DOS Printer Toggle                    
                (PC World November 1983 Star-Dot-Star)

     Are you frustrated when a particular program will not support a
print style or size that you would like to use for output?  Do you
sometimes wish that you could toggle your printer into any mode
directly from DOS?  A simple solution is available.
     Since a device name can be substituted for a file name, it is
permissible to type COPY CON: LPT1:, which tells DOS to send input from
the keyboard (CON:) directly to the printer. Realizing this, it is a
simple step to key in the ASCII numbers of the characters needed to put
the printer into any type style or size by using the <Alt> key in
combination with the numeric keypad.
     Here is an example that switches an Epson printer from normal pica
into italics by sending the sequence <Esc> followed by 4.  Note that
<Esc>(ASCII 27) must have the value 128 added to it (27 + 128 = 155);
otherwise DOS will react to the <Esc> character.  The printer will
recognize ASCII 155 as having the same meaning as ASCII 27.

COPY CON: LPT1: <ENTER>
(Alt>155(on keypad)<Alt>4(on keypad)<ENTER>
<F6><ENTER>

The screen will look like this:

COPY CON: LPT1:"
/^D               (/ = symbol for cents, c with a slash
^Z                       through it)
1 file(s) copied

     Now when you encounter a program that refuses to use the type
style you prefer, have its output printed to a disk file for later
printing.  Then toggle the printer directly from DOS and type COPY
filespec LPT1:" and the disk file will be printed in the chosen
typeface.
     This technique is particularly powerful if you have a keyboard
enhancement program such as ProKey -- all the commonly used printer
toggles can be save as a ProKey files and invoked at any time with a
single keystroke.  For example, the toggle for compressed type could
become <Alt>C and proportional type could be <Alt>P.

-----------------------------------------------------------------
                      Easy Printer Control
    (from PC Magazine Vol 4 No 7 April 2, 1985 User-to-User)

     Resetting your printer control codes to use its special features
can be frustrating.  Most people resort to writing short BASIC
programs to send the codes to the printer.
     The DEBUG utility can be used to create fast and tiny assembly
language programs to do the job without loading the BASIC interpreter
each time you reset your printer.  With the procedure below and your
printer manual, you can create routine settings for your printer as
COM modules that load and run almost instantly.  The program is
created by DEBUG via the following procedure (hit Enter after each
line):
     1. Type DEBUG FILENAME.COM (substituting the name you want in
place of FILENAME.COM).  This starts DEBUG and tells it to use the
filename you want to call your program . If it is a new file, a "File
not found" error message will be returned.  Ignore it.
     2. Type A to start DEBUG's line-by-line assembler routine.
     3. Type MOV AH,5 to tell the program it will be writing to the
printer.
     4. Type MOV DL,xx and then INT 21 to transfer a particular
character, xx, to the printer.  Hexadecimal notation is used for the
character xx.  For example, an ESC character would be represented as 1B
in the instruction.  You should repeat this two-instruction sequence as
many times as necessary to send the control sequence you want to the
printer.  Most printer control sequences are two to six characters
long.
     5. Type INT 20 to end your program and let it return to DOS.
Press the Enter key without putting in a new instruction to get back
to the DEBUG command analyzer from the line-by-line assembler.
     6. Type RCX and the x to load the CX register with the length, x,
or your program to be written to disk.  The length, x, is the number
of bytes, in hex, of the program you assembled.  In this program each
instruction was 2 bytes long, so x would be 8, C, 10, 14, 18, 1C, and
so on, depending on the number of times you repeated the two-
instruction write to the printer for each character.
     7. Type W followed by Enter to write your program to the file, and
then Q and Enter to quit DEBUG.
     The 12-byte program below sends an ESC BELL (hex 1B 07) that will
cause most printers to sound a bell or beep.  It makes a good test to
see if you understood the DEBUG procedure.  The program is run by typing
in the name of the COM module you created, PRTBELL and pressing Enter.
     Editor's Note:  This is a handy way to send printer control codes.
It takes up far less space on disk than a BASIC program and BASIC
itself, and works much more quickly.  Remember that the example below
sends two characters, an ESC and a CHR$(7).  If you're sending
additional codes in the same .COM file and adding MOV DL, x and INT 21
instructions, remember to increase the value you're putting in the CX
register.

