<< ** >>› Print Star 2.0› by› Thomas J. Andrews› Member of OL' HACKERS A.U.G., N.Y.› Copyright 1994 Thomas J. Andrews› The program "PRNTST20.BAS" is on this› OL' HACKERS newsletter disk.›› This documentation package and› the accompanying program which is on› ths OL' HACKER newsletter disk, may be› freely distributed as long as they› remain together and unaltered.› Print Star is a program for› printing text in multi-column formats› on Epson- or Star Gemini- compatible› printers. It was originally conceived› as a way to produce hard copy of› program documentations meant to be› read from the screen without using› reams of paper doing it.› This version, 2.0, incorporates› nearly all the features of the› previous versions, a few new ones, and› a new user interface. Print Star 2.0› will operate on any Atari 8-bit› computer with at least 48K of RAM, an› Epson- or Star Gemini- compatible dot-› matrix printer, and a disk drive. It› is written in Atari 8-bit BASIC.› Somewhat more speed can be obtained by› using Turbo BASIC XL, but the speed is› largely dependent on your particular› printer. I have tested it with Atari› DOS 2.5 and MYDOS 4.5, and it has also› been used with SpartaDOS and SpartaDos› X. It should work with nearly any› DOS.› Input files must be continuous› ATASCII text with records not longer› than 40 characters. In general,› characters that your printer would not› recognize or might interpret as› control codes should not be included.› Print Star 2.0 supports› tabulation using the ATASCII TAB› character (CHR$(127). For other› exceptions, see the file EFFECTS.TXT,› an article from the OL' HACKERS ATARI› USER GROUP [OHAUG] newsletter,› included in a prior newsletter. The› file EFFECTS.PSP is the same article,› but should be dumped directly to your› printer.› Whenever Print Star 2.0› encounters a TAB character(CHR$(127))› imbedded in the input text, spaces› will be inserted into the output line› until the next tab stop is reached. If› no more tab stops are set for that› line, the TAB character will be› ignored. If the output line, with tab› spaces, is longer than 40 characters,› the excess will be cut off, so be› careful when using tabs. › Tab stops are programmable (see› below). Text files that are not› compatible with Print Star may be› converted using a good word processor› or by using Reformat 2.01, a shareware› program that can be found on Genie,› Compuserve, the first Atari Classics› Magazine disk, OHAUG Library, and› several BBS's.›› PROGRAM OPERATION›› Running Print Star 2.0 is› simplicity itself. During› initialization, the program looks on› D: for a file named PSTRAUTO.DAT› containing configuration data. If› this file isn't found, or if there is› an error in reading it, Print Star› will configure itself internally. (See› below for more on creating› PSTRAUTO.DAT.) When initialization is› complete, Print Star moves on to the› Set Parameters screen.› The Set Parameters screen allows› the user to make temporary changes in› the configuration, or to exit the› program. A list of the changeable› factors is provided along with their› present settings (where applicable).› Use the up and down arrow keys (with› or without CONTROL) to highlight the› parameter you wish to change, then› press RETURN to select it. Some› parameters will change as you press› RETURN, but others will require› further action. Some choices are› available that are beyond the› capabilities of some printers, and I› leave it to the user to avoid those› that his printer can't handle. When› all changes are complete, press ESC to› continue with the program.› To exit Print Star and go to DOS,› press "D". To go to BASIC, press› "B".›› Parameter Descriptions›› LOAD/SAVE CONFIGURATION: This option› allows you to load a new› configuration, save the present one,› restore the defaults, or leave› everything alone. When RETURN is› pressed, you are moved to a new screen› where these options are presented. › Press the first letter of the desired› action. If needed, you will be asked› for a filename. D: is the default› device, but any device may be used. › If you wish to create a custom› configuration file to be loaded during› initialization, use the filename› PSTRAUTO.DAT.› # OF COLUMNS: This, of course is the› number of text columns on the Print› Star output page. Pressing RETURN› toggles between 2 and 3 columns.› LINES/INCH: This determines the› vertical line spacing of the output› text. Pressing RETURN cycles through› 6, 7, 8, and 12 lines/inch.› PRINT STYLE: Determines the print› style for the whole page. Choices are› DRAFT, DOUBLE STRIKE, and NLQ.› PAPER TYPE: Tells Print Star what› kind of paper you're using. Choices› are CONTINUOUS, cut sheet AUTOFEED,› and SINGLE sheets. When using single› sheets, Print Star pauses between› pages for a paper change.› OUTPUT DEVICE: This selects the› device code for Print Star's output. › Possible choices are P, P2, D, D1-9,› and C. If one of the drives is› selected you will be asked for a file› name before printing takes place. › This feature is essential for those› who want to add special effects as› explained in EFFECTS.TXT.› FIRST PAGE: This sets the starting› point of the printout. Any number› from 1 to 100000 is permitted, as long› as it doesn't exceed the value of LAST› PAGE, below. If Print Star should› reach the end of the input file before› getting to the FIRST PAGE number,› nothing is printed. To change the› value, press RETURN and a question› mark will appear on the line. Type› the new starting page number and press› RETURN.› LAST PAGE: Same as FIRST PAGE above,› except that it specifies the last page› to be printed. This value cannot be› less than that of FIRST PAGE. › Printing ceases at the end of file if› the LAST PAGE has not been reached.› PAGES PRINTED: This option allows› you to print on one or both sides of› your paper. The possible settings are› All, Odd/Even, Odd, and Even. All› means that every page is printed in› consecutive order, on one side of the› paper.› The Odd/Even setting prints the› odd-numbered pages first, then pauses› so that you can remove your paper and› replace it so that the back side of› the first page is at the beginning. › Then the even-numbered pages are› printed, thus printing the file on› both sides of the paper.› The Odd and Even settings allow› you to print several files on both› sides of the paper while reloading the› paper only once. To do this, print› the odd pages only of each file in› succession. Reload the paper when the› last odd page is completed and print› the even pages. If the total number› of pages for any one file is odd, the› paper will need to be advanced by one› sheet before printing the next file,› so be sure to check. › Also, if the configuration was› changed between files, be sure to use› the same configuration for each file› on the even pages that you used on the› odd ones.