VDU 2
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Simple VDU 2 command to enable printer. Used for years, no problem. HP Deskjet2060 used for some time, prints usual stuff no problem. However, for first time in ages, I require to print some data from a program. . . VDU 2 does nothing. Nothing in printer queue. . . No clue. . Printer connected through WIFI. Any help, please?
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You have to feed the printer a 'page eject' to make it do the printing. Remember that the VDU commands were written in the days of the BBC Micro, when printers were rattly line jobs, and the concept of 'page' had yet to occur.
You should find all this in the help files. -- Alan Roberts - Mugswell, Surrey +44 (0)1737832586 +44 (0)7749387934
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J.G.Harston
On 15-09-2019 10:50, alan836975 via Groups.Io wrote:
You have to feed the printer a 'page eject' to make it do theYep, with a page printer - on any computer - you won't get the page ejected until either you have filled the page, or you send a form feed (VDU 12/CLS). Similar to the way that in some line printers you wouldn't get a line actually printed until you told the printer to move to the next line with a LF or CR. My Star LX-something behaves like this. -- J.G.Harston - jgh@... - mdfs.net/jgh
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Many thanks for your responses but I should have made it clearer. I have used the commands for many years without problem.
I always enable printer with VDU2 and close with VDU 2,1,12,3. When running the program, I introduced a "GET" after the VDU2 about halfway through the data to be printed and checked all aspects of the printer status. It does not appear to be recognised. There is nothing in print queue or indication of any communication with PC. Still working on it.
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Just an update. I have no clue why VDU 2 doesn't work with HP Deskjet 2060. HP have given me countless "fixes", told me to uninstall and reinstall. Update drivers. Disconnect WIFI. Loads of time-wasting "advice".
Eventually, they say, since the printer prints PDFs et cetera, the fault must lie with my program. They refuse to accept this simple command has worked on numerous computers for many years without problem and washed their hands of the enquiry. I really require to print data from my program. Does anyone have any ideas, please?
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J.G.Harston
On 06-10-2019 19:43, The Famous Cash via Groups.Io wrote:
I really require to print data from my program.Can you tell us what the printer diagnostics says. You can do this from the Windows printer control panel with Printer -> Maintenence -> Toolbox -> Diagnostic information. You may also be able to get this by pressing one of the control buttons when you turn the power on. Reading the manual shows very few buttons, so try on/off+poweron, or cancel+poweron, or black+powerer, or colour+poweron. The documentation does state: "Printer supports direct text printing with the 'us-ascii' charset." so plain text printing should work. Can you create a plain text file, for instance in notepad, eg past this email into it. Then from the command line do COPY whateveryoucallthetextfile.txt PRN: or COPY whateverthetextfile.txt LPT: -- J.G.Harston - jgh@... - mdfs.net/jgh
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I have run diagnostics probably around one hundred times, including whilst on the telephone to HP.
Nothing ever shows. Everything appears to run correctly.
I cannot get any success powering up printer whilst holding any of the buttons, or combinations of buttons.
I did note us-ascii was supported but problem remains.
I attach a couple of sheets I scanned in the hope it means something to you.
Remember, the printer and scanner work perfectly as far as “normal” work is concerned which is why HP won’t have anything further to do with my request for assistance.
I rarely use command line. I’m not a professional programmer. I’m good a what I do as far as BB4W basic is concerned but that’s my limit.
The first COPY whateveryoucallthetextfile.txt PRN gave message could not find file. (I checked and reckon typing was ok)
COPY whateverthetextfile.txt LPT showed 1 file copied. (I don’t know where.)
COPY whateverthetextfile.txt also shoed 1 file as copied.
On typing subsequent COPY statements, the file appeared on screen.
I know information seems vague but I have tried countless amendments, including changing ports and re-installations.
I do appreciate your assistance but am at a loss to provide guidance other than already detailed.
From: J.G.Harston
Sent: 06 October 2019 22:21 To: bb4w@groups.io Cc: The Famous Cash via Groups.Io Subject: Re: [bb4w] VDU 2
On 06-10-2019 19:43, The Famous Cash via Groups.Io wrote: > I really require to print data from my program. > Does anyone have any ideas, please?
Can you tell us what the printer diagnostics says. You can do this from the Windows printer control panel with Printer -> Maintenence -> Toolbox -> Diagnostic information.
