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From: andy@ccwf.cc.utexas.edu (Andrew Hackard)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.cbm
Subject: Re: printing in direct mode?
Summary: tell printer not to expect more data
Keywords: help
Message-ID: <45557@ut-emx.uucp>
Date: 13 Mar 91 21:27:07 GMT
References: <1991Mar13.161420.28673@cbnews.att.com>
Sender: news@ut-emx.uucp
Reply-To: andy@ccwf.cc.utexas.edu (Andrew Hackard)
Distribution: na
Organization: The University of Texas at Austin, Grackle Assault Team
Lines: 35

In article <1991Mar13.161420.28673@cbnews.att.com> ewm@cbnews.att.com (edward.w.mcfarland) writes:

[stuff deleted]
>     For printing I am using the method that is mentioned in the C64
>owners manual, ie.  OPEN4,4,4 <return>
>                    CMD4:<command>  <return>
>                    CLOSE4,4,4  <return>
>
[more stuff deleted]
>Anyone know a better method than the above for printing in direct mode?
>
>Thanks,
>       Ed McFarland
>       ewm@mvuzr.att.com

Looks good, except that you have to remember to close out the channel properly,
something I've only seen explained clearly a couple of times.  What this boils
down to is that you have to send a blank line after you have finished printing
your text, which somehow tells the printer you're through with it. (Also, if
you're shooting for lowercase, Commodore printers use a 7 as the last digit in
the OPEN; your interface may be different if you're using a non-CBM printer.)

Couple of examples:1)Listing a file to the printer
			OPEN 4,4,7:CMD4:LIST
			PRINT#4:CLOSE4
		   2)Printing
			OPEN 4,4,7:CMD4
			PRINT"Your message here..."
			PRINT#4:CLOSE4

Hope this helps.
--Andrew Hackard
  andy@ccwf.cc.utexas.edu

P.S. Remember, PRINT# is abbreviated pR (p SHIFT-r), not ?#.