Introduction MTB Statements File System Compiler Applications Reference Guide Index

DDL for a printer

Initialization and shutdown mnemonics

When creating a Dynamic Device Library for a printer, the following mnemonics are available for printer initialization and shutdown:

Mnemonic Description
INIT Available as an initialization command for the printer. This can be used to send a specific initialization string to the printer (as required by some brands of laser printers, for example), and can also be used to send a CtlToDriver command (see next page) to specify the mode for initial form-feeds.

The initialization information is written to the printer before the first WRITE of a "non- frivolous" OPEN. For example, a "frivolous" OPEN command looks like this in MTB:

OPEN (1) "LP1",EXCP=NOPRINTER & CLOSE (1)
SHUTDOWN Available as a termination command for the printer. This can be used to send a specific string to the printer when the printer is closed, and can also be used to send a CtlToDriver command (see next page) to specify the mode for trailing form-feeds.

Note: Once executed, these actions last on a printer until they are changed or until you exit from Comet.

Initial and trailing form-feeds

When creating a Dynamic Device Library for a printer, the following controls are available for setting the initial and trailing form-feeds:

Control Description
CtlToDriver '@01@' suppresses initial form-feed
CtlToDriver '@02@' allows initial form-feed
CtlToDriver '@03@' adds trailing form-feed
CtlToDriver '@04@' doesn't add trailing form-feed

Example:

To define a DDL that suppresses initial form-feeds and adds trailing form-feeds, your DDL source code would contain the following statements:

  [INIT]
  CtlToDriver '@01@'
  
  [SHUTDOWN]
  CtlToDriver '@03@'


Dynamic Driver Libraries