PRTBELL.COM:  Hit Enter after each line, including the blank before
RCX.
A>DEBUG PRTBELL.COM
-A
-MOV AH,5
-MOV DL,1B
-INT 21
-MOV DL,07
-INT 21
-INT 20
-
-RCX
-C
-W
-Q

----------------------------------------------------------------
                            Better Yet ...
           (PC Magazine Vol 4 No 14 July 9, 1985 Power User)

     This letter describes an even more general way to "quickly" write
COM programs that send command sequences to your printer.
     In PC Vol 4 No 7 (above), a way was presented to send printer
instructions while in DOS by using DEBUG to create a COM file.  The
BASIC program PRINPREP makes this almost effortless.  The PRINPREP
program creates a file, named whatever you want, with a filename
extension of ".DAT", which contains the responses that DEBUG requires
to create the COM file.  It also creates a BATCH file (same name, but
with a .BAT extension) that starts DEBUG using the .DAT file for
input.  When you run the .BAT program and DEBUG is done you have a COM
file of the same name, and the .BAT and .DAT files are gone.  Be sure
DEBUG.COM is on the same disk with PRINPREP.BAS.
     Editor's Note: You can use it to send any printer command sequence
you need to use.  Just keep entering the ASCII characters or character
codes.  You need to send codes for control characters especially escape
(which is character 27).  Two or three digit numbers will be treated as
ASCII character codes and single digit numbers will be treated as an
ordinary character.  Running the BATCH file will use the .DAT file to
create the COM file.  Be aware that you'll get an error message from
DOS when the BATCH file finishes -- it's erased itself by then and DOS
gets somewhat lost.  When DOS invites you to "Insert disk with batch
file and press any key when ready," hit Ctrl-Break and, in response to
the query "Terminate batch job (Y/N)?", type Y and you will be back in
DOS ready to run the COM file you just created. 

100 'Program to make .COM programs for printer command sequences
110 '
120 COLOR 7,1:CLS:LOCATE 5,1:I=1
130 INPUT "Enter .COM filename:>",A$:IF A$="" THEN 130
140 OPEN "O",1,A$+".DAT"
150 PRINT #1,"A"
160 PRINT #1,"MOV AH,5"
170 PRINT:PRINT "Enter Printer Command Sequences:"
180 PRINT TAB(4); "* Ordinary Characters or Punctuation Marks"
190 PRINT TAB(4); "* 2 or 3 Digit Numbers for ASCII Character Codes"
200 PRINT TAB(4); "  (Use leading zeroes for one-digit numbers)":PRINT
210 PRINT "Press <Enter> to quit.":PRINT
220 PRINT:INPUT "Enter Character of 2/3-digit ASCII code:>",C$
230 IF C$="" THEN GOTO 300
240 IF LEN(C$)>1 AND VAL(C$)>0 or C$="00" THEN GOTO 260
250 C$=STR$(ASC(C$))
260 D$=HEX$(VAL(C$)):IF LEN(D$)=1 THEN D$="0"+D$
270 PRINT #1,"MOV DL,";D$
280 PRINT #1,"INT 21"
290 I=I+1:GOTO 220
300 PRINT #1,"INT 20":PRINT #1,"RCX"
310 N=(I-1)*4+4
320 PRINT #1,HEX$(N)
330 PRINT #1,"W"
340 PRINT #1,"Q"
350 CLOSE
360 OPEN "O",1,A$+".BAT"
370 PRINT #1,"DEBUG %0.COM < %0.DAT"
380 PRINT #1,"DEL %0.DAT"
390 PRINT #1,"DEL %0.BAT"
400 CLOSE
410 SYSTEM

---------------------------------------------------------------
DOS Note:  Using BASIC 2.0, it is possible to duplicate the function
of the Ctrl-PrtSc key combinatino under program control.  To turn ON
echo of screen output to the printer:

DEF SEG:POKE &H758,&HFF

To turn this printer echo OFF:

DEF SEG:POKE &H758,0

This only works with BASIC 2.0 under DOS 2.0.

