Printer Configuration

Parameter

Description

alias

Identifies the following information as an alias (i.e., bbxname is an alias for realname).

bbxname

Refers to the name of the printer for PRO/5 to use. In order for this device to be considered a printer, the first character of the name must be either an "L" or a "P." Traditionally, printers are named in the sequence 'LP', 'P0'..'P9'. For TCP/IP and UDP sockets, the bbxname must begin with "N".

realname

Refers to the name of the operating system device to be used as the printing device, such as "/dev/lp" and "/dev/rlp" for the UNIX operating system, "/dev/lpt1" and "/dev/com1" for MS-DOS systems.

If you are installing on a network, you can use the network spool device name for realname.

If you are on the UNIX operating system, the normal printer may modify the output character stream, and you may have to use the "raw" form of the device. In addition, a "pipe" may be used to send the printer output to a spooler command such as "lp" or "lpr." See the device section of your UNIX operating system documentation to determine how to access the "raw" printing device.

For TCP/IP and UDP sockets, use "tcp" or "udp", respectively.

comment

A text description of the printer, such as "Laser Printer" or "Helen's Printer." The information in the comment field is never used by PRO/5. An application program may use this information, e.g., a program may provide a list of available printers, by "comment field" to the user, via the TSK() function.

WARNING: You must be careful with spaces in the comment field. Since spaces are used to separate the different fields of the ALIAS line, a space embedded in the comment field can cause problems. If a comment field contains spaces, then the comment field MUST be enclosed in quotation marks (i.e., "Laser Jet").

Listed below are the "comment fields" of the printer definitions already included in the PRO/5 installation printer installation. (See the READ.ME file on the PRO/5 distribution media. There may have been additional printers added to this list.)

Star 10x/15x

Comrex 420

HP Laser Jet

IBM Matrix

HP Think Jet

Brother HR-15/25/35

TI 855/865

Spirit 80

Okidata 82/92

Okidata 83A/93

Okidata 84

Epson 80s

Epson 100s

Toshiba 1351

BusinessLand BL 45

NEC 7700 series

NEC 5500 series

NEC P2 series

Diablo 620,630

mode

Tells PRO/5 how to control a particular printer. If your printer is one of the printers listed above (or compatible with one of these printers), select this printer during the installation. If your printer is not on this list, select "undefined" and the install procedure will then prompt you for some of the information about your printer.

Any combination of modes may be given, separated by commas with no embedded spaces.

Mode

Description

BS

Printer supports ASCII backspace. This is where the printer prints the most recent character and the print head is positioned such that the next character received will overprint the most recently printed character. Typically supported on serial printers.

BS=hexstring

Use hexstring instead of ASCII backspace. hexstring should perform the same function as an ASCII backspace, above.

COPIES=int

If the system device supports a specification of the number of copies to be printed, this would define the default number of copies to be printed. This is typically overridden using the MODE= option on the OPEN of the printer. This option may be used on the spooled output from PRO/5 (e.g., with the UNIX operating system spool commands "lp" or "lpr" or the 'nspool' device for a Novell Network), if the system spool command supports it.

CP=hexstring

Sequence for compressed print sent with 'CP' mnemonic.

CPCOLS=int

Number of printable columns while in compressed print mode. The default is 80 and the maximum is 255. Prior to PRO/5 1.05, the operating system default was used for the default.

CPLINES=int

Number of printable lines while in compressed print mode.

FORM=int

If the system device supports a specification of the form number to use in printing, this defines the default form to use. This is typically overridden using the MODE= option on the OPEN of the printer. This option may be used on the spooled output of PRO/5 if the spool commands, support it. (See example of COPIES= above.)

CR

Printer supports ASCII carriage return. A CR should cause the printer to print all characters in its buffer and to position the print head to the first column on the paper.

To begin a new print line on the printer, PRO/5 normally sends a linefeed only. Many printers automatically perform a carriage return along with the linefeed. If the printer does not automatically perform a carriage return, set this mode.

CR=hexstring

Use hexstring instead of ASCII CR. This is for printers that do not support the normal definition of a CR. The sequence should cause the printer to perform the operations defined in CR, above.

EOL=string

Overrides end-of-record errors on print devices.

EOL=ERROR restores the default behavior.

EOL= WRAP wraps the text to the next line. Attempting to print a long string (greater than 80 characters) without the WRAP mode will result in an ERROR=1, TCB(10)=2 message. Despite the error the text will print, but will not be wrapped.

EOL=TRUNC truncates the text.

EPON=hexstring

EPOFF=hexstring

If the mnemonic 'EP' (expanded print) is used, then the current line is sent to the printer with the EPON and EPOFF hexstrings.

EPCOLS=int

Width of each character printed in expanded print mode.

EPLINES=int

Height of each character printed in expanded print mode. If EPLINES is 2, PRO/5 will count each line printed in 'EP' mode as two lines.

FF=hexstring

Use hexstring instead of ASCII formfeed. If an ASCII formfeed will not position the paper to the top of form position, this sequence should be defined. If not defined, PRO/5 will send the ASCII formfeed character.

LF=hexstring

Use hexstring instead of ASCII linefeed. A linefeed should print the current line and advance the paper one line. If CR is not supported, the printer should consider the next print position the first column on the line. If this option is not used, PRO/5 will use an ASCII linefeed character.

PTON=hexstring

Send hexstring to printer on first OPEN. This is intended to initialize the printer to a known state. However, no data is sent to the printer until the program actually sends something. Then PTON and SP are sent.

PTOFF=hexstring

Send hexstring to printer on last CLOSE. This is intended to reset the printer to a state expected by the host system.

SLON=hexstring

SLOFF=hexstring

SLON hexstring defines the codes required to divert output to the printer and SLOFF hexstring defines the codes required to resume output to the terminal or workstation screen.

Although these modes are defined for printers, they are really functions of terminals or workstations. Printer performance may suffer somewhat by using this option.

SP=hexstring

Sequence for the standard print 'SP' mnemonic. This is intended to reset the printer from the 'CP' or 'EP' mnemonics and is sent to the printer on the first OPEN of a channel to the printer.

SPCOLS=int

Number of printable columns while in the standard print mode. The default is 80 and the maximum is 255. Prior to PRO/5 1.05, the operating system default was used for the default

SPLINES=int

Number of printable lines while in the standard print mode.

WAIT=int

Wait for int seconds before reporting printer timeouts. The range for int is from 0 to 255. If int is set to 0, wait forever (this disables printer timeouts).