Index
Windows LinePrint

Windows LinePrint is small utility that solves an annoying Windows problem...there is no way to print batch files, program listings, readme files, or other plain text files without loading them into an editor or word processor.  Loading one file at a time into the Notepad can quickly become tedious.

LinePrint solves this problem by providing a simple printing utility that is fast, easy to use, and is capable of printing whole groups of files at once.

Select one of the following topics for additional information about LinePrint.

Features

Main Window

File Selection

Page Setup

Printer Setup

Drag & Drop

Support


Features

LinePrint Features

Requirements

LinePrint requires a 286 or higher PC running Windows 3.1 or higher.  It does not support Windows 3.0.  Of course, a printer is also required.  LinePrint is quite frugal with memory and resources,  using about 90 KB of during printing, about 30 KB when idle.  The extra memory used during printing is needed to create large disk buffers to speed up the process.  Resource use is about 1%.

Features

LinePrint supports the Windows 3.1 "drag & drop" feature for quick and easy printing from the File Manager.   LinePrint allows selection of fonts, headers, and margins to suit personal preferences.  These settings can be saved so that LinePrint will always use your favorite settings.

The destination printer can be temporarily changed without calling up the Windows Control Panel.  Changes made in this way do not affect other Windows programs.

Groups of files are printed as a single large print job to avoid a banner page for each file when using a networked printer.  This also prevents hitting the Print Manager's limit on the number of active jobs.  Page numbers still apply to the individual files and duplex (two-sided) printing is handled correctly on printers that support it.  Background printing is supported so the computer is not tied up during printing.

Limitations

LinePrint can print any plain text file, but not proprietary files like word processor, spreadsheet, or graphics files.   The author originally wrote LinePrint to print program source listings, but it has found wider applications.

There is no limit on the size of file that can be printed as long as your system has about 90 KB of free memory.  The number of files that can be printed at one time is at least 300.  Both of these  assume there is enough free disk space for the Print Manager to spool the job (if it is enabled).


Main Window

What happens after printing is complete

The main window contains a set of radio buttons in a group labelled "After Printing...".  These buttons control what the LinePrint does when printing is complete.   They may be selected with the mouse or by pressing the underlined letter in combination with the alt key.  This behavior is implemented throughout LinePrint.

The Minimize button causes LinePrint to revert to an icon on the desktop at the conclusion of printing.  The Stay as Window button leaves the main window on the screen after printing.  The Close button causes LinePrint to terminate when printing is complete.  Close is the default.

These settings are saved when LinePrint is terminated.

Configuring the page setup

The "Page Setup..." button on the main window allows the page format to be set.  The File|Page Setup menu item produces identical results.  See  Page Setup for more information.

Printing files

The "Print..." button on the main window brings up a dialog box that allows selection of the files to be printed.  The File|Print menu item also brings up the same dialog.  See  File Selection for more information.

Changing printers

The File|Printer Setup menu item allows printing to other than the default printer.  If no other selection is made, output goes to the default printer you have selected with the Windows Control Panel.  See Printer Setup for more information.

Drag & Drop

LinePrint supports "drag & drop" operation.  See Drag & Drop for more information.


File Selection

The file selection box allows you to specify a group of files to be printed.  It contains a list of files in the current directory, and a list of drives and directories.

Directories list box

Double-clicking on a directory changes to that directory.  Similarly for the drive letters listed at the end of the Directories list box.  A path name may also be typed directly into the Filename text box to change to another drive or directory.

Files list box

Select the files to be printed by clicking on them in the Files list box.  The arrow keys and spacebar may also be used to select files.  Any number of files may be selected and they will all be printed.

You can select a range of files by using the <shift> key in combination with the mouse or arrow keys.  Using the <ctrl> key in combination with the mouse or spacebar allows selecting multiple files that are not listed together.  This behavior is the same as in the Windows File Manager.

Filename edit box

Wildcard masks may be entered in the Filename edit box.  Wildcards are in the standard DOS format.  See your DOS manuals for more information on wildcard searches.  Wildcards may be entered in combination with a directory path.  To enter a wildcard specification, select the Filename edit box using the mouse or tab key, type the file specification, then press <enter> or press the Ok button.  The list boxes will change to reflect the results of the wildcard search.