-----------------------------------------------------------------
                         Perforation Problems
          (PC Magazine Vol 4 No 15 July 23, 1985 Power User)

     Many programs don't bother to skip over the perforations when
printing on continuous form paper, and that can make a real mess, with
characters printed half on one page and half on the next.  You can
change the DIP switch settings on an Epson MX, RX, or FX printer to
enable a "skip over perforation" of about 1/2 inch on either side, but
that's time consuming and can ruin the efforts of programs that are
smart enough to skip the page breaks.  There is a better way.  Make a
pair of batch files (call them PGBRKON.BAT and PGBRKOFF.BAT).  Run
PGBRKON before you print your listing and PGBRKOFF afterwards.  PGBRKON
copies a file named PGBRK.BEG (see below) to the printer, which enables
a "skip over perforation," and PGBRKOFF copies a file named PGBRK.END
to the printer, which disables it.  This is PGBRKON.BAT:

copy pgbrk.beg prn:

This is PBGRKOFF.BAT:

copy pgbrk.end prn:

     All you need are the two files, and the BASIC program below
generates them for you.
     PGBRK.BAS will generate files that tell your Epson printer to skip
over SKIPLINE% lines.  The lines will be divided evenly between the
current and next pages.  If SKIPLINES% is set to 12, six lines will be
skipped on one page and six on the next.  The only restriction to
correct operation is that SKIPLINES% cannot be less than 0 or greater
than 127.
     Editor's Note:  This can save aggravation, especially when listing
programs from BASIC or another program editor.  PGBRK.BAS is modified
slightly to work correctly for all IBM printers (including the new
Proprinter) and all compatibles, such as the Centronics GLP, Okidata
Plug 'N' Play and Riteman Blue Plus as well as Epson.
- - - - -
10 'PGBRK.BAS: Program to create PGBRK.BEG and PGBRK.END
20 SKIPLINES%=12
30 OPEN "PGBRK.BEG" FOR OUTPUT AS 1
40 PRINT #1,USING "\ \";CHR$(27)+"N"CHR$(SKIPLINES%);
50 CLOSE 1
60 OPEN "PGBRK.END" FOR OUTPUT AS 1
70 PRINT #1,USING "\ \";CHR$(140)+CHR$(27)+"O";
80 CLOSE 1
90 END

-----------------------------------------------------------------
                        Printer Resets Removed
                  (PC World July 1985 Star-Dot-Star)

     When compiled BASIC programs run, they reset the printer to its
power-on defaults.  This is a nuisance when you want special printer
settings to remain in effect while the compiled BASIC program executes.
Printer reset commands can be eliminated from compiled BASIC programs.
     Make a backup copy of each program before you try to modify it.
Copy the program onto a blank disk and rename it so that the extension
is something other than .EXE.  The command "COPY filename.EXE B:*.TMP"
will perform both actions at once.  Put a copy of DEBUG in drive A:,
and use it to load the renamed program with the command "DEBUG
B:filename.TMP".  Then use DEBUG to search for the offending
instructions, MOV AH,01 and INT 17.  To do this, type the command "S
100 FFFF B4 01 CD 17" at the DEBUG prompt and DEBUG will display the
location of the stored printer reset command.  To eliminate the printer
reset command, type the command "E xxxx:yyyy B4 02", replacing
xxxx:yyyy with the contents of the line displayed during the prior
step.  For example, if DEBUG had displayed 4356:3A27, you would type "E
4356:3A27 B4 02".
     Finally, save the modified program with "W", exit DEBUG (Q) and
rename the file so its extension is once again .EXE by using the
command "REN B:filename.TMP *.EXE".  The program will never again reset
the printer, so special printer features will remain in effect until
you decide to turn them off.
     Editor's Note:  You can use the same technique to take care of
almost any program that resets the printer, including BASIC and BASICA,
versions 1.0 and 1.1.  BASIC 2.0 and later versions do not reset the
printer.)  This patch replaces the printer reset command with a request
for printer status.

