In the next few seconds (depending on the polling interval you chose when starting FAPA) your PDF document will be printed.
- How do I print with FAPA from a Linux machine?
Sorry, this section is not really covered yet. In general, you have to mount the windows-share, create PDF files from your applications and place them into the mounted windows directory.
Search Google for "smbfstab" - this file is used for mounting windows shares during bootup.
- Who created FAPA?
Me. ;-) And you may freely distribute FAPA. If you wish to leave me any comments, please write to frank@bojert.de - the address is also shown in the program.
- How can I show I'm thankful?
I have got a lot of positive feedback and I'm really glad to be helping so many people with that simple Freeware. :-) If you wish, you can donate via PayPal™ by clicking the button below: