[net.micro.amiga] Virtual printer

jacc@midas.UUCP (Jac Colby) (08/05/86)

---- Munch, Munch Munc Mun Mu M

Is there any (reasonable) way to redirect output to PRT?  I would
like to redirect it to a file and then upload the text to a Vax
for printing on a real printer.  I do not have source code for
some programs that apparently write directly to PRT, and at 2400
baud, this is faster than most 'home' printers.  It also means that
I can spend my pennies on other toys....

Many thanks,

Jac Colby	- they disclaim me around here, too.
    uucp: {ucbvax,decvax,pur-ee,cbosg,ihnss}!tektronix!midas!jacc
    US: 5529 SW Patton Rd, Portland, OR 97221
     or: MS 94-442, PO Box 4600, Beaverton, OR, 97075
    AT&T: (503) 292-1609, 629-1129

carolyn@cbmvax.cbm.UUCP (Carolyn Scheppner) (08/12/86)

In article <552@midas.UUCP> jacc@midas.UUCP (Jac Colby) writes:
>---- Munch, Munch Munc Mun Mu M
>
>Is there any (reasonable) way to redirect output to PRT?  I would
>like to redirect it to a file and then upload the text to a Vax
>for printing on a real printer.  I do not have source code for
>some programs that apparently write directly to PRT, and at 2400
>baud, this is faster than most 'home' printers.  It also means that
>I can spend my pennies on other toys....
>

I have a semi-reasonable idea:

   Select Generic Serial printer in Preferences and connect the Amiga's
   serial port to the Auxiliary port of your Vax terminal.  Use a
   script on the terminal to redirect input from the Auxiliary port
   to a file.  Here is the Unix shell script I use to receive a text
   file via the Auxiliary port of my CIT-101.  On the Amiga side,
   I use "copy ram:filename to ser:" but the Generic Serial printer
   output should also be suitable.

-------------------------- cut here ---------------------------------------
#!/bin/sh

# UPLOAD FILE FROM AUXILIARY PORT   C. Scheppner  06/17/86
# Flags:  -h   helpful prompts printed

usage="USAGE: upload [-h] filename     (CTRL/D to exit when completed)"

# Strip out flags and process
while [ `echo $1|cut -c1` = "-" ] 
do
   case $1 in
      -h)  helpflag=1
           ;;
   
       *)  echo "Incorrect flag $1"
           ;;
   esac
   shift
done

# Check number of filenames, process if correct
case $# in
   0)  echo $usage
       ;;

   1)  if [ "${helpflag}" ] 
       then 
          echo "Ready to upload" $1
          echo "(CTRL/D to exit when completed)"
       fi

       stty -echo
       echo "[2z1"
       cat >$1
       echo "2#1[4z[0z"
       stty echo

       if [ "${helpflag}" ] 
       then 
          echo "Upload complete"
       fi
       ;;

   *)  echo $usage
       ;;

esac
-------------------------- cut here --------------------------------------
-- 
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Carolyn Scheppner -- CBM   >>Amiga Technical Support<<
                     UUCP  ...{allegra,caip,ihnp4,seismo}!cbmvax!carolyn 
                     PHONE 215-431-9180
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