#############################
#||||||||||||||||||||||||
#|:::::::::::::::
#|:........
#|:.
#|:.
#|:.
#|:.
#|:.
#|:.
#|:.
#|:.
#|:.         MicroPrint
#|:.         ----------
#|:.         Canon
#|:.         BubbleJet
#|:.         Printing
#|:.         Utility
#|:.
#|:.
#|:.         (C)1993 Lee Lorenz
#|:.
#|:.
#|:.
#|:.
#|:.
#|:.
#|:.
#|:.
#|:.
#|:.
#|:.
#|:.
#|:.
#|:.
#|:.
#|:.
#|:.
#|:.
#|:.
#|:.
#|:.
#|:.
#|:.
#|:.
#|:.
#|:.
#|:.
#|:.
#|:.
#|:.
#|:.
#|:.
#|:.
#|:.
#|:.
#|:.
#|:.
#|:.
#|:........
#|:::::::::::::::
#||||||||||||||||||||||||
#############################



DISCLAIMER
----------

    This software is provided "AS-IS". The author of this program should
not liable for any damages that may occur as a direct or indirect result of
the execution of this program. No warranty of any kind is expressed or
implied. The author is not obligated to take any action other than that
specified in this document.



REQUIREMENTS
------------

    -  Any PC Compatable computer running MS-DOS 3.3 or later
    -  Any Canon BubbleJet Printer connected to LPT1-4
    (This program has been tested on the BJ-200 and BJ-330 printers)


INTRODUCTION
------------

    MicroPrint is a utility I created to squeeze a little more out of my
new Canon BJ-200 printer. With True 360dpi at my disposal, I wanted to use
this capability to save time, money, and trees... What would you say if I
told you you could print 36 pages on a single side of a single sheet of
paper? If you use both sides, that amounts to 72 pages on a single 8.5"x11"
sheeet of paper!! Is it readable? You bet! The font, at 6x9, is quite
readable with the naked eye. I won't claim that you will enjoy reading
print this size for any extended period of time, but it will give you a
alot of print for a little paper and ink.
    How does all this work? Well, the first step is to load in up to 36
pages of a file we are going to pring, then, create a "bitmap,"or picture
inside the computer's memory, using our own font. This bitmap can then be
sent to the printer. The printing area on my BJ-200 for an 8.5"x11" sheet
is about 8.0"x10.2" (Top and bottom margins are needed due to the sheet-
feeder) - at 360dpi, that gives us 2880 horizontal dots x 3672 vertical
dots per sheet. The average "page" for computer documentation is usually
80 columns x 66 lines; since we need to seperate the text from one page
to another, we will add an extra line and column, giving us a page of
81x67 characters. If we go back to our small font of 6x9, we get 510
columns by 408 rows, or, 6 by 6 pages!
    Once I did the hard part of getting the text file into graphical format,
it was a matter of slight adjustment to make it work at different sizes, such
as 5x5 or 3x3 pages. Also, since we were including a spaced border, it was
easy enough to add borders and page numbering.

PERFORMANCE
-----------

    I use 486 systems both at home and work, so I won't guarantee this
program will print very quick on a slower system. I was able to print 108
pages in 3 minutes in 6x6 mode. There are also a few optimizations I have
not implemented yet, since that might have delayed getting this out. At
any rate, output should be decent on most systems, since the Canon printers
have healthy buffer sizes, and more time should be spend printing, rather
than calculating the data.
    This program supports all IBM ASCII characters above 31... Including the
line-drawing and block characters.