You may also be able to get this by pressing one of the control buttons when you turn the power on. Reading the manual shows very few buttons, so try on/off+poweron, or cancel+poweron, or black+powerer, or colour+poweron.
The documentation does state: "Printer supports direct text printing with the 'us-ascii' charset."
so plain text printing should work. Can you create a plain text file, for instance in notepad, eg past this email into it. Then from the command line do COPY whateveryoucallthetextfile.txt PRN: or COPY whateverthetextfile.txt LPT:
-- J.G.Harston - jgh@... - mdfs.net/jgh
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J.G.Harston
On 07-10-2019 01:20, The Famous Cash via Groups.Io wrote:
COPY whateverthetextfile.txt LPT showed 1 file copied. (I don’t knowOn the screen, not on the printer? That's a puzzle. I wonder if your system has some sort of virtual driver attached to the logical LPT device and is redirecting it somewhere. (I once had a problem with a user insisting that unzip wouldn't work, and I had to go to his house and actually see what was happening. He had some sort of software that forced the filing system to see files with a .zip extension as directories, so unzip was always falling over with a 'XXX is a directory' error.) -- J.G.Harston - jgh@... - mdfs.net/jgh
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Yes. Only the screen.
I am not familiar with that command and did not know what to expect.
I had to sort a big problem I created. Following some web stuff which seemed a possibility, I changed printer to generic text-only (I forget exactly) and changed the port.
It did not work and everything was a mess but I got back to re-installing the HP.
Incidentally, I doubt it is of consequence but I note each time I install the HP two versions appear. One says “HP Deskjet 2600 series”, the other, “HPCBB487 (HP Deskjet 2600 series)”.
From: J.G.Harston
Sent: 07 October 2019 03:00 To: bb4w@groups.io Cc: The Famous Cash via Groups.Io Subject: Re: [bb4w] VDU 2
On 07-10-2019 01:20, The Famous Cash via Groups.Io wrote: > COPY whateverthetextfile.txt LPT showed 1 file copied. (I don’t know > where.) > > COPY whateverthetextfile.txt also shoed 1 file as copied. > > On typing subsequent COPY statements, the file appeared on screen.
On the screen, not on the printer? That's a puzzle. I wonder if your system has some sort of virtual driver attached to the logical LPT device and is redirecting it somewhere.
(I once had a problem with a user insisting that unzip wouldn't work, and I had to go to his house and actually see what was happening. He had some sort of software that forced the filing system to see files with a .zip extension as directories, so unzip was always falling over with a 'XXX is a directory' error.)
-- J.G.Harston - jgh@... - mdfs.net/jgh
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nbadderley
I offer this from the standpoint of a complete ignoramus regarding Windows but a user of BBC BASIC and BB4W for many years. My Canon printer often ‘disappeared’ from Windows (‘Printer is offline’) but, in that state (without touching anything) worked through WiFi from iPhones and iPads. I now leave it hard wired via USB to the PC and WiFi for Apple devices etc. Do you have to use WiFi for your application?
toggle quoted messageShow quoted text
On 7 Oct 2019, at 04:24, The Famous Cash via Groups.Io <thefamouscash@...> wrote:
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Thank you for your contact.
Like yourself, I lack knowledge about “standard” computing techniques.
The printer is visible at all times. It prints everything as one would expect. Which is why HP won’t have any further communication. They say it works; end of story.)
The only complaint is that it does not appear to recognize VDU 2 which I have used with many printers for decades.
In a logical progression to attempt to trace the problem, I eventually managed to use USB connection solely, in case it was something to do with WIFI but to no avail.
I am at a loss to know what to do but spending about ten hours a day banging my head at every possibility no matter how extreme.
From: nbadderley via Groups.Io
Sent: 07 October 2019 08:25 To: bb4w@groups.io Subject: Re: [bb4w] VDU 2
I offer this from the standpoint of a complete ignoramus regarding Windows but a user of BBC BASIC and BB4W for many years. My Canon printer often ‘disappeared’ from Windows (‘Printer is offline’) but, in that state (without touching anything) worked through WiFi from iPhones and iPads. I now leave it hard wired via USB to the PC and WiFi for Apple devices etc. Do you have to use WiFi for your application?
