Path: utzoo!mnetor!uunet!husc6!bloom-beacon!gatech!hao!ames!pasteur!ucbvax!hplabs!hpda!hpcupt1!hpindda!tpt
From: tpt@hpindda.HP.COM (Tim Temple)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc
Subject: Re: MS Word & The HP LaserJet
Message-ID: <4330024@hpindda.HP.COM>
Date: 8 Jan 88 17:53:57 GMT
References: <1842@optilink.UUCP>
Organization: HP Information Networks, Cupertino, CA
Lines: 53

>> I've been looking at the output produced by Microsoft Word 4.0 for the
>> HP LaserJet, and I see what looks to be a serious bug.
>> 
>> It appears that MS Word sends the following sequence to set the LaserJet
>> to 6 lines/inch:
>> 
>> 1b 26 6c 6f 36 44   .&lo6D
>> 
>> According to the HP LaserJet Technical Reference, it should be something
>> like:
>> 
>> 1b 26 6c 30 36 44   .&l06D
>> 
>> I suspect that either the HP LaserJet ignores the "o", or perhaps the
>> entire command.  Has anyone had any problems with lines/inch not being
>> reset correctly when printing a Word document?

What is happenning here is that MS Word is combining two printer commands
into one.  The command to set 6 lines per inch is:

         \033&l6D

The other part of the command is telling to printer to use "portrait"
orientation:

	\033&l0O (or, since the zero is implied: \033&lO)

HP's Printer Control Language lets you combine these into one string:

	\033&lo6D

Everything following the \033&l prefix may be included in one string.
The command language is post-fix (argument, command, argument,
command...) with the all but the last command in lower case and the
last command in upper case to terminate the string.

So, what MS Word is telling the printer is to print 6 lines per inch
in portrait orientation.  Try changing to the HPLASLAN.PRD file and
see what you get.  You should see something like:

	\033&l1o6D

As to whether this is a defect or not, depends upon whether you *want*
to force portrait orientation every time you set the line density.

----------
Tim Temple
Hewlett-Packard, Co.

The preceding remarks do not constitute an official statement of
Hewlett-Packard, Co.  For official information, contact your local HP
sales office.  The opinions expressed are those of the author, not of
Hewlett-Packard, Co.