PRINTING FROM A WORKSTATION

There are two ways to link a OMS worksta-tion to a Printer:

1--Through the HiNet Network to a central Printer connected to the Master Hard Disk (the 'Spool Printer'). See section 4.4.2.

2--Directly to a single workstation through the RS-232C Serial Ports on the back of the cabinet. Some workstations also have a Parallel Port.

The ASSIGN Command (see section 2.11.5, Volume 2) will tell you where your Printer 1S

currently assigned and allow you to change the assignment if desired. The default assignment is determined by the entry in the MACHINE Table for each workstation. It is recommended that SPOOL

be the default setting if a printer is not always connected to a workstation. This will prevent problems if a print command is

accidentally given (CTRL P for example) without a local printer being active or connected. I f the Network is running, the SPOOL printer will be active.

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4.4.1 SENDING TEXT TO A PRINTER

There are two general methods of sending text to a Printer--through an applications program and through CP/M. These methods are described in the following sections.

PRINTING WITH AN APPLICATIONS PROGRAM Many applications programs that you will use have their own sets of commands for sending text to a Printer. While working with one of these programs you will have to use its print commands. Consult the program manual for the necessary procedures.

---NOTE---Many word processing programs require that you adapt the program to your Printer and/or to your workstation. This usually means that you must enter information about the Printer or computer

into a sub-program of the word processing software package. The sub-program could, for example, allow you to specify a certain type of communications protocol required by your

printer, or to set up parameters for using non-standard paper. Read your word processing manual for specific information.

PRINTING THROUGH CP/M

If you are operating in the CP/M environ-ment (see section 3, Volume 2), you may transmit text to the Printer by entering the command CTRL

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P. Once you have issued a CTRL P command, everything that subsequently appears on your screen will be sent to the Printer until you issue another CTRL P or a CTRL C to turn off the 'Transmi t-to-Printer' command. This could

include directories, commands you give to the computer, the contents of files displayed with the TYPE Command, and so forth. See section 3.8, Volume 2 for more on CTRL P.

---NOTE---If you are working in an applications program with its own set of print commands, CTRL P will not work.

When you are working in CP/M you can also use the LST: device to print out files. (LST: is CP/M's name for a 'logical device' that prints

files; your Printer is such a device.) To print a file using the LST: device you must PIP the file to LST:. For example, to print the file CONTRACT. DOC that is stored in partition A, enter:

PIP LST:=A:CONTRACT..DOC

When you are using the LST: device to print a file, the file will not appear on the screen as it is being Printed, which is just the opposite of what happens with CTRL P. You can use LST: with either a direct-connect Printer or a Spool Printer. Just be sure that you have assigned the Printer to either Port 2 or Spool.

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---'---NOTE---If the document has been prepared by a word processing program and has special print

commands imbedded in the text (e.g., boldfacing, underlining), then PIPping the file to the LST:

device will not result in the document being printed with those special commands. You should use the word processing program's Print commands to achieve the desired results.

4.4.2 SPOOLING FROM A WORKSTATION

The HiNet system allows all users to share a Printer that is connected to the HiNet Master Computer. Text sent to the central Printer is stored on the Master Hard Disk until the Printer is activated. Sending material to be stored in a central location for later use is called

'Spooling'. As you might expect, the storage place is referred to as the 'Spooler', and the Printer connected to the Spooler is called the 'Spool Printer'.

If your Spool Printer is operating in 'Automatic Mode' it will begin Printing as soon as the first Spool Block has filled or you end the job by various methods. If the Spool Printer is operating in 'Manual Mode' you will have to go to the Master Terminal to activate it.

If your station is not assigned to the Spool Printer you can use the ASSIGN command to do so (A}ASSIGN P SPOOL (CR». Your station will

respond with your current drive assignments and the message Printer assigned to SPOOL QIiNet

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Spool Printer). See section 2.11.5, Volume 2, for more information on the ASSIGN command.

4.4.3 SENDING TEXT TO THE SPOOLER

You may send text to the Spool Printer with the PRINT commands associated with those

applications programs that have print capabili-ties (see your program's manual), or from CP/M

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