[Tutor] Outputting Data to Printer

[ALAN GAULD]

> > There is no universal easy way to print stuff unfortunately.
> > In console mode on Unix its not too bad, you can send data
> > to lpr, just as you would from the shell.


> That is a surprise!  I was so use to using lprint as in Basic.  

BASIC ran on a predefined platform so could be sure where the 
printer lived and minimium set of print codes to use.

Because Unix has multile different ways to connect printrs etc 
its much harder to do.

> Oh well.  I will have to study up on fmt and/or groff.


They are formatting commands. fmt converts plain text into 
nicely aligned paragraphs etc. groff is similar to LaTeX but 
more programmer friendly (IMHO). man pages are formatted with groff.

> Would those two commands (fmt, groff) send data to lpr from shell?  

No, you usually use them as part of a pipeline, senduing the ouput 
to lpr (or maybe lp on Linux?)

> Is lpr the same hookup for USB port?

Should be, because it uses the installed printer driver.

HTH,

Alan G.
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