-----------------------------------------------------------------
                    Printer Control Sequences
       (PC Magazine Vol 4 No 19 Sept 17, 1985 Power User)

     The earliest attempts of PC users to send control sequences to
their printers used the COPY command.  For instance, COPY CON PRN can
be used to enter the control sequences directly from the keyboard.
This technique precludes typing an Escape code, however, since DOS
interprets an Escape code by ignoring everything typed on the line and
starting over again.  Creating a 1-byte file called ESCAPE containing
the Escape code (ASCII 027) helps somewhat when using the COPY command,
for it could then be executed as, COPY ESCAPE+CON PRN.  Only the
remainder of the control sequence after Escape would need be typed in.
     You can also create tiny files containing entire control sequences
with names like FORMFEED, COMPRESS, DOUBLE, and EMPHASIZ to turn
features on, and COMPOFF, DOUBOFF, and EMPHOFF to turn features off.
In this way, all you would have to enter is, COPY COMPRESS PRN.  On a
PC-XT hard disk, however, every file, no matter how small, takes up at
least 4K bytes of space.  Thus, these seven files to give you a simple
printer control would use up 28K!
     The following articles provide different ways to control printers
that solve the problems with the COPY command.  A few ground rules:
          1. The control sequences are for the IBM Personal Computer
Graphics Printer.  If your printer is not compatible, consult your
printer manual for its equivalent control sequences.
          2.  The notation {###} is a three-digit number.  This
notation means:  press the Alt key, type the three numbers on the
number pad, and then release the Alt key.  (It doesn't matter if
NumLock is on or off.)  Do not type the brackets.  These keystrokes
generate the character for the three-digit ASCII code you've typed.
If the code is 128 or above, you'll probably see a foreign letter or
graphics symbol on the screen.  The ASCII code {000} cannot be entered
this way but can be generated under DOS 2.0 with the F7 key.
          3. Some control characters below 032, in particular the
Escape (027) code, cannot be entered on the DOS command level. However,
IBM, Epson and compatible printers allow adding 128 to the control
character.  Most of the examples take advantage of this feature.  When
creating batch files with EDLIN, you can enter ASCII codes below 032
by typing a Ctrl-V followed by the appropriate capital letter or symbol.
For instance, Ctrl-A (ASCII 001) can be entered by typing Ctrl-V
followed by A.  An Escape code (027) is entered by Ctrl-V followed by
the left bracket ([).  The ASCII code 000 can be entered by pressing
Ctrl-V followed by @, or, more simply, by pressing the F7 key.
          4. DOS 2.0 or above is required for all methods shown below
that use redirection (>PRN) and for the batch file examples.
- - - - -
                     Verified Printer Set-Up

     Using LPRINT in BASIC to send control codes to a printer is slow.
An alternative method includes verification.  If you want compressed
print (ASCII code 015 or 143), for example, just issue the following at
the DOS prompt:  COPY {143} > PRN.  DOS things that {143} is the name
of a file.  It won't find that file, so it writes the filename and the
error message "File not found.  0 File(s) copied."  But the redirection
to PRN causes this filename and message to be printed on the printer.
Because the "filename" is a control character, it switches the printer
to compressed print.  You can tell that the printer has been set to
compressed print because the error message will be printed that way.
You then advance your paper to the next full page to print any file
you wish.
- - - - -
                         Very Tiny Print

     An obscure feature of the IBM/Epson printers combines compressed
mode, subscript mode, and a 15/216-inch line spacing.  This is one of
the smallest, yet clearest, typestyles available on any printer,
allowing 14.4 lines per inch (almost 160 lines per page).  The printer
is initialized for this miniature print with the following command at
the DOS prompt:  COPY {143} {155} S {001) {155} 3 {015} > PRN.
- - - - -
                         ECHO to Printer

