Q23976: Sending Output to a Printer

Article: Q23976
Product(s): Microsoft Programming Utilities
Version(s): 1.0,1.5,5.1,6.0,6.0a,6.0ax; MS-DOS:7.0; winnt:1.0,2.0,4.0
Operating System(s): 
Keyword(s): 
Last Modified: 13-JUN-2001

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The information in this article applies to:

- Microsoft C for MS-DOS, versions 5.1, 6.0, 6.0a, 6.0ax 
- Microsoft C/C++ for MS-DOS, version 7.0 
- Microsoft Visual C++, version 1.5 
- Microsoft Visual C++, versions 1.0, 2.0, 4.0 
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SUMMARY
=======

This article presents three methods an application can use to send output to a
printer.

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

Method 1
--------

The first method uses the fprintf() function with the preopened "stdprn" stream.
The following code example demonstrates this technique:

     #include <stdio.h>
     main()
     {
        fprintf(stdprn, "a line of text\n");
     }

This method works only in the MS-DOS operating system because the "stdprn" stream
is not defined by Microsoft Windows or Microsoft Windows NT.

Method 2
--------

Another method uses the fopen() function to open the LPT1, LPT2, or PRN device as
a file and uses the fprintf() function to write data to the file handle returned
by fopen(). The following code example demonstrates this technique:

     #include <stdio.h>
     main()
     {
        FILE *stream;

        stream = fopen("PRN", "w");
        fprintf(stream, "a line of text\n");
     }

This method works in Windows NT as well as the MS-DOS and Windows operating
systems.

Method 3
--------

Finally, in MS-DOS, an application can use the int86() or int86x() functions to
call one of the following BIOS printer services provided by Interrupt 17h:

  service 0: send byte to the printer.
  service 1: initialize the printer.
  service 2: get printer status.

REFERENCES
==========

For more information on the int86() and int86x() functions, refer to the
Microsoft C "Run-Time Library Reference" manual.

Additional query words: kbinf 1.00 1.50 2.00 2.10 4.00 5.10 6.00 6.00a 6.00ax 7.00

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Keywords          :  
Technology        : kbVCsearch kbVC400 kbAudDeveloper kbPTProdChange kbvc150 kbvc100 kbCCompSearch kbZNotKeyword3 kbCComp510DOS kbCComp600DOS kbCComp600aDOS kbCComp600axDOS kbCVC700DOS kbVC200
Version           : :1.0,1.5,5.1,6.0,6.0a,6.0ax; MS-DOS:7.0; winnt:1.0,2.0,4.0

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