UNIX and Linux applications that print forms generally control the printer through PCL or another set of printer control codes. Print spooling applications, such as the default Windows printer driver, can interpret these codes as print data instead, causing formatting problems. This can in terminal emulators when using transparent printing.

The solution is to print directly to the printer. In TERM for UNIX, specify the installed printer, rather than any third-party print spooling application. In TinyTERM or TERM for Windows, either print direct to the device or use the Bypass Printer Drivers option where available. This will prevent print spoolers from altering the printer control codes.

TinyTERM Plus 4.30 does not always bypass the drivers. In particular, printing to a printer on LPT1: on Windows XP caused printer control codes to print to the page when Bypass Printer Drivers was set.

CR 4, to Windows printer
CR 28, to file
CR 541, TinyTERM Plus 4.30

This entry was posted on Friday, March 16th, 2007 at 2:41 pm and is filed under Transparent. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.