New Printer Escapes in PostScript Driver Version 3.52

• Microsoft Windows Device Development Kit (DDK) for Windows version 3.1

SUMMARY

Versions 3.52 and later of the PostScript driver for Microsoft Windows 3.1x (PSCRIPT.DRV) implements four new printer escape functions: OPENCHANNEL, DOWNLOADHEADER, CLOSECHANNEL, and SETGDIXFORM. The text below documents these four new printer escape functions.

MORE INFORMATION

The numerical values for the four new printer escape functions are as follows:

   #define OPENCHANNEL      4110
   #define DOWNLOADHEADER   4111
   #define CLOSECHANNEL     4112
   #define SETGDIXFORM      4113

OPENCHANNEL

An application can use the OPENCHANNEL printer escape in conjunction with the PASSTHROUGH printer escape to send data directly to the printer. The OPENCHANNEL printer escape prevents the PostScript driver from downloading a PostScript header to the printer.

Note: To use this printer escape, an application must have complete information about how the particular printer operates.

   short Escape(hdc, OPENCHANNEL, sizeof(WORD), NULL, NULL)

   Parameter    Description
   ---------    -----------

   hdc          HDC identifies the device context.

         value is less than or equal to zero if the printer escape is
         not successful or not implemented.

          to the printer. The OPENCHANNEL printer escape is an
          alternative to the STARTDOC printer escape; each print job
          uses either one, not both.

          OPENCHANNEL suppresses downloading a PostScript header.
          Because the NEWFRAME printer escape and the ResetDC function
          cause the driver to download a PostScript header, avoid
          using NEWFRAME and ResetDC in conjunction with OPENCHANNEL.

DOWNLOADHEADER

An application uses the DOWNLOADHEADER printer escape to download one of four PostScript headers to the printer. The lpInData parameter contains a pointer to a WORD value that specifies the desired header.

   BOOL Escape(hdc, DOWNLOADHEADER, sizeof(WORD), lpInData, NULL)

   Parameter    Description
   ---------    -----------

   hdc          HDC identifies the device context.

   lpInData     LPINT Pointer to a WORD value.

         escape is not successful or not implemented.

          contains a value other than one of the four choices listed
          below, the DOWNLOADHEADER printer escape will select a
          header depending on the current state of the DEVMODE data
          structure and the printer escapes previously issued by the
          application.

          This printer escape sends the selected header between the
          DSC comments %%BeginResource and %%EndResource.

   #define PS_HEADER   1  // Full header (normal PostScript header)

   #define PS_1        4  // Assume header has been permanently
                          // downloaded to the printer. Prints error
                          // page if not.

   #define PS_2        8  // Minimal PostScript header

   #define TI_HEADER  13  // TrueImage header

CLOSECHANNEL

The CLOSECHANNEL printer escape closes the printer channel opened by the OPENCHANNEL printer escape.

   short Escape(hdc, CLOSECHANNEL, sizeof(WORD), NULL, NULL)

   Parameter    Description
   ---------    -----------

   hdc          HDC Identifies the device context.

         value is less than or equal to zero if the printer escape is
         not successful or not implemented.

SETGDIXFORM

The SETGDIXFORM printer escape sends an /SM command to the printer to transform the printer coordinates to the default GDI coordinate system.

   short Escape(hdc, SETGDIXFORM, sizeof(WORD), NULL, NULL)

   Parameter    Description
   ---------    -----------

   hdc          HDC identifies the device context.

         value is less than or equal to zero if the printer escape is
         not successful or not implemented.

          Mode without Mirroring" mode regardless of the settings in
          the Advanced Options dialog box.