How to create a "form feed" for printer

[fox]

Hi all,
I would like to know the simplest way to create a "form feed" for printer with LB Pro v4.5.1.
If chr$(10) creates a "line feed" what may be the value of chr$() for a "form feed"? Or there is another way to do it?
Thanks a lot to all and bye.
fox

[Rod]

Modern print drivers do not allow direct control. If you are using LPRINT then keep track of the number of lines. Once you know how many lines fill a page you can add blank lines to force a form feed when needed, or just use DUMP to force lines to be printed. You gain much more control by drawing and printing text in a graphicbox. There is a printform.bas demo that ships with Liberty.

[fox]

Thanks a lot, Rod.
I imagined a solution similar to that you suggest (your solution is better), but I thought perhaps there is a more simple way.
Thanks a lot again and bye
fox

[Jack Kelly]

Try

lprint chr$(12)

It may work well enough for you.

[Rod]

Yes, but would it not need to be as an Escape sequence? So chrs$(27)+chr$(12). I have not seen a directly driven printer for fifteen years or so, the days of simplicity!

[fox]

Thanks a lot, Jack and Rod. But, sorry, I'm not able to put into practice your suggestion.
Please, can you post a little (code) example?
Thanks a lot again and bye.
fox

[mknarr]

I don't know I may be all wet but
lprint "dummy"
dump
lprint "dummy2"
dump


Will print the first line on one page, go to the next page and print the second line.

If you are talking about printing an unknown number of lines that will span more than one page, the printer will automatically go to the next page.

[fox]

Thanks a lot, mknarr.
My idea is to insert at top of all new page 5 titles for 5 different columns of data.
I know that every dump creates a "form feed". So I think I can calculate how many lines I want for every page and insert a dump when the lines are enough.
But I was thinking also if there is a way (with some other "form feed" method) to force printer to print double-side (the same page). 
Thanks a lot again and bye.
fox

[mknarr]

I found this code but have no idea who wrote it.

