Microsoft KB Archive/57430

= Print Screen Does Not Issue a Formfeed After Printing =

Article ID: 57430

Article Last Modified on 11/26/2003

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APPLIES TO


 * Microsoft MS-DOS 3.1
 * Microsoft MS-DOS 3.2 Standard Edition
 * Microsoft MS-DOS 3.21 Standard Edition
 * Microsoft MS-DOS 3.3 Standard Edition
 * Microsoft MS-DOS 3.3a
 * Microsoft MS-DOS 4.0 Standard Edition
 * Microsoft MS-DOS 4.01 Standard Edition
 * Microsoft MS-DOS 5.0 Standard Edition

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This article was previously published under Q57430



SUMMARY
When you use the SHIFT+PRINT SCREEN key combination to print the contents of a screen, you must press the formfeed button on your printer to receive the printout.

The Print Screen function, activated by pressing SHIFT+PRINT SCREEN on the IBM keyboard, does not issue a formfeed command to the printer after printing the contents of the screen. Since multiple screens may be desired on the same printer page, the formfeed is not sent.

This causes problems for printers that generate a complete page image in memory before printing the page. Such printers wait until either the memory image of a page is full or a formfeed character is received.

A formfeed character can be sent to the printer from the MS-DOS command prompt by entering the following command:

ECHO ^L >lpt1:



MORE INFORMATION
Several commercial software packages are available for printing graphics and text on a variety of types and brands of printers. Many of these packages come with drivers for various printers and may issue a formfeed on those printers that require it.

Public domain software that installs a memory-resident program which sends a formfeed to the printer on request is also available. A variation of this type of software may replace the Print Screen routine with one that always issues a formfeed after printing the screen.

Additional query words: 3.20 3.21 3.30 3.30a 4.00 4.01 5.00

Keywords: KB57430

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