How to Print on a Local Print Device Connected to a Terminal

ID: Q126406

The information in this article applies to:

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SUMMARY

It is possible in UNIX to send printed output to a print device connected to a terminal, this article gives the steps you need to follow.

MORE INFORMATION

For a print device connected to a terminal to be used by UNIX, there must be two entries in the /etc/termcap file: PN (start printing) and PS (stop printing) for the terminal to which the print device is connected.

Because remote printing requires the use of /etc/termcap, you will not be able to use the terminfo entries that ship with FoxPro in your TERM environment variable. Instead, set the FoxPro specific value in the FOXTERM environment variable. If your terminal supports local printing and the /etc/termcap entry for the terminal contains the PN and PS sequences, follow these steps to print from FoxPro:

1. When you start FoxPro, go to the File menu and choose Printer Setup. 

   Under the file option, FoxPro defaults to the lp filter with the -s
   switch. Replace that filter with the lprint filter and press the OK
   button.
2. Issue a command in FoxPro to send output to a print device followed by a 
   SET PRINTER TO command. If you want to set up local printing
   automatically, follow these steps:

   a. Place _PRN, _LPT#, or _COM# in the CONFIG.FPU file, where # is a
      number from 1 to 3. Following the variable, place the filter lprint.

   b. To send printed output to the local print device, issue a SET PRINTER
      TO command along with the device you have identified as your local
      device.
Additional reference words: FoxUnix 2.60 print local FoxUNIX terminal KBCategory: kbprint KBSubcategory: FxprintGeneral

Last Reviewed: February 23, 1995