OpenEuphoria

Re: Educate me on Printing

• Posted by Bernie Ryan <xotron at blue??og.com> Oct 17, 2007
• 520 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