Star Micronics LC24-20 MS-DOS and Your Printer, Programming the Printer with DOS Commands

chapter 10

MS-DOS AND YOUR PRINTER

When using your printer with an IBM PS/2, PC-AT or compatible, you will probably be using PC-DOS or MS-DOSasanoperating system. A number of software tricks may be useful here. This chapter is not, however, a substitute for the operating system manuals supplied with your computer.

To learn how to print files, etc. it is best to read the relevant parts of these manuals.

PROGRAMMING THE PRINTER WITH DOS COMMANDS

If your system includes the file PRINT.COM you can use the main DOS printing command. Simply type the word PRINT followed by the name of the file you want to print. To print a file named README.DOC, for example, type:

A) PRINT README. DOC

The computer may respond with the following message, asking which printer to use:

Name of” 1is t device [PRN] :

If your computer is connected to only one printer, press RETURN to select the default choice (PRN). Printing will begin and the A> prompt will reappear. You can execute other commands or programs while the file is being printed.

A single PRINT command can “printtwo or more files. List the file names consecutively on the same line, or use wild-card characters (* and ‘?).Each file will be printed starting on a new page. The PRINT command also has control options. For example, you can terminate a printing job in progress with the /T option. (The printer may not stop printing immediately as there may be considerable data stored ahead in its buffer.) For the/T option, type:

A>PRINT/T