› HEADER/BYLINE: This selects the› pages on which the header and byline› are to be printed. The choices are› All pages, the First Page Only, and› None at all.› The header is designed primarily › to be used as a title or headline for› the printout. It can be no more than› 40 characters long. It is printed in› double width pica (5 cpi) and centered› at the top of the page. The byline,› or subhead, is in regular pica (10› cpi), can be 80 characters long, and› is centered beneath the header.› Pages that have no header/byline› will have approximately 1/2 inch more› text in its place.› FOOTER: This selects the pages for› the footer, much the same way as the› header/byline. Like the› header/byline, if no footer is printed› 1/2 inch more text is added to the› body of the page. For more on the› footer, see CHANGE FOOTER, below.› FOOT LINE: This allows you to print› a line beneath the body of the text,› mainly to separate it from the footer,› but it can be used without the footer,› if desired. The choices for this› option are the same as those for the› header/byline. Two lines of text are› added if the foot line isn't used.› PAPER SIZE: Normally, Print Star› output is printed for full-sized, 8› 1/2 x 11 inch paper. Some users,› particularly those submitting to club› newsletters, wanted to print a page to› be used as a master for a 5 1/2 x 8› 1/2 inch newsletter page. This› smaller format ignores the values of› certain parts of the configuration and› resets them before printing takes› place. The output is in two columns,› printed at 12 lines/inch in condensed› (17 cpi) superscript mode. The header› is printed in double width condensed› print (8 cpi) and the byline is in› condensed print. The footer is in› condensed superscript, and can be no› more than 79 characters long. The› pages are printed on full-sized paper,› then cut down for copying. › Alternatively, of course, a regular› Print Star page can be reduced with a› copier.› CHANGE FOOTER: Print Star 2.0 always› has a footer active in memory, whether› it's to be printed or not. This› option lets you change it. When› RETURN is pressed, the program goes to› a new screen where the present footer› string is displayed, and the new› footer is asked for. Pressing OPTION› at this point retains the current› footer. The footer may be up to 119› characters long for a full-sized page› and 79 for a "small" one. When the› footer is processed for printing, the› first time an inverse # (pound symbol)› is encountered the page number will be› printed instead. Printer and control› codes for things like italics or› underlining may be included, but they› will be counted as regular characters› for centering purposes, so the› centering may be a bit off as a› result.› CHANGE TABS: This allows you to› change the tab stops for use in› creating tables, etc. The tab stops› remain in effect for the whole› printout.› When RETURN is pressed, Print Star› changes screens and the current tab› stop values are displayed. To retain› these stops, just press OPTION. › Pressing anything else clears the› present tabs. The new tab entries can› be any number from 1 to 40, and need› not be entered in any particular› order, but they must be entered one› stop per line. Invalid entries will› be ignored and a message will be› printed on the screen. When the last› stop has been entered, enter a "0" to› go back to the Set Parameters screen.› PRINTER TYPE: This toggles between› the Epson and Star Gemini printer› drivers. Print Star can be programmed› for other printers. I will program a› dot-matrix printer driver (if› possible) for users who have paid a› shareware fee for any of the Print› Star series. I will require a summary› of your printer commands, which may be› sent to one of the addresses at the› end of this documentation.›› PRINTING›› Upon leaving the Set Parameters› screen Print Star asks for the header› and byline, if they are to be used,› and the output file name if a drive› was specified as the output device. › To get a directory of the output› drive, just press RETURN when asked› for the file name. To change the› output device, enter the device code› without a file name, but be sure to› include the colon (:). Only devices› in the list specified on the Set› Parameters screen will be accepted. › If a device that doesn't require a› file name is entered, the program will› leave this screen and go on to the› input file name. A drive other than› that specified in the configuration› can be entered with the file name, if› desired. Devices specified on this› screen only temporarily override the› configuration.› Input File Name: The input file› name screen works much as does the› output file name screen. Press RETURN› for a default device directory and› enter a device code(with colon) to› change the default drive.› Before entering the input file› name be sure both input and output› devices are ready and on line. Once› the input file name is entered, Print› Star checks to see if it's a 40-› character file. If it is it begins› reading the file and formatting page› 1. Print Star won't print pages it's› not supposed to, but every page must› be formatted.› Print Star will continue› formatting and printing until› finished. The user will be prompted› for paper changes when they are› needed, or if there is some sort of› I/O error. When Print Star is› finished the user will be prompted to› press a key. To go back to the Set› Parameters screen, press any key but› the console and BREAK keys. Please› note that the BREAK key is disabled› when Print Star is operating.›› This program is Shareware, and as› such I would ask that if you like it› and use it that you send the suggested› fee to me at the address below. This› will cover some of my expenses and› encourage me to further develop this› and other programs for the ATARI 8› BIT. My suggested fee is $4.00.› I would like to thank my beta› testers, Jeff Potter and Mike Todd for› their useful suggestions. This program› wouldn't have been the same without› them.› I would appreciate any comments› or suggestions about Print Star 2.0. I› can be reached via the following› addresses:› GEnie: T.ANDREWS16› Backstairs BBS (315) 458-0118:› Tom Andrews› USPS: Thomas J. Andrews› 7805 US Route 20› Manlius, NY 13104› **************** end *****************›