     nomainwin
     WindowWidth=640:WindowHeight=480
     open "Demo Print Program  --------  Freeware "for window as #1
     print #1, "trapclose [quit]"
     'printer routine
     setupprinterok = SetupPrinter()
     if setupprinterok then
         HeadingFont = CreateFont("font ms_sans_serif", 20,1, 0, 1)' font in points
         NormalFont = CreateFont("Courier New", 12, 0, 0,0) 'font in points
         PagenumberFont = CreateFont("font ms_sans_serif",35, 1, 0, 0)' font in points
     '*** DRAW PAGE ***
         startNewPage = 1
         linecnt = 1
         page = 1
         for i = 1 to 70
             printY = 0.8+linecnt*12/72
             if printY > 10.5 then   ' in inches 10.5" for A4 to page
                 call EjectPage
                 startNewPage = 1
                 page=page +1
             end if
             if startNewPage then
                 startNewPage = 0
                 linecnt = 1
                 call StartPage
                 call SetFont PagenumberFont ' just for fun make it big
                 call PrintText 6, 10.5,  "Page "+str$(page)'6inches across 10.5inches down
                 call SetFont HeadingFont
                 call PrintText 0.3, 0.5,"Place Heading Here"
                 call DrawLine 0, 0.8, 10, 0.8        'inches from top left corner
                 call SetFont NormalFont
                 printY = 0.8+linecnt*12/72
             end if
             call PrintText 0.3, printY, "middle text"
             linecnt = linecnt + 1
         next i
         call EjectPage
         call DeleteFont HeadingFont
         call DeleteFont NormalFont
         call DeleteFont PagenumberFont
         call FinishPrinting
     end if
     wait
     [quit]
     close #1
     end
 '***************** printing **********************
 function SetupPrinter()
     struct PD,_
     lStructSize as ulong,_
     hwndOwner as long,_
     hDevMode as long,_
     hDevNames as long,_
     hDC as long,_
     Flags as ulong,_
     nFromPage as word,_
     nToPage as word,_
     nMinPage as word,_
     nMaxPage as word,_
     nCopies as word,_
     hInstance as long,_
     lCustData as ulong,_
     lpfnPrintHook as long,_
     lpfnSetupHook as long,_
     lpPrintTemplateName as long,_
     lpSetupTemplateName as long,_
     hPrintTemplate as long,_
     hSetupTemplate as long
     PD.Flags.struct=_PD_RETURNDC
     PD.lStructSize.struct=len(PD.struct)
     calldll #comdlg32, "PrintDlgA",PD as struct, r as long
     pDC=PD.hDC.struct
     if pDC > 0 then
         'returns dots per inch width, printer
         calldll #gdi32, "GetDeviceCaps",_
         pDC as long,_
         _LOGPIXELSX as long,_
         dpix as long
         'returns dots per inch height, printer
         calldll #gdi32, "GetDeviceCaps",_
         pDC as long,_
         _LOGPIXELSY as long,_
         dpiy as long
         'this struct is needed for StartDoc
         struct docInfo, _
         cbSize as long,_
         lpszDocName$ as ptr,_
         lpszOutput$ as ptr,_
         lpszDatatype$ as ptr,_
         fwType as ulong
         docInfo.cbSize.struct=len(docInfo.struct)
         docInfo.lpszDocName$.struct="PrinterTest"+chr$(0)
         'begins the print job
         calldll #gdi32, "StartDocA", _
         pDC as long, _      'the handle of the printer dc
         docInfo as struct, _
         result as long
         SetupPrinter = 1    'Setup ok
     else
         SetupPrinter = 0    'Setup failed
     end if
     PrinterpDC(1) = pDC
     Printerdpix(1) = dpix
     Printerdpiy(1) = dpiy
 End Function
 '**********************************************************
 Sub StartPage
     pDC = PrinterpDC(1)
     'begins a new page
     calldll #gdi32, "StartPage", _
     pDC as long, _       'the handle of the printer dc
     r as long
 End Sub
 '**********************************************************
 Sub FinishPrinting
     pDC = PrinterpDC(1)
     'end printing session
     calldll #gdi32, "EndDoc", _
     pDC as long,_  'the handle of the printer dc
     result as long
     'delete printer dc
     calldll #gdi32, "DeleteDC",_
     pDC as long,_     'the handle of the Printer DC
     result as long    'a return of 0 indicates an error
 End Sub
 '**************************************************************
 Sub EjectPage
     'eject page
     pDC = PrinterpDC(1)
     calldll #gdi32, "EndPage", _
     pDC as long,_   'the handle of the printer dc
     result as long
 End Sub
 '*****************************************************************
 Sub DrawLine orgx, orgy, endx, endy
     pDC = PrinterpDC(1)
     x0 = int(Printerdpix(1) * orgx)    'line will begin 2 1/2 inches from left
     y0 = int(Printerdpiy(1) * orgy)    'line will begin 4inches from top
     x1 = int(Printerdpix(1) * endx)     'line will end on right side of page
     y1 = int(Printerdpiy(1) * endy)    'line will end 4 inches from top
     struct P,x As long, y As long
     calldll #gdi32, "MoveToEx",_
     pDC as long,_   'handle to the printer's DC
     x0 as long,_   'starting X coordinate
     y0 as long,_  'starting Y coordinate
     P as struct,_   'struct containing old x,y
     result as boolean
     calldll #gdi32, "LineTo",_
     pDC as long,_    'handle to the printer's DC
     x1 as long,_   'ending X coordinate
     y1 as long,_   'ending Y coordinate
     result as boolean     'nonzero is successful
 End Sub
 '**********************************************************
 Sub PrintText x, y, text$
     lengthtext=len(text$)
     textx = int(x * Printerdpix(1))
     texty = int(y * Printerdpiy(1))
     pDC = PrinterpDC(1)
     'send text to printer
     calldll #gdi32, "TextOutA", _
         pDC as long,_       'device context
         textx as long,_     'x origin of text
         texty as long,_     'y origin of text
         text$ as ptr,_      'text string to display
         lengthtext as long,_'length of text string
         result as long      'nonzero if successful
 End Sub
 '*******************************************************************
 Function CreateFont(fontname$, height, italic,underline, bold)
     'set font attributes
     fontheight = int(Printerdpiy(1) * height/72)'.25 inch high
     fontwidth = int(Printerdpix(1) * 0.5*(height/72))'.15 inch wide
     if bold = 1 then
         fontweight = _FW_BOLD    'bold
     end if
     fontnm$ = fontname$ + chr$(0)
     'create a font
     Calldll #gdi32, "CreateFontA",_
     fontheight as long, fontwidth as long,_
     escapement as long, orientation as long,_
     weight as long, italic as long,_
     underline as long, strikeout as long,_
     CharSet as long, OutputPrecision as long,_
     ClipPrecision as long, Quality as long,_
     PitchAndFamily as long, fontnm$ as PTR,_
     newfont as long
     'print "font handle ";newfont
     CreateFont=newfont
 End Function
 '******************************************************************
 Sub SetFont thefont
     'select font into printer device context
     pDC = PrinterpDC(1)
     Calldll #gdi32, "SelectObject",_
     pDC as long,_     'handle to the DC
     thefont as long,_ 'handle to the new font
     oldfont as long   'handle to the previous font
 End Sub
 '*****************************************************************
 Sub DeleteFont thefont
     'delete font
     Calldll #gdi32, "DeleteObject",_
     thefont as long,_ 'handle of font to delete
     result as long    'nonzero if successful
 End Sub


[fox]

A very interesting code.
I will study it accurately.
Thanks a lot, mknarr and bye.
fox