From news@druck.freeuk.com Fri May 24 20:21:34 2002 Path: ewrotcd!feed-ewrotcd!pegasus.csx.cam.ac.uk!server1.netnews.ja.net!fu-berlin.de!newsfeed01.sul.t-online.de!t-online.de!newspeer1-gui.server.ntli.net!ntli.net!diablo.theplanet.net!news.theplanet.net!druck.freeuk.net%druck From: druck Newsgroups: comp.sys.acorn.programmer Subject: Re: Fancy text printing Date: Fri, 24 May 2002 18:11:42 +0100 Organization: druck.org.uk Lines: 121 Message-ID: References: <4b3b4b621fJeremy@omba.demon.co.uk> <7581583b4b.druck@druck.freeuk.net> <4b3ba61838Jeremy@omba.demon.co.uk> NNTP-Posting-Host: modem-903.leopard.dialup.pol.co.uk X-Trace: news6.svr.pol.co.uk 1022261913 29391 217.135.147.135 (24 May 2002 17:38:33 GMT) NNTP-Posting-Date: 24 May 2002 17:38:33 GMT X-Complaints-To: abuse@theplanet.net User-Agent: Messenger-Pro/2.50a (MsgServe/1.50) (RISC-OS/4.29) NewsHound/1.42 Xref: news.chiark.greenend.org.uk comp.sys.acorn.programmer:3190 On 24 May 2002 Jeremy C B Nicoll wrote: > Well that's the problem; I've found several instances of text that > says there's full detail [of the First Word Plus format] in the RO 3 PRMs. > I've looked at these on my "Tekkie" CD and in the more recent ROL PRMs CD > and just can't find anything about them. Yes I've found it mentioned as being in the PRM's in multiple places too. Could have sworn I had this information on line at some point, but as Harriet says its in appendix F in the good old printed Risc PC user guide as shipped with Risc PC 600 and 700's. In the RISC OS 3.7 HTML user guide, this appendix has been droped for some reason, and it goes straight from filetypes to screen modes. But its only two pages, so scanner and OCR'er to the rescue. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- Appendix F : The fancy text file format ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- Fancy text format understands text printing options such as Print quality and Control codes. Plain text format ignores these settings. The fancy text file format is mainly the same as the 1st Word Plus file format, and so most of the highlighting (in 1st Word Plus files) is printed correctly. This means you don't have to load 1st Word Plus to print out your 1st Word Plus files (although you can't print sprites). The Fancy text file format This section specifies the fancy text file format; it is of interest to advanced users only. The format consists of plain text with the following added special sequences. Character sequences In a text file, the character sequence is a character that stands for the ASCII value given in brackets in the table below: Character Meaning Action sequence <8> Backspace character Backspace if possible <9> Tab Character Tabulate to next 8th column Line Feed Character Possible end-of-line (depends on options) Conditional page break Page break if less than x-16 lines left on page, else a new line Unconditional page break Go to a new page (i.e. a page break Return character Possible end-of-line (depends on options) <24> Footnote reference Reference to footnote , so print . (x & y are ignored but must be present) <25> Soft hyphen Always print a hyphen <27> Escape character Start escape sequence <28>,<29>,<30> Soft space Discard if precedes a <10>, <11>, <12> or <13>, else print a space <31> Format character Start format sequence (reserved for Acorn use) <127> Delete Character Ignored Escape sequences In a text file, the escape sequence is a character that stands for the ASCII value given in brackets in the table below followed by a binary number. Escape sequence Meaning <27><%11000000> Starts literal escape sequence. This is equivalent to <27><192>. A literal escape sequence is a sequence of characters which are sent directly to the printer - and hence are printer-specific. The sequence is ended by a <27><0>. A "||" pair sends a "|" character, a "|?" pair sends a <127>, and any other "1" sequence sends . Thus to send an escape character use "|[". <27><%10fedcba> If 'a' is 1 then bold style (on = I, off = 0) If 'b' is 1 then light style (on = 1, off = 0) If 'c' is 1 then italic style (on = 1, off = 0) If 'd' is 1 then underline (on = 1, off = 0) If 'e' is 1 then superscript (on = 1, off = 0) If 'f' is 1 then subscript (on = 1, off = 0) This is equivalent to the range of escape sequences <27><128> to <27><191>. <27> Ignored The file format is almost a subset of the 1st Word Plus file format, the basic omissions being headers and footers, and an incomplete implementation of footnotes. >> Its highly depreciated now anyway. > > So what is suggested in its place if you just want to have a simple > way of sending text to a printer and being able to control printer > features? > > Eventually I think I'll generate OP DDL as I'll need rather more > complex formatting of files. I'd recommend that or Impression DDF which can also be used in EasiWriter - infact EasiWriter handles it rather better. > Having said that I'm unsure what I have to do, eg from an obey file, to > send an OP file to a printer directly with no user intervention. I'd > thought that fancy text might provide a simple alternative. Its very simple, make sure the filer has seen the application and just do a *WimpTask @PrintType_B25 Filename In the case of an OvPro DDF (type &B25). ---druck -- The ARM Club * http://www.armclub.org.uk/