Path: utzoo!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!rutgers!njin!princeton!udel!mmdf
From: jones@uv4.eglin.af.mil (Calvin Jones, III)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.amiga
Subject: RE: Star printer driver wanted
Message-ID: <20461@louie.udel.EDU>
Date: 25 Jul 89 20:58:27 GMT
Sender: mmdf@udel.EDU
Lines: 76

E G L I N   A F B
                   I N T E R O F F I C E   M E M O R A N D U M

                                        Date:      25-Jul-1989 09:34 CDT
                                        From:      CALVIN JONES 
                                                   JONES 
                                        Dept:      3200SPTW/SCX  (Plans)
                                        Tel No:    904-882-3550

TO:  _MAILER!                             ( _DDN[AMIGA-RELAY@UDEL.EDU] )


Subject: RE: Star printer driver wanted

Patrick Hens asks about printing from BASIC:

PH> Thanks to those of you who sent me hints on the usage of the STAR
PH> NL-10 printer.  But, my problems are not solved yet.

Actually, I think your problems are solved, but you just don't realize
it yet.  8-)

PH> Most of you adviced me to try different Epson drivers.  And indeed,
PH> I can do graphic screen dumps with them and print standard files.

This is certainly a good sign and makes me think that you really don't
have a problem.  

PH> But my problem is the usage of the printer escape codes: an example:
PH> when I use the command LPRINT CHR$(27);"4" in AmigaBasic my printer
PH> should be set up for italic characters as described in the 'Parallel
PH> Interface Cartridge For NL-10'-manual.  Now, the Epson drivers
PH> do not translate these codes correctly for the STAR NL-10 so that
PH> it does not react at all or unpredictably.

If you had opened the "PAR:" device instead of the "PRT:" device, you
would have obtained the expected results.  BUT WAIT!!!
 
Don't do it!  What's happening is that you are trying to send "printer-
specific" codes to your printer.  If you do this, you will find that 
your program will now work ONLY for your NL-10 printer.  Now, next year
you may likely (well, perhaps not really likely, but possibly) win the
state lottery and decide to upgrade your system to one that includes
a $10,000 thermal transfer printer.  Now wouldn't it be nice if you 
could buy one that was compatible with the programs that you had written 
for your NL-10?
 
They all CAN be compatible!  Just use the printer codes that are listed
in your reference manual that came with your system (or Workbench
Enhancer package).  The printer driver you select in preferences will
translate those codes to the codes that apply to your printer for you!

PH> So what I need is a driver that translates these codes correctly,
PH> or a translated code table.

The translation is built in to the printer driver.  You just need to
supply the 'standard' codes in your program.

PH> Can someone help me out?

Commodore helped us all out a LLLOOONNNGGG time ago.  Their implementation
of printer drivers at the OS level (starting with WB 1.0 --- anyone 
remember that) is something that gets little mention, but certainly makes
it easy to write programs for any printers.  Seems like any time I want to
put another application on my clone at work I spend all day configuring
things for the printer.

PH> Thanks in advance.

You're quite welcome.

 
   --- Cal Jones

"Single Tasking?  JUST SAY NO!!!"
 ~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~   ~~~~ ~~~ ~~