Aprint 2 Beta Version

[Jonathan Simpson]

New version of aprint is available at http://return.no-ip.org/aprinte.zip

Give it a go, guys. "Aprint active" is the one you want. Got any questions, let me know. To use it, first run aprint listprinters, then run aprint listfonts, printernumber (get the printer number from listprinters).


Active Print version 2.0.7

Usage Agreement.
The user takes all responsibility for use of this program. This software has no warrenty and is a BETA VERSION. Copyright Jonathan Simpson, 2004.

General Info
Active print is the completely new program based on the concepts of the origional aprint program. The only thing that has not changed is what it is intended to do.

DOS programs in general are unable to print to a variety of printers currently in use, including USB printers and even many newer Parallel and serial printers. The reasons for this are many, but in general terms, many new printers don't actually have the processing capability to print a line of text. They need software to tell them how to do everything related to their operation.

The solution, in this case, is aprint. Aprint changes the way DOS programs access the printer by printing things for them. Since aprint is a 32bit Windows application, it is able to access the routines built into windows that direct the printer. In this way, you can utilize almost any printer from your DOS program.

How it Works
When the DOS program needs to print, it usually outputs to a LPT or COM port, directly to the printer. In programs that support printing to file (Like POS), aprint can take over by printing the contents of the file via the windows print queue. Through this method, a wide variety of printers can be used.

What it supports
Aprint currently allows you to choose any printer on your system and choose any font which that printer has installed. To do this, you can use aprint's various command switches to select the printer, font, and point size you want, as follows.
"APRINT LISTPRINTERS" will generate a list of all printers windows reports as being installed on your system. These are numbered from 0 up.
"APRINT LISTFONTS, 0" will generate a list of all fonts available to that printer, in this case, printer 0.
"APRINT PRINT, wlsdjfkr.dry, 0, 0, 10" will print the file wlsdjfkr.dry to printer 0, in font 0, with the point size of 10. It will delete the file after it runs.
"APRINT ACTIVE, wlsdjfkr.dry, 0, 0, 10" will print the file wlsdjfkr.dry to printer 0, in font 0, with the point size of 10, and will print the file again if the file is recreated. It will delete the file.