     The DOS ECHO command can be used to generate printer control
sequences.  For example, ECHO {155} W1 > PRN changes printing to double
width on the IBM Graphics Printer.  ECHO also prints a carriage return
and line feed, but you can live with that.  The PRINTER.BAT file below
provides a printer control batch file.  You can expand and customize it
as you see fit.  You may want, for example, to shorten the names of the
parameters to reduce typing time.
     When PRINTER is entered with no parameters, it prints the short
help message at the end of the file.  Entering a parameter by itself
turns the feature on, and a parameter followed by OFF turns it off.
Multiple parameters can also be entered.  The batch file command SHIFT
is used to retrieve and interpret each successive parameter.  If your
printer is currently in compressed mode, for instance, you can turn off
that mode and begin printing in emphasized double-width with the
command:  PRINTER COMP OFF EMPH DOUB.  The IF statement is case
sensitive, so if you generally use lower case on the DOS command level,
type the keywords (EMPH, DOUB, OFF, etc.) in lower case in the batch
file.
     The IBM Graphics Printer does not have a "reset" control sequence
that turns off all features and brings the print back to the default
settings.  A printer reset has to be done through software.  But you
can write a batch file called RESET.BAT that uses DEBUG to provide a
software reset for the PC, as shown below.  RESET.BAT loads DEBUG with
keyboard input redirected from RESET.BAT itself.  Don't worry about the
error message when DEBUG loads.  Lines 2 through 6 of RESET.BAT create
a small program to reset the printer, the "g" runs the program, and "q"
terminates DEBUG.  You can also create a faster-acting RESET.COM file
by replacing the "g" command with the following:

n RESET.COM
rcx
9
w

Then run the batch file to create the permanent command.  You can
delete RESET.BAT after RESET.COM has been created.

PRINTER.BAT:
echo off
if /%1==/ goto HELP
:CHECKMORE
if /%1==/ goto END
if /%2==/OFF goto TURNOFF
if %1==EMPH echo {155} E > prn
if %1==DOUB echo {155} W1 > prn
if %1==COMP echo {143} > prn
if %1==TINY echo {143} {155} S {001} {155} 3 {015} > prn
shift
goto CHECKMORE
:TURNOFF
if %1==EMPH echo {155} F > prn
if %1==DOUB echo {155} W0 > prn
if %1==COMP echo {146} > prn
if %1==TINY echo {146} {155} T {155} 3$ > prn
shift
shift
goto CHECKMORE
:HELP
echo Parameters: EMPH (Emphasized), DOUB (Double-Width)
echo             COMP (Compressed), TINY (Tiny Print).
echo To turn feature off, follow parameter with: OFF.
:END

RESET.BAT:
goto END
a
mov dx,0
mov ah,1
int 17
int 20
             (blank line here; just hit carriage return)
g
q
:END
debug < reset.bat
- - - - -
                    SideKick Printer Control

     You can generate printer control sequences using SideKick.  Create
a notepad called PRINTER and turn on the graphics mode with the SideKick
command Ctrl-QG.  Then, set up a table with commonly used control
sequences.  Typing in the Alt sequences must be done quickly or the
SideKick menu will pop up!  Now call up the notepad from within your
applications program, block off the appropriate control sequence with
the SideKick block commands Ctrl-KB (or F7) and Ctrl-KK (or F8), and
then do a Ctrl-KP, which prints the block.  The control sequence is
then sent to the printer.
     A condensed version of a SideKick notepad is shown below.  ASCII
codes of 128 and above can be entered with the Alt key and the number
pad.  ASCII codes below 032 are entered as Ctrl-key combinations, but
they must be preceded by a Ctrl-P.  The ^P^E in the example below means
type P and E with the Ctrl key held down.  The SideKick notepad will
show an E in reverse video.  The ASCII code for Escape (027) can be
entered directly in a SideKick notepad by type ^P^ (a Ctrl-P followed
by Ctrl-[).
                       ON              OFF
Emphasized           {155} E         {155} F
Double Width         {155} W1        {155} W0
Compressed           {143}           {146}
Skip Perforation     {155} N^P^E     {155} O