Printing Problems with UniComalPrinting Problems with UniComalHow can I control the PC Printer Ports LPT1: and LPT2:?
A great deal of information on UniCOMAL's handling of the PC printer ports can be found in Dick Klingens' "printers.zip" download file.
Why does the last page not print ever?
SELECT OUTPUT "PRN: redirects all output to the default printer. However, if less than a full page is output, printing will not occur until a form feed is sent to the printer. This can be done by executing a PAGE command or by using PRINT CHR$(12), before switching back to the console with SELECT OUTPUT "CON:
Why does printed output not appear on the screen as well as on the printer?
Many users who have converted from Acorn Comal have asked this one. When the Acorn Comal command 'VDU 2' is issued, output is sent BOTH to the screen AND to the printer. This doesn't happen with UniComal - SELECT OUTPUT only has one destination at a time, either screen, printer or file. This difference has caused a lot of head-scratching on all sides, and we still don't know of any way to echo printed output to the screen using simple UniComal commands. However, the BUTTONS module (see downloads section) contains some support for this, in that the 'output destination' toggle button provided in it, echoes output from its output screen window, to the printer. Furthermore, we now have a module from Dick Klingens, called DUALOUT, in the download file "dualout.zip", which is getting closer. However, neither of them solve the next problem, which is:
How can students get a printed audit trail?
The simplest way seems to be to send the output to the screen, then use SHIFT/PRINTSCR to dump the screen to the printer. That way, you get a printout of INPUTs as well as of PRINTed data. When running under MS-Windows, however, this sends the screen to the Windows clipboard instead of to the printer.
Another way when using Windows 95 or 98, goes like this:
If you don't have a button bar at the top of your UniCOMAL window, you can ask MS-Windows to display one by right-clicking the COMAL87.EXE file in your COMAL directory, then left-click "Properties", then the "Screen" tab, then selecting "Display toolbar".
See also the MS-Windows hints and tips.
Why can't I print to the network?
Users of Windows NT, Windows 95 and various RM networks have reported trouble printing to the network. It seems that these networks need configuring to allow any DOS applications to print, not only UniComal. Check your network documentation for printing from DOS. Remember, if DOS can't print, neither can UniComal.
It is often easier to use a workaround such as the one described below for screen dumps, so as to export the data to a Windows application and print from that instead.
See also the MS-Windows hints and tips.
How can I get a Screen Dump from a UniCOMAL Graphics screen?
Using MS-Windows 95 or 98, screen dumping can be done fairly easily:
See also the MS-Windows hints and tips.