After reading the news that the iOS 4.2 update may or may not feature printing to shared printers, I decided to use my own printing solution for the iPad and share it with everyone in case anyone else finds it helpful as well. Bear in mind, however, this is a very simple approprach to printing and does not have of the features AirPrint would have (or is going to have).
Basically, I wrote a Folder Action that automatically prints whatever is dropped into that folder on my home computer. This script is really intended on being used for programs that can save documents to your iDisk (e.g. Pages or Numbers).
What you need for this to work is an iPad (or course), a computer that is left on all the time and connected to a printer (printer sharing does not need to be turned on), and an iDisk (or WebDAV or whatever).
1. Create a folder on your iDisk that will be used to print items added to it. Something like "Print Folder" in your Documents folder.
2. Add the following folder action to the folder:
That's it! Now every time you save or copy a document to that folder on your iDisk from your iPad, your home computer will open it up, print it, and then delete it from the folder. Just note: Sometimes my computer can take a minute got this Folder Action to run, so be patient; it's something to do with Folder Actions in Mac OS X, there's sometimes a delay in activating them.
Let me know if this works for anyone else or if you have any suggestions!
Basically, I wrote a Folder Action that automatically prints whatever is dropped into that folder on my home computer. This script is really intended on being used for programs that can save documents to your iDisk (e.g. Pages or Numbers).
What you need for this to work is an iPad (or course), a computer that is left on all the time and connected to a printer (printer sharing does not need to be turned on), and an iDisk (or WebDAV or whatever).
1. Create a folder on your iDisk that will be used to print items added to it. Something like "Print Folder" in your Documents folder.
2. Add the following folder action to the folder:
Code:
on adding folder items to this_folder after receiving these_items
tell application "Finder"
repeat with this_item in these_items
print this_item
move this_item to the trash
end repeat
end tell
end adding folder items toThat's it! Now every time you save or copy a document to that folder on your iDisk from your iPad, your home computer will open it up, print it, and then delete it from the folder. Just note: Sometimes my computer can take a minute got this Folder Action to run, so be patient; it's something to do with Folder Actions in Mac OS X, there's sometimes a delay in activating them.
Let me know if this works for anyone else or if you have any suggestions!