REGISTRATION
------------

    There are many good reasons to register ANY shareware you use on a regular
basis, but many people don't. Why? Many people get full functionality out of
the un-registered version, and have no compulsion to get an un-enhanced
registered version. While I can't stand CRIPPLEWARE, I also felt I had to
leave something for registered users. Thus, while the un-registered version
is fully functional as a basic program, there are many ENHANCEMENTS available
in the registered version (Such that I'll call it "MicroPrint BJ PLUS").
These enhancements include, but are not limited to:

  -  Improved fonts (Included fonts do not have international chars.)
  -  Landscape mode printing
  -  .INI file support
  -  User configurable page layouts and sizes
  -  A font editor
  -  A single "Best Fit" parameter for ease of use

To make it simple, a single user registration only costs $20, multi-user
fees are $20+$5 for each additional user on-site. This will get you the
latest version of MicroPrint BJ Plus, and notification of any future
releases. Any upgrades will only cost an additional $7.50, (barring
runaway inflation). If user response is strong, I will adapt the program
for more printers. I also welcome any suggestions from users who
register... A product cannot be improved without consumer input.

To register, simply send a check or money order, along with your name and
address to:

                            Lee Lorenz
                            12037 Juniper Way #505
                            Grand Blanc, MI  48439

In addition, phone support will be made available with the PLUS package.

Source is available for a reasonable fee. Contact me for details.


INSTALLATION
------------

    This is easy... Just make sure the .FNT files are located in the same place
as the MPBJ.EXE file. These files do not have to be in the path. (You could
call it from a batch file, like 'C:\MPBJ\MPBJ -S2 -L1 %1' and C:\MPBJ does not
have to be in the path)


USING MICROPRINT BJ
-------------------

    During Printing, Pressing 'X' (Must be capital X) will stop printing and
formfeed current page.

    By typing "MPBJ -?" you will get the following screen:

----------------------------------------------------------------------
MicroPrintBJ   Version 1.0 - UNREGISTERED
(C)1993 Lee Lorenz
 
To Use MicroPrintBJ:
        MPBJ [options] filename
Options:
        -S0   6x6 pages,        (default mode)
        -S1   5x5 pages
        -S2   4x4 pages
        -S3   3x3 pages
        -S4   2x2 pages
        -B    Include borders   (defaults to OFF) N/A on some modes
        -P    Number Pages      (defaults to OFF)
        -H    Horizontal Layout (defaults to VERTICAL)
        -L0-3 LPT port          (defaults to 0, LPT1:)
        -?    This Screen
----------------------------------------------------------------------
While there are many options, it may be called with only one argument,
the filename to print. This will cause the program to output the file
in 6x6 page format to LPT1:.

Options may use any case, i.e. -B is the same as -b.

If the borders are turned on, a line will be added between adjacent pages.
On some modes, there is not enough space to add the extra column required
for the border. In such cases, the border is written to column 80, and
overwritten by any characters occuring there.

Page numbering is placed at the top of each page. If borders are turned on,
this is the line where the border will appear.

Horizontal layout will place the pages ACROSS, such that the first row
will contain the first pages. Normally, the orientation is vertical,
meaning the pages are in sequence going down each column. This is the
easiest to read.

Vertical +-----------+-----------+   Horizontal +-----------+-----------+
         |           |           |              |           |           |
         |           |           |              |           |           |
         |  Page 1   |  Page 3   |              |  Page 1   |  Page 2   |
         |           |           |              |           |           |
         |           |           |              |           |           |
         |           |           |              |           |           |
         +-----------+-----------+              +-----------+-----------+
         |           |           |              |           |           |
         |           |           |              |           |           |
         |  Page 2   |  Page 4   |              |  Page 3   |  Page 4   |
         |           |           |              |           |           |
         |           |           |              |           |           |
         |           |           |              |           |           |
         +-----------+-----------+              +-----------+-----------+

MODES
    Currently there are 5 printing modes, supporting from 2x2 to 6x6 pages
per sheet in portrait mode.

