KnowledgeBase Archive

An Archive of Early Microsoft KnowledgeBase Articles

View on GitHub

Q12110: Calling ROM BIOS Routines to Check the Printer Status

Article: Q12110
Product(s): Microsoft Programming Utilities
Version(s): 6.0,6.0a,6.0ax; MS-DOS:7.0; WINDOWS:1.0,1.5
Operating System(s): 
Keyword(s): kb16bitonly
Last Modified: 09-MAY-2001

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The information in this article applies to:

- Microsoft C for MS-DOS, versions 6.0, 6.0a, 6.0ax 
- Microsoft C/C++ for MS-DOS, version 7.0 
- Microsoft Visual C++, versions 1.0, 1.5 
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY
=======

The text below provides a method for a C application to check the status of a
printer before it attempts to write data to the printer.

MORE INFORMATION
================

Even though the C language does not define a portable method to check printer
status, your application can retrieve this information using routines in the ROM
BIOS. To obtain status information, call the _bios_printer() function, an
interface to Interrupt 17H, Function 2, or call the interrupt directly through
the int86() functions. For more information, see the online help file or the
run-time library reference manual provided with your compiler.

In your application, you may want to process printer errors by changing the
critical error handler interrupt vector (the Interrupt 24H vector). The default
critical error handler presents the user with the notorious "abort, retry,
ignore" message. Your application can provide a substitute message, like
"Printer offline: place printer on line and press Y to continue."

REFERENCES
==========

For more information about the ROM BIOS routines or interrupt handlers, refer to
one of the following two books from Microsoft Press:

- "The Peter Norton Programmer's Guide to the IBM PC," by Peter Norton

- "Advanced MS-DOS," by Ray Duncan

Additional query words: kbinf 6.00 6.00a 6.00ax 7.00 1.00 1.50

======================================================================
Keywords          : kb16bitonly 
Technology        : kbVCsearch kbAudDeveloper kbPTProdChange kbvc150 kbvc100 kbCCompSearch kbZNotKeyword3 kbCComp600DOS kbCComp600aDOS kbCComp600axDOS kbCVC700DOS
Version           : :6.0,6.0a,6.0ax; MS-DOS:7.0; WINDOWS:1.0,1.5

=============================================================================

THE INFORMATION PROVIDED IN THE MICROSOFT KNOWLEDGE BASE IS PROVIDED "AS IS" WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND. MICROSOFT DISCLAIMS ALL WARRANTIES, EITHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING THE WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. IN NO EVENT SHALL MICROSOFT CORPORATION OR ITS SUPPLIERS BE LIABLE FOR ANY DAMAGES WHATSOEVER INCLUDING DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, CONSEQUENTIAL, LOSS OF BUSINESS PROFITS OR SPECIAL DAMAGES, EVEN IF MICROSOFT CORPORATION OR ITS SUPPLIERS HAVE BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES. SOME STATES DO NOT ALLOW THE EXCLUSION OR LIMITATION OF LIABILITY FOR CONSEQUENTIAL OR INCIDENTAL DAMAGES SO THE FOREGOING LIMITATION MAY NOT APPLY.