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This might not work on all systems, but if you select the printed output to pdf document, rather than any specific printer, you can print, using VDU 2 to a pdf... then you can print that pdf. My Acer Laptop (Windows 10) allows this. the simple code below
10 REM PRINTER VDU 2 FOR X=1TO10 PRINT "hI THERE!" NEXT VDU 3 STOP prints to a pdf file, if specified or if no other printer is selected...Windows 10 settings-> devices-> printers and scanners -> microsoft print to pdf?.. you save the output to a pdf file, which you name then print that file hI THERE! hI THERE! hI THERE! hI THERE! hI THERE! hI THERE! hI THERE! hI THERE! hI THERE! hI THERE!
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Richard Weir
I have no hope for this suggestion, but just a thought: might you have two HP printers appearing in you printers and scanners list? I had this at one time and Windows would get confused in some way, making printing very difficult.
Good luck!
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Thank you but, although the single installation of the HP produced two apparent printers, I tried both then removed one.
Still no use. . .
From: Richard Weir via Groups.Io
Sent: 07 October 2019 16:23 To: bb4w@groups.io Subject: Re: [bb4w] VDU 2
I have no hope for this suggestion, but just a thought: might you have two HP printers appearing in you printers and scanners list? I had this at one time and Windows would get confused in some way, making printing very difficult.
Good luck!
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Thank you for your help.
Unfortunately, I can print any PDF, or “normal” file for that matter. In fact, since this problem,, I have cobbled together a convoluted means to save some data to different files which can then be printed.
Just simply cannot get printer to print from program using VDU 2.
From: Richard via Groups.Io
Sent: 07 October 2019 15:43 To: bb4w@groups.io Subject: Re: [bb4w] VDU 2
This might not work on all systems, but if you select the printed output to pdf document, rather than any specific printer, you can print, using VDU 2 to a pdf... then you can print that pdf. My Acer Laptop (Windows 10) allows this. the simple code below
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Hmmm. Further update.
I have the onset of dementia but, on being requested by HP for a video of the problem, downloaded their manual (as referred to previously) which shoed it supported direct print from us-ascii. . . .
I can’t find that reference any more!
Is it really just me?
From: The Famous Cash via Groups.Io
Sent: 07 October 2019 16:45 To: bb4w@groups.io Subject: Re: [bb4w] VDU 2
Thank you for your help.
Unfortunately, I can print any PDF, or “normal” file for that matter. In fact, since this problem,, I have cobbled together a convoluted means to save some data to different files which can then be printed.
Just simply cannot get printer to print from program using VDU 2.
From: Richard via Groups.Io
This might not work on all systems, but if you select the printed output to pdf document, rather than any specific printer, you can print, using VDU 2 to a pdf... then you can print that pdf. My Acer Laptop (Windows 10) allows this. the simple code below
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J.G.Harston
On 07-10-2019 17:21, The Famous Cash via Groups.Io wrote:
I can’t find that reference any more!It's not just you, I've just lost it as well, and can't remember what search terms I used to find it. Looking in my browser history, though, gives me http://h10032.www1.hp.com/ctg/Manual/c02538772.pdf -- J.G.Harston - jgh@... - mdfs.net/jgh
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I thought I’d sent a response but can’t even find that now! At the risk of duplication. . . .
Thank you but that link is for “Advantage” model. Mine is just “600”. Having said that, I can find no reference to ascii.
Attached 2600 manual which produces no result for “ascii” search and four results for “printer supports”.
From: J.G.Harston
Sent: 07 October 2019 17:28 To: bb4w@groups.io Subject: Re: [bb4w] VDU 2
On 07-10-2019 17:21, The Famous Cash via Groups.Io wrote: > I can’t find that reference any more! > Is it really just me?
It's not just you, I've just lost it as well, and can't remember what search terms I used to find it.
Looking in my browser history, though, gives me http://h10032.www1.hp.com/ctg/Manual/c02538772.pdf
-- J.G.Harston - jgh@... - mdfs.net/jgh
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Hi there,
Glad to see you've got some way round...I used to think HP printers/ software were good but now I'm not so sure... I recently bought an Epson XP5100 wireless printer for only£60 (ink relatively cheap too)..I can print remotely by email.. much cheaper and better (if slower and lower quality) than the HP printers I've used so far. hope it works out better soon. R
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wilsr747
My Epson printer sometimes by itself prints to pdf or file unless I go to “properties ” and change to itself. Could it be as simple as it is continually creating your output as a file somewhere?
toggle quoted messageShow quoted text
On 7 Oct 2019, at 11:53 pm, The Famous Cash via Groups.Io <thefamouscash@...> wrote:
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