Date   : Fri, 13 Jan 1984 09:36:31 EST
From   : "Ferd Brundick (LTTB)" <fsbrn@brl-voc>
Subject: Re: WordStar printer questions

Hi,

There are at least 4 ways that you can get Word* to print special characters
and control sequences --

1. Install your own routines in ^Q, ^W, ^E, ^R and ribbon change.  If you
modify the ribbon change sequence (I use it to turn off enhanced printing)
you can patch the help file as well so that the NoFile Menu has the correct
prompt.  This method only works for very short sequences.

2. Write your own printer driver and install it in WS.  There are a few
control chars that WS doesn't use, and your driver could use these as
special flags to change the meaning of the next char(s).  For example,
^]A could mean "print an Alpha", ^]B --> print a Beta, etc.

3. Write the same printer driver but install it in your CBIOS.  This is a
bit more involved (depending on whether or not you have a source listing)
but has the advantage that all programs that talk to your printer would
be able to use the special chars/features.  This is the method that I
prefer and am slowly working on.  A recent issue of MicroSystems had an
article/program that used this technique.

4. Write a new utility program that prints WS files (instead of using WS's
print routine).  This would be a large program and something that you
would probably not do Except for the fact that it has already been done.
The January 84 issue of Interface Age has an article in MBASIC (plus a
small assembler sbr to send chars to the printer) that uses true proportional
spacing to print a WS file.  Of course it also can also access your printer's
special abilities as well, but does not print non-ASCII chars.  I have
begun converting this program into 8080 assembler for 3 reasons:
   a) It only prints 8 lines per minute
   b) I think the author made 2 major mistakes
   c) I don't have MBASIC.
The author does mention that he is also rewriting it in assembler.

If anyone else "out there" is pursuing a project such as this I would be
interested in hearing from you.  I have a NEC PC-8001 and 8023 printer.
The MicroSystems article was written for a North*/8023 combo and the IA
article is for the ProWriter printer.  The 8023 and ProWriter are 
different versions of the same basic dot-matrix printer made by TEC, as
are a printer by Panasonic and the (newest?) Apple printer.

                                        dsw, fferd
                                        Fred S. Brundick
                                        USABRL, APG, MD.
                                        <fsbrn@brl-voc>