Tag Archives: FT_ISPRINT

FT DOS/BIOS

Posted on by vivaclipper 
 FT_CHDIR()       Change the current directory
 FT_DEFAULT()     Retrieve and optionally change the current default drive
 FT_DOSVER()      Return the current DOS major and minor version as a string
 FT_DSKFREE()     Return the amount of available disk space
 FT_DSKSIZE()     Return the maximum capacity of a fixed disk
 FT_FLOPTST()     Test diskette drive status
 FT_HANDCNT()     Count number of available DOS (not network) file handles
 FT_INP()         Retrieve a byte from a specified I/O port
 FT_INT86()       Execute a software interrupt
 FT_ISPRINT()     Check printer status
 FT_ISSHARE()     Determine if DOS "Share" is installed
 FT_MKDIR()       Create a subdirectory
 FT_OUTP()        Write a byte to a specified I/O port
 FT_PEEK()        Retrieve a byte from a specified memory location.
 FT_POKE()        Write a byte to a specified memory location
 FT_REBOOT()      Force a warm or cold boot
 FT_RMDIR()       Delete a subdirectory
 FT_SETDATE()     Set the DOS system date
 FT_SETTIME()     Set the DOS system time
 FT_SYSMEM()      Determine the amount of conventional memory installed
 FT_TEMPFIL()     Create a file with a unique name

FT_ISPRINT

Posted on by vivaclipper 
FT_ISPRINT()
 Check printer status
------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 Syntax

     FT_ISPRINT( [ <cDevice> ] ) -> lResult

 Arguments

    <cDevice> is optional and is the device to test (LPT2, COM1, etc.).
    If omitted, the function will default to the PRN device.

 Returns

    .T.  if device is ready for output.
    .F.  if one of the following conditions occurs:
         1)  The device is not ready.
         2)  The device does not exist.
         3)  DOS couldn't open the device for some reason
             (such as no file handles available).

 Description

    The Clipper IsPrinter() function is somewhat limited because it only
    works with LPT1.  Furthermore, it talks directly to the hardware, so
    if you have redirected LPT1 via the DOS MODE command, the IsPrinter()
    function will return erroneous results.

    This function offers a better alternative.  Instead of talking to the
    hardware, it issues a DOS call that checks to see if the device is
    ready or not.  That gives DOS an opportunity to deal with any
    redirections, and since you pass the device name as a parameter, you
    can test any device, not just LPT1 (note that the function defaults
    to PRN if you fail to pass a valid parameter).

    The function also temporarily traps the DOS critical error handler so
    you don't get any nasty error messages if the device isn't ready.  It
    restores the old critical error handler before exiting.

    Note that although this function is mainly designed for testing
    printers, you can also check to see if a drive is ready.  Since DOS
    thinks the NUL device exists on every drive, you can pass a drive
    letter followed by NUL as a parameter.  If DOS is able to open the
    NUL device, then the drive is ready, otherwise the door is open or
    something else is wrong.

    The source code is written to adhere to Turbo Assembler's IDEAL mode.
    To use another assembler, you will need to rearrange the PROC and
    SEGMENT directives, and also the ENDP and ENDS directives (a very
    minor task).

 Examples

    IF ! FT_ISPRINT()
       Qout( "PRN is not ready!" )
    ENDIF

    IF ! FT_ISPRINT( "COM2" )
       Qout( "Check the device on COM2.  Something is wrong." )
    ENDIF

    IF ! FT_ISPRINT( "A:\NUL" )
       Qout( "Oops, better check drive A!" )
    ENDIF

 Source: ISPRINT.ASM

 Author: Ted Means