Microsoft KB Archive/189048

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WD: How to Send Printer Escape Codes from a Word Document

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Q189048

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The information in this article applies to:


 * Microsoft Word for Windows, versions 1.0, 1.1, 1.1a, 2.0, 2.0a, 2.0a-CD, 2.0b, 2.0c, 6.0, 6.0a, 6.0c
 * Microsoft Word for Windows, versions 7.0, 7.0a

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SUMMARY
In Word for Windows, you can use one of the following methods to send an instruction, or printer escape sequence, to your printer:

  Insert a PRINT field in your document that contains the printer escape codes. Example: "{PRINT ' '}" -or-

 Type the printer escape sequence in your document and format it for a printer font.

MORE INFORMATION
There are limitations and drawbacks to each of these methods, depending on which printer driver you use. Neither method is guaranteed to work with every printer.

Limitations of the PRINT Field
When you insert a PRINT field, Word calls an escape sequence in the printer driver that sends the printer instruction text to the printer. If the escape in the printer driver malfunctions, the PRINT field may produce incorrect or no results. NOTE: The PRINT field does not affect the page layout because Word treats a PRINT field as a nonprinting character.

Limitations of Typing Printer Information Directly in Your Document
When you type printer information directly in your document, Word treats the escape sequence text as normal text. This means that Word incorporates the text in your document page layout.

When you print the document, the printer interprets the escape sequence text as printer instructions and does not print it. Your printer may misinterpret the escape sequence if Word does not send the entire string contiguously. For example, if you apply justified paragraph formatting, Word sends other characters to adjust the line length, thereby changing the escape sequence string.