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ShareWare OnLine Volume 2 (CMS Software)(1993).iso
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PRINTPAG.TXT
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1993-02-01
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Printing with Alpha FOUR:
Page Alignment Problems
This document covers the more common printing alignment and page
depth problems experienced with Alpha FOUR. There is first a
description of some of the basic printing and page alignment
concepts you should be aware of, and the second part goes into
more specific problems and how to solve them. Should you run into
page alignment problems when printing with Alpha FOUR, it will
most likely fall into one of these categories:
Page alignment problems:
Page creep: each page prints lower or higher than the last.
Blank page printing after each page.
Each Mail Label or Form printing higher or lower than the
last.
Hardware connection problems
Printer not responding.
Some Printing Basics
Usable Space on the page:
A typical 8.5" x 11" page usually consists 66 lines of usable
space. This represents the standard 6 lines per inch (LPI)
multiplied by 11" = 66 lines per page. The lines per inch setting
is determined by how many lines of text will fit within 1" of
vertical space. However there are factors to consider that will
change the standard page depth:
If your printer is set to other than 6 lpi (lines per inch) you
will be able to fit more or fewer lines within the same page. For
example; if your printer is set internally to 8 lpi you will
start out with 88 lines of usable space rather than 66.
Your printer may have a pre-set top and/or bottom margin that
will subtract from the usable space. For example; If your printer
is set to 66 lines per page but has a top and bottom margin of 3
each you will effectively limit your usable space to 60 lines per
page and your "Lines per page" setting should be 60 rather than
66 (66 total - 3 top - 3 bottom = 60 usable).
The page size and Alpha FOUR
When printing anything within Alpha FOUR the program feeds a set
number of lines to the printer and then tells the printer to go
to the next page. The number of lines per page is determined
either in the printer or within Alpha FOUR:
In the Printer: Most printers contain their own page depth
setting. This may or may not affect the interaction between Alpha
FOUR and the printer. Consult your printer documentation or call
your printer company's technical support to determine the page
depth setting in your printer.
Within Alpha FOUR there are two places where you can set the page
depth (a.k.a Lines per page).
The Printer Configuration file. The primary place for this is the
"Lines per page:" setting in the Printer Configuration (a.k.a.
printer driver). See page 22-7 in the Alpha FOUR version 2 manual
or page 21-7 in the Alpha FOUR version 1 manual for more on the
printer configuration.
The Report Parameters screen. The second place is within a given
Report Layout. If you are designing a Report, on the Report
Parameters screen you will find a setting (possibly on page 2 of
this screen) "Standard page length:". This setting allows you to
override the page depth setting in the printer configuration for
this Report only. If you set this to "Yes" you are instructing
Alpha FOUR to "just accept the page depth specified in the Alpha
FOUR printer configuration". Set to "No" (with a page depth
here), you are instructing Alpha FOUR that you "want this page
depth setting to override the one in the printer configuration
for this Report only".
If Alpha FOUR feeds more or fewer lines per page to the printer
than the printer has as usable space per page this will often
result in page creep. The best way to avoid page creep is to set
the "Lines per page" in the printer configuration to the same
number of usable lines offered by the printer.
In addition, Alpha FOUR has two basic ways of telling the printer
how to go to the next line; FORMFEED and LINEFEED (sheetfeed is
also an option, but the vast majority of printers use Formfeed or
Sheetfeed). Which of these you specify in the printer
configuration determines the method Alpha FOUR will use to
instruct the printer to go to the next page.
With "Page Advance By" set to Linefeed. Alpha FOUR feeds lines of
data to the printer until Alpha FOUR thinks the page is full
(determined by the "Lines per page:" setting). Then Alpha FOUR
sends one more line to the printer (Linefeed) to hopefully get
the printer to the next page. If Alpha FOUR is set to the exact
same page depth as the printer, this additional line will cause
the printer to go to the top of the next page and start printing
the next page at the correct place. If this linefeed happens too
early (Alpha FOUR's page depth is less than the printer's), the
printer will simply advance by one line within the same page.
This will probably result in each page printing higher and
eventually successive pages will start at the bottom of the
previous page. If the page break happens too late (Alpha FOUR's
page depth is set higher than the printer), the printer will go
to the next page before Alpha FOUR instructed it to (Alpha FOUR
assumes it is still on the first page). This will result in each
page printing lower than the last or you get a blank page between
pages.
With "Page Advance by" set to Formfeed. Alpha FOUR still feeds a
set number of lines to the printer but when Alpha FOUR considers
the page done (based on the "Lines per page") it issues a
formfeed command to the printer. This formfeed command tells the
printer "I don't care where you are on the page, just get me to
the top of the next page" and the printer takes it from there.
Hopefully, if the printer and Alpha FOUR are set to the same page
depth this formfeed command will properly align the second page
at the top.
If Alpha FOUR's page depth is lower than the page depth in the
printer, Alpha FOUR will cut off the page prematurely and you
will probably have some blank space at the bottom of the page,
however, the top of each page should align properly.
If Alpha FOUR's page depth is higher than the printer's, the
printer will end the page itself before Alpha FOUR would have
ended it. Alpha FOUR would not be aware that the printer went to
the next page and Alpha FOUR would then continue printing it's
"first" page on the second page. This would likely result in
either a short page between each full page or a blank page
between each full page.
Solving Alignment and Page Depth problems
Most alignment and page depth problems are characterized by "Page
Creep"; where each successive page prints higher or lower on the
page than the last. This is most likely caused by a page depth
setting in your printer configuration or Report Layout that is
inconsistent with the page depth setting in your printer.
Page Creep
Each page printing successively lower on the page than the last
page.
Decrease the "Lines per page:" setting in the printer
configuration.
NOTE: If you are printing a Report remember that the "Standard
page length:" setting on the Report parameter screen will totally
override any page depth settings in the printer configuration. If
you are unsure, go to the report parameters screen and set
"Standard Page depth" to "Yes" and make all page depth
adjustments from the "Lines per page" setting in the printer
configuration file.
Each page printing successively higher on the page than the last
page.
Increase the "Lines per page:" setting in the printer
configuration.
NOTE: As with the last example, if you are printing a Report,
remember that the "Standard page length:" setting on the Report
parameter screen will totally override any page depth settings in
the printer configuration. If you are unsure, go to the report
parameters screen and set "Standard Page depth" to "Yes" and make
all page depth adjustments from the "Lines per page" setting in
the printer configuration file.
Blank pages between each page
Most likely the page depth is set incorrectly. To help you
determine this, set the "Page Advance by:" in the printer
configuration to Linefeed and you should then get page creep
rather than blank pages. Then follow the instructions above for
alleviating the page creep problem.
If you are getting a blank page at the end of the entire print
job but not between pages, you most likely have a decimal code of
"12" in the Close-out codes in the printer configuration. Simply
remove the "12" and you should not have this problem. The "12"
instructs Alpha FOUR to issue one last formfeed to the printer
at the end of the print job. Some printers leave the last page in
the printer and need this "12" (Formfeed) to force the last page
out.
NOTE: If you are printing envelopes with Alpha FOUR or are
experiencing alignment when printing mail labels with Alpha FOUR,
refer to the separate documents on these subjects.