User guide
Printer Controlling
Printing Methods within DOS Environment
Once your printer and computer are connected correctly and the logical link
established, you can use the printer to its full extent. If you ran the print test
when you installed the printer, you saw the printer execute an internally-
commanded operation. You can now have the printer print something on your
command. The following section contains some basic operations, which do not
require the processing of an application.
CAUTION: For all following operations make sure the printer is switched
on, with paper and print head loaded, and that it is ON LINE.
Printing a Text Screen
The easiest way to obtain a print-out is a screen dump. Let us presume you are
in your operating system and have made a Directory Listing with the command
DIR. If you want this list printed out for future reference, simply press SCR
PRT (Print Screen) on your PC keyboard (on some PCs, SHIFT is also required
simultaneously). The printer will start to print everything you see on the screen
exactly as you see it. You regain the control of your keyboard when the
necessary data transmission to the printer is finished.
NOTE: This method works from within all applications which handle the
screen in text mode (certain types of graphics may not be printed).
Printing Text Files
The most common printer operation is the printing of a complete text or data
file. When you have printable files, prepared by your editor, word processor,
database etc., you can send them to print using one of the following methods.
NOTE: A printable file is one which contains only the data to print and
probably appropriate printer control commands and is basically line oriented
(closes each printable line with CR/LF). Printing with applications is explained
in a specific section in this chapter.
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