OpenEuphoria

2. Re: Educate me on Printing

• Posted by Bernie Ryan <xotron at ?luefro?.com> Oct 17, 2007
• 627 views

George Walters wrote:
> 
> 
> I thought I new how to print in windows using Win32 but apparently I don't
> know...or I'm missing the point all together.
> 
> I've been using this
> 
> fontSize = getFontSize( Printer ) -- get the font metrics
> 
> and spacing down the page like this
> 
>     line += 1
>     setPosition(Printer,0,line*fontSize[2])
>     wPuts(Printer,"stuff")
> 
> where line is the line number down the page
> 
> The problem is I get different spacing from printer to printer as you go down.
> the page. The laser does one thing and the inkjet is different. So I can't
> fill
> in forms consistently (like labels for addresses etc)
> 
> Can someone explain how to make a printer output the same from one to the
> other?

Use PCL code.

Bernie

My files in archive:
WMOTOR, XMOTOR, W32ENGIN, MIXEDLIB, EU_ENGIN, WIN32ERU, WIN32API 

Can be downloaded here:
http://www.rapideuphoria.com/cgi-bin/asearch.exu?dos=on&win=on&lnx=on&gen=on&keywords=bernie+ryan

4. Re: Educate me on Printing

• Posted by Bernie Ryan <xotron at blue??og.com> Oct 17, 2007
• 607 views

George Walters wrote:
> 
> Bernie, what is wrong with the code I showed? I'd like to understand what
> is going on.... why do I need to use PCL code... some printers don't
> understand
> PCL code and I would like my code to be printer independent.

George:
   There is nothing wrong with your code.

   Your original printer had a line distance spacing that just

   worked out without changing printer settings.

   The problem is because all impact printers had a fixed

   mechanical distance between lines and inside they had switches that

   the user could set to change this distance between lines but it

   require opening the printer's case to change theses settings.


  So manufactures decided to make the printers programmable with

  escape sequences so the customer didn't need to open the printers

  case to change settings.

  HP came out with a PRINTER CONTROL LANGAUGE ( PCL ) and allot of

  manufactures decided to have something similar to it.

  If a printer does not support PCL they will still have someway

  of printer control codes.

  The codes for specific printers can be found your customer's

  manual.

  You can find the codes for most printers out on the WEB.

  HERE is something you can do to try using the laser printer.

  NOTE: you have to send the sequence to tell the printer how
       change settings but I don't remember if you have to use
       puts or print or wputs you will have to experiment.

constant -- LINES PER INCH SEQUENCES
lns_per_inch_2 = {#027,#038,#108,#050,#068},
lns_per_inch_3 = {#027,#038,#108,#050,#068},
lns_per_inch_4 = {#027,#038,#108,#052,#068},
lns_per_inch_6 = {#027,#038,#108,#054,#068},
lns_per_inch_8 = {#027,#038,#108,#056,#068},
lns_per_inch_12 = {#027,#038,#108,#049,#050,#088},
lns_per_inch_16 = {#027,#038,#108,#049,#050,#088},
lns_per_inch_24 = {#027,#038,#108,#050,#052,#088},
lns_per_inch_48 = {#027,#038,#108,#052,#056,#088},


-- Setup laser printer's LINES PER INCH by measuring labels.
-- and then print your labels.

-- this sequence sets a one inch label to have 8 lines
-- or a two inch label to 16 lines.
-- Send this command once then print a label.
print(printer,lns_per_inch_8)

-- Then print label.

Bernie

My files in archive:
WMOTOR, XMOTOR, W32ENGIN, MIXEDLIB, EU_ENGIN, WIN32ERU, WIN32API 

Can be downloaded here:
http://www.rapideuphoria.com/cgi-bin/asearch.exu?dos=on&win=on&lnx=on&gen=on&keywords=bernie+ryan

6. Re: Educate me on Printing

• Posted by Matt Lewis <matthewwalkerlewis at gmail.c??> Oct 17, 2007
• 614 views
• Last edited Oct 18, 2007

George Walters wrote:
> 
> The problem is I get different spacing from printer to printer as you go down.
> the page. The laser does one thing and the inkjet is different. So I can't
> fill
> in forms consistently (like labels for addresses etc)
> 
> Can someone explain how to make a printer output the same from one to the
> other?

Here are a couple of links that might help:

http://msdn.microsoft.com/archive/default.asp?url=/archive/en-us/dnargdi/html/msdn_mapping.asp
http://msdn.microsoft.com/archive/default.asp?url=/archive/en-us/dnaraccessdev/html/ODC_MicrosoftOfficeDeveloperForumControllingYourPrinterinMicrosoftAccess.asp

I suspect that you have some kind of DPI/scaling difference between the
different printers.  I don't know enough about printing to say much more
than that, though.

Matt

8. Re: Educate me on Printing

• Posted by don cole <doncole at pac?ell.ne?> Oct 18, 2007
• 607 views

George Walters wrote:
> 
> 
> I thought I new how to print in windows using Win32 but apparently I don't
> know...or I'm missing the point all together.
> 
> I've been using this
> 
> fontSize = getFontSize( Printer ) -- get the font metrics
> 
> and spacing down the page like this
> 
>     line += 1
>     setPosition(Printer,0,line*fontSize[2])
>     wPuts(Printer,"stuff")
> 
> where line is the line number down the page
> 
> The problem is I get different spacing from printer to printer as you go down.
> the page. The laser does one thing and the inkjet is different. So I can't
> fill
> in forms consistently (like labels for addresses etc)
> 
> Can someone explain how to make a printer output the same from one to the
> other?

Hello George,

I sent you two Avery label programs.

And I never heard from you. Did you test them?

If you did then you see that each has two columns.

Computer Generated and Tweak.

You can change the tweak of:

top label 

space between labels,

left liable

spaces between,etc...

Because when all is said and done things don't always work perfect.

Printers (pressmen) call it registration.

Once the tweak is set you don't have to change it again.

Of course if you change printers then you might have to re-tweak.

Don Cole

10. Re: Educate me on Printing

• Posted by George Walters <gwalters at sc.rr.??m> Oct 18, 2007
• 613 views

Thanks Andy, I've downloaded it and will take a look at it.

12. Re: Educate me on Printing

• Posted by George Walters <gwalters at sc?rr.?om> Oct 18, 2007
• 637 views

Thanks Derek. That apparently is exactly my problem. I'll look into using
getPrinterCaps.

14. Re: Educate me on Printing

• Posted by George Walters <gwalters at sc?r?.com> Oct 19, 2007
• 642 views

With your help and the help of others I've found and fixed the problem I was
having...printing labels, checks, etc. I also now understand better what is
going on. The basic problem was when windows API call returned the pixel count
of the printer it was the pixel count of the printable area of the paper...
not the 8-1/2 X 11 I thought. Making this scale change fixed my issue.
And you are right there may still be some tweaking because not all printers
feed the paper and start printing at the same point down the page. I'll look
at your Avery label 05467. It might also be usefu.... Thanks for the help.