If a file name is entered in place of the wildcard, that single file will be printed when you press <enter> or click the Ok button.

Printing the files

Selecting the Ok button or pressing <enter> while in the Files list box will cause LinePrint to begin printing the selected files.  Selecting the Cancel button will close the dialog box and return to the main window without printing any files.  Double-clicking on a file name is the same as pressing the Ok button.


Page Setup

The Page Setup dialog box contains check boxes for the various header items and edit boxes for the margin and tab settings.

Selecting a header

Any combination of header items may be selected.  If only one item is selected it will be printed centered between the left and right margins.  If multiple header items are selected, they will be fully justified between the margins.  Headers are printed within the top margin of the page, so if any header items are selected, the top margin should be set to at least 0.5 inches.  If the top margin is too small for the header, it will be adjusted and no error will be displayed.

Selecting Fonts

Clicking on the Fonts... button will bring up a dialog box that allows selection of the font to be used for printing.  It will also display a preview of how the font will appear.  The preview becomes active only when a font, style, and size have all been selected.

Setting Margins

The margins may be set to any reasonable value, measured in inches.  The word "reasonable" should be stressed here, because the program does not check these values.  You can get very strange results if "unreasonable" values are entered, particularly if margins overlap.

Setting tab stops

At the bottom of the dialog box, there is a text box which shows the current tab setting.  This setting is in columns.  For example if the setting is "8", tabs will be every 8 columns accross the page.  If you select a proportional font (such as Times Roman), tab settings may print smaller than expected.  If this is important, be sure to select a monospaced font such as Courier.

Saving your settings

Selecting the Save button saves the current page settings so that LinePrint will use them the next time it is run as well as for the current run.  If a font has been selected, it will be saved along with the page format.

Save does not close the dialog box, so new settings for the current run may be set before exiting.  Selecting Ok closes the dialog and uses the current settings for this session only.  Selecting Cancel throws away any changes that have been made to the settings since the last Save or Ok.


Printer Setup

The Printer Setup dialog box allows you to select which printer will recieve the output from LinePrint.  Any printers that have been properly installed into Windows may be selected, including network printers and fax software.  These settings only apply to the current session and are not saved when LinePrint terminates.

Selecting a printer

The Printer Setup dialog box has two radio buttons for selecting printers.  The top button selects the default printer, while the bottom one allows selection of another printer.  Click the appropriate button with the mouse.  If you have multiple printers installed, the combo box next to the bottom button contains a list of them.  Press the down-arrow button next to the combo box to see the list, then select one of the printers.

Changing printer settings

Pressing the Options... button will bring up a dialog box that allows you to change printer settings.  The settings that can be changed depend on the particular printer that is currently selected.  Examples of changeable settings include duplex printing, font mapping, print weight (boldness), and printer control language.

Selecting landscape or portrait mode

At the bottom of the dialog box, there are two radio buttons for selecting landscape or portrait mode.  Landscape prints the "sideways" on the paper, while portrait is the standard top to bottom orientation.  Some printers may not support this selection, in which case it will be grayed out.


Drag & Drop

LinePrint supports the Windows File Manager's drag & drop feature.  Groups of files may be selected in a File Manager window and dropped onto LinePrint for printing.  To do this, select the files as you normally would.  Then "drag" them by holding down the left mouse button.  When the mouse cursor is over LinePrint, release the mouse button.  This will work even if LinePrint has been minimized to an icon.


Support

Please contact the author at the address below if you have any questions or problems.  Your request will be answered as soon as possible.  Suggestions for improvements to future versions are also welcomed.  Registration of this software is $10, and entitles you to free updates for one year.  Send a check or money order to the address below.  The file register.frm, included with this product, contains a registration form to be sent along with your payment.  It may be printed using LinePrint!

The software has been tested on Epson FX/JX, Fujitsu DL2400, and HP LaserJet printers in both portrait and landscape modes.  Windows standard and enhanced modes have been tested.

Microsoft and Microsoft Windows are trademarks of Microsoft Corp., Redmond WA.  Other brand and product names are trademarks of their respective holders.

Robert L. Hauck

2926 East, 2965 South

Salt Lake City, UT  84109

CompuServe ID:  70252,713