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///// Printer Test! //// /
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v1.1

Author: Julio Monroy
September 18, 1991

Description


Printer Test is a simple program that displays the current
status of the parallel printer port. It performs a direct port
read, then displays the status of each bit along with a diagnostic
message. Printer Test is a simple, yet powerful little program
that helps overcome printing problems.



Purpose


Print Test is designed primarily as a simple diagnostic tool
for those people who are experiencing printing problems. It is
also intended for debugging use by software programmers who
are experiencing printing problems with their software.



Usage


Printer Test requires an IBM PC/XT/AT compatible with an 8088,
80286, 80386, or 80486 micro-processor with at least 1 printer port
attached. Without a printer port attached, the program will
not recognize anything... rendering the program useless.

Usage is:
=========

PRNTST [/p] [/R]

[p] = Printer port to sample. 1 = LPT1, 2 = LPT2, 3 = LPT3.

[R] = Tells the program to run test repeatedly. This parameter
makes the program run in a loop, constantly sampling the
status of the printer interrupt, until a key is pressed.





Examples of usage:
==================

PRNTST /R /2 = Repeatedly tests LPT2 until a key is pressed.
PRNTST /3 = Shows status of LPT3 (one sample).
PRNTST = Shows status of LPT1 (one sample).

PRNTST /? = Displays the internal help menu.

* If no parameters are used, the default is one sample of LPT1.

* The program accepts any delimeters, even no delimeters.
For example, all of these parameters are legal:

/R or -R or R
/2 or -2 or 2

* Command line parameters are non-case sensitive.





Public Domain


This program is hereby officially declared as Public Domain.
Anyone, anywhere, can take this source code and incorporate into their
program without any expressed written or verbal consent permission from
the author. So go for it! Tear up this code! Although nothing new
is being covered, and this program could probably be easily put
together by reading any MS-DOS and IBM-PC compatible reference books.




Notes


* Print Test was assembled using Microsoft Macro-Assembler
(MASM) version 5.10.

* Directly reads the port adrress to monitor printer activity.

* This program WILL work correctly with redirected
devices (i.e., mapped printers on a network), or with
print spooler software that directly mask INT 17h.
The reason for this is because PRNTST performs a direct
port interrogation. It checks in the BIOS data area
for the port address, and performs a direct port read
to determine the printer status. Contrary to the prior
version of PRNTST, this version will work regardless
of device redirection (i.e., mapped printers on a LAN).

* Thanks for Vincent Wu for his advice and suggestions
on direct port interrogation for the PRNTST program.


... Finally


Comments can be forwarded to the following locations:

Turbo Sys: 415-365-7491
Incipits Remote: 415-324-2601
Invisible BBS: 415-345-5509

All are 2400,N,8,1

Both are PC Pursuitable via CAPAL or CASJO.


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