Microsoft KB Archive/27464

How to Get Bidirectional Printing

PSS ID Number: Q27464 Article last modified on 11-02-1994

1.x 2.x 3.x 4.00 5.00 5.50 6.00

MS-DOS

= SUMMARY =

Word cannot “tell” the printer specifically to do bidirectional printing. Most printers decide for themselves whether to do bidirectional printing, based on the nature of the character stream the printer receives. Very few printers can do microspace justification and bidirectional printing at the same time. Therefore, if the printer receives any “set character spacing” control codes, the printer most likely will not print bidirectionally.

There are three ways to prevent Word from sending out the “set character spacing” sequence (byte 28 in the PRD file), thus disabling microspace justification and hopefully enabling bidirectional printing. They are as follows:

Word version 5.50
  Set Draft to yes:  Choose File Print (ALT, F, P). Move to Options (ALT+O). Select Draft (ALT+D) and place an X in the box.   Alter the PRD file by setting the “Microspace:” flag in the header section to 1. (refer to “Printer Information for Microsoft Word” manual, chapter 6.)   Alter the PRD file by removing whatever code is at byte 28. (refer to “Printer Information for Microsoft Word” manual, chapter 6.) 

Word version 5.00

 * 1) Go into the Print Options command and set “draft:” to “Yes”.
 * 2) Alter the PRD file by setting the “Microspace:” flag in the header section to 1. (refer to “Printer Information for Microsoft Word” manual, chapter 6.)
 * 3) Alter the PRD file by removing whatever control code is at byte 28. (refer to “Printer Information for Microsoft Word” manual, chapter 6.)

Some printers cannot do bidirectional printing if any control codes are received. In this case, the only way to try to get bidirectional printing is to use the TTY or TTYWHEEL drivers. If these methods fail, refer to the printer documentation or contact the printer manufacturer to find out under what circumstances the printer will do bidirectional printing, and adjust accordingly.

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================================================================ Copyright Microsoft Corporation 1994.