Mode 0:  +---+---+---+---+---+---+   Mode 1:  +----+----+----+----+----+
         |   |   |   |   |   |   |            |    |    |    |    |    |
6x6      |   |   |   |   |   |   |    5x5     |    |    |    |    |    |
pages    +---+---+---+---+---+---+    pages   +----+----+----+----+----+
         |   |   |   |   |   |   |            |    |    |    |    |    |
         |   |   |   |   |   |   |            |    |    |    |    |    |
         +---+---+---+---+---+---+            +----+----+----+----+----+
         |   |   |   |   |   |   |            |    |    |    |    |    |
         |   |   |   |   |   |   |            |    |    |    |    |    |
         +---+---+---+---+---+---+            +----+----+----+----+----+
         |   |   |   |   |   |   |            |    |    |    |    |    |
         |   |   |   |   |   |   |            |    |    |    |    |    |
         +---+---+---+---+---+---+            +----+----+----+----+----+
         |   |   |   |   |   |   |            |    |    |    |    |    |
         |   |   |   |   |   |   |            |    |    |    |    |    |
         +---+---+---+---+---+---+            +----+----+----+----+----+
         |   |   |   |   |   |   |
         |   |   |   |   |   |   |
         +---+---+---+---+---+---+


Mode 2:  +-----+-----+-----+-----+    Mode 3   +------+------+------+
         |     |     |     |     |             |      |      |      |
         |     |     |     |     |             |      |      |      |
4x4      |     |     |     |     |    3x3      |      |      |      |
pages    +-----+-----+-----+-----+    pages    |      |      |      |
         |     |     |     |     |             +------+------+------+
         |     |     |     |     |             |      |      |      |
         |     |     |     |     |             |      |      |      |
         +-----+-----+-----+-----+             |      |      |      |
         |     |     |     |     |             |      |      |      |
         |     |     |     |     |             +------+------+------+
         |     |     |     |     |             |      |      |      |
         +-----+-----+-----+-----+             |      |      |      |
         |     |     |     |     |             |      |      |      |
         |     |     |     |     |             |      |      |      |
         |     |     |     |     |             |      |      |      |
         +-----+-----+-----+-----+             +------+------+------+

Mode 4:  +-----------+-----------+
         |           |           |
         |           |           |
2x2      |           |           |
pages    |           |           |
         |           |           | 
         |           |           |
         |           |           |
         +-----------+-----------+
         |           |           |
         |           |           |
         |           |           |
         |           |           |
         |           |           |
         |           |           |
         |           |           |
         +-----------+-----------+



WHAT'S NEXT

 -  Support for DeskJet printers and various Lasers. Possible support
    for 24-pin impact printers.
 -  More robust text formatting capability
 -  Batched printing
 -  Background processing


Thanks for trying MicroPrint BJ!  Feel free to distribute this version,
provided it is accompanied by the complete file set. Commercial vendors,
however, must contact me before including it in any shareware collections
such as CD-ROMs, or diskettes.


Canon is a registered trademark of Canon Computer Systems Inc.






         ----------------end-of-author's-documentation---------------

                         Software Library Information:

                    This disk copy provided as a service of

                           Public (software) Library

         We are not the authors of this program, nor are we associated
         with the author in any way other than as a distributor of the
         program in accordance with the author's terms of distribution.

         Please direct shareware payments and specific questions about
         this program to the author of the program, whose name appears
         elsewhere in  this documentation. If you have trouble getting
         in touch with the author,  we will do whatever we can to help
         you with your questions. All programs have been tested and do
         run.  To report problems,  please use the form that is in the
         file PROBLEM.DOC on many of our disks or in other written for-
         mat with screen printouts, if possible.  PsL cannot debug pro-
         programs over the telephone, though we can answer questions.

         Disks in the PsL are updated  monthly,  so if you did not get
         this disk directly from the PsL, you should be aware that the
         files in this set may no longer be the current versions. Also,
         if you got this disk from another vendor and are having prob-
         lems,  be aware that  some files may have become corrupted or
         lost by that vendor. Get a current, working disk from PsL.

         For a copy of the latest monthly software library newsletter
         and a list of the 4,000+ disks in the library, call or write

                           Public (software) Library
                                 P.O.Box 35705
                            Houston, TX 77235-5705

                                 Orders only:
                                1-800-2424-PSL
                              MC/Visa/AmEx/Discover

                          Outside of U.S. or in Texas
                          or for general information,
                              Call 1-713-524-6394                 
