+*+*+*    From:    John› Sebastian  Mcgowan  To:     A.PIGNATO› Sub: Article› › Here  is a bit of an article for your› online  newsletter... a user on GEnie› wanted  a  word  processor that would› print  out with Atari (Atascii) fonts› and  I know of one combination (maybe› two)  that  will  work.  This article› describes one of them.› ›                -+-+-+-›                ARTICLE›                -+-+-+-› ›    Printing with Atascii fonts and›         TEXTPRO version 4.54› › If   you  have  an  Epson  compatible› printer and want a full featured word› processor  that  will  enable  you to› print out documents as they appear on› screen (with ATASCII fonts), there is› a combination that will work.› › The word processor is TextPro version› 4.54  (NOT  4.56  or  5) and ONLY the› regular  version  (NOT  LoMem  or  XE› versions)  along  with  Analog's "G:"› Device handler and Atari Dos.› › TP454   uses   ONLY   himemory   (and› respects  the  lomem pointer) (except› when     using     something     like› SpartaDos...  I  "suspect"  that  the› access  to  subdirectories and Sparta› directories  does NOT respect LoMem).› The LoMem version of TP454, TP456 and› TP5 all use some low memory.› › Analog's  "G:" handler was a software› routine   that  would  add  a  device› (called  "G:")  to  which  one  could› print  out  text  (using  the Atascii› font in memory). It lives in LoMemory› and  updates  the  LoMem pointer, and› is,  therefore,  compatible  with the› standard  version of TP454 with Atari› Dos.› › IF  one  first  loads  in Analog's G:› device  and  then runs TP454, one can› print  to  "G:"  and  print  out with› whatever   font  one  has  loaded  as› TEXTPRO.FNT  (to  print  to "G:" from› TP,  just  use  CTRL-P  and backspace› over  the  "P:" and change it to "G:"› or   "G3:"  if  one  wants  wide,  40› column,   printing)   (G:=80+  column› lines::  G2:=40  column lines, narrow› print  -  narrow but as it appears on› screen::  G3:=40  column wide print::› G4:=60 column wide print)› › Sounds  good, but what if you want to› change  fonts?  While  TP456  and TP5› allow  this, TP454 does not. However,› I have written a ML addition to TP454› that  allows  a new font to be loaded› into  TP454 without exitting TP. (You› may find this file up as TPFNTLOD.ARC› on   a   BBS,  or  the  name  may  be› something close to this).› › The  easiest way to set up a disk for› this  is  to  create  an Atari format› disk  (say, DOS 2.0) and copy TextPro› to  the  disk  (with file name TP454)› and  the  Analog  "G:"  handler (with› name   G.COM)   and   the  fontloader› routine.    Now   rename   G.COM   to› AUTORUN.SYS  and delete DUP.SYS. Then› rename  TP454  to  DUP.SYS  and  boot› without Basic.› › This  will  first load the G: handler› (AUTORUN.SYS)  and THEN go to DUP.SYS› (which  is  TP) (NOTE: If you want to› exit  to  DOS, you will have to put a› disk  in  drive  one which has a REAL› DUP.SYS  on  it!). Thus you are in TP› with the G: device loaded (but TP has› so  many DOS commands accessible from› its  Dos interface menu that you will› probably not need to exit to DOS).› › You can use the fontloader routine to› load a new font and print to "G:" (or› "G3:")  for  a printout using the new› font.› › A    couple    of   points.   Inverse› characters    are   treated   as   TP› commands...  so if you want a listing› of   a   basic  programme  which  has› non-ascii  codes (say inverses), SAVE› the file to "G:" (this will not allow› formatting as to length of lines, but› will  allow  the  inverse codes to be› printed  rather  than  treated  as TP› control    codes:   IF   YOU   INSERT› CRs=CHR$(155)'s  AT  THE  ENDS OF THE› LINES,  THE FILE WILL BE FORMATTED BY› LINE,  BUT  YOU WILL HAVE TO HAVE THE› CRs  IN  THE FILE IF YOU WANT TO SAVE› TO  "G:"  AND  THUS  BE ABLE TO PRINT› INVERSE CHARACTERS!). CHR$(0) will be› printed  as  either  a blank or a dot› (rather  than a heart) depending upon› whether or not you have turned on the› command  (in  TP)  to  show CHR$(0)'s› (false spaces).› › The  default line spacing is 1/9 inch› (so vertical characters that touch on› the screen touch on the printout). To› change this requires opening the "G:"› with  a  different auxilliary number,› which  can  be  done, say from Basic,› but  canNOT  be done from TP. HOWEVER› if  you use an ESC-2 Epson compatible› (which  demands  an extra ESC-2 code)› the  printout  will  be  at  1/6 inch› spacing  from  TP... to correct this,› load the G: handler programme into TP› and   change   the   ESC-A-CTRL_H  to› ESC-3-CTRL_X  which changes 8/72 inch› to  24/216  inch  and works with more› printers!› › For example, configure TP to 99 lines› per  page  (say, with a bottom margin› at  94)  and  print  to "G:" to get a› print  out that looks like the screen› (but with more characters per line if› you  haven't  put  in CRs). This will› allow  you  to  print text to "G:" or› "G3:"  and  have  a  printout of your› screen,  just  as  it shows up on the› screen!  (for printing to G:, inverse› characters cannot be used).› › While  Antic  had programmes, say, to› printout  inserts  for Cassette tapes› (using   Atascii   fonts),   using  a› template (and TP's INPUT macro) would› enable one to print such from TP.› › Creating   a   font,   say  with  map› symbols,  and  setting  up  macros to› print  various symbols (using graphic› characters  from  the  new  font)  or› combinations  thereof (one might need› to  print two characters abbutting in› order  to  show  a  wide  symbol,  or› vertically  adjacent, and this can be› done  with a macro key stroke), would› enable  one  to  create  a macro file› that  would enable one to create maps› (or   circuit   diagrammes  or  house› planning  routines  or  flow  charts)› which  would  print  out  (set  up  a› CTRL-P  macro  to  SAVE - in order to› show  inverse  characters if they are› needed  -  to  "G3:",  say) to give a› dump of the screen to the printer.› ›                 +-+-+› › A combination of TP454, Analog's "G:"› device  and  my  font loader routines› for   TP454  will  give  you  a  full› featured word processor with printing› with Atascii fonts!› › Actually,  I  use  DD3 so do not need› such  printing,  but  have used it in› the past.›                 =END=›