Re: Need advice re a new laser printer

["Fredric Gross" fredric.gross@xxxxxxxx]

ASCII code for Form Feed is 12.

I am using DOS (not under Window$) and parallel port --- all of the printers
I listed accept a parallel port.

Fred


----- Original Message -----
From: "Patricia M Godfrey" 
To: 
Sent: Wednesday, April 14, 2004 7:09 PM
Subject: Re: Need advice re a new laser printer


> First of all, unless you're running 2K or XP, or 9x on a network, the
> printer will have to have a parallel connection: The NT-based opsyses
> will let you map a parallel port to a USB port on the same PC, but 9x
> requires that it be a real Network USB port, on another PC.
>
> I don't have access to any bleeding-edge printers, but I do have access
> to a couple that are later than anything for which there are native Xy
> drivers. The chief problem areas are these:
> 1. Fonts: anything beyond the built-in Speedos is likely to be by guess
> and by gosh. One can probably tweak the driver if one can get hold of the
> font-related PCL commands; unfortunately, neither HP nor any other
> printer manufacturer gives you a real manual anymore. You have to pay
> through the nose for the technical one to get that kind of info.
> 2. HIgh-order ASCII chars: A lot depends on which ones you need. In my
> tests, the accented letters work; smart quotes, true dashes, and the like
> are more problematic.
>
> Of the out-of-the-box drivers, the HP4 plus (5/11/95) and DJ560c
> (10/6/94) seem to be the latest. I tested the HP 4 Plus today, printing
> to a LaserJet 4000N (PCL 5 and 6 in firmware) and a DJ 855C. With Dutch
> and Elegant Garamond (Speedos), all the characters I needed came out OK.
> With other fonts, the quotes tended to print as 0.
>
> The attached file is one I made up to test the chars I need. Decode it,
> then edit it to include the ones you need, using the various fonts on
> whichever driver you're testing. IF you can find someone with the printer
> you want to try, and he or she will trust you enough to let you stick a
> floppy in the floppy drive, print the file to a disk file (PRINTF) on a
> floppy from your PC, then open a DOS prompt on the PC to which the
> printer is attached, and type
> copy a:filename.ext lpt1 /b
> That final /b is essential; it won't work without it. The last page
> mayn't eject. Anyone remember the code for form feed? I used to know it,
> but have forgotten and haven't time to go hunting right now. Good luck.
> Patricia
>
>