🚀 go-pugleaf

This question pertains to the use of device monitors used to intercept and
divert printer output.

We have a small program that intercepts, reads, and processes printer
(LPT1) output.  A coworker copied the code from a sample from a book
or magazine and adapted it for our use.  I have extracted the device
monitor code from the program and created a class that can be easily
used by other programs.  However, I'm having some problems with it
and have several questions.

The code contains functions whose names contain 16:

APIRET16 APIENTRY16 Dos16MonOpen(PSZ,PHFILE16);
APIRET16 APIENTRY16 Dos16MonClose(HFILE16);
APIRET16 APIENTRY16 Dos16MonReg(HFILE16,PUCHAR,PUCHAR,USHORT,USHORT);
APIRET16 APIENTRY16 Dos16MonRead(PUCHAR,USHORT,PMONITORPACKET,PUSHORT);
APIRET16 APIENTRY16 Dos16MonWrite(PUCHAR,PMONITORPACKET,PUSHORT);

In PRCP.INF (dated 11/16/90), the functions are listed there but
their names do not include "16".  Is this because the "16" was added
for clarity after 32 bit libraries became available?

These prototypes must explicitly be inserted in the source code, as
they are nowhere to be found in the compiler and toolkit header
files.  I am told that this is because the use of them is
discouraged.  Nevertheless they exist in the libraries, and linking
succeeds.

We are currently using OS/2 2.1, but intend to upgrade to Warp.  Are
these functions present in Warp?

Why is use of these functions discouraged?  Are there other better
ways to accomplish what we need to do?  The reason we need to use a
printer monitor is this: We need to receive data from a mainframe.
Using Comm Mgr, we can tell the mainframe that we have a printer
connected to LPT1.  Then the mainframe "prints" to it.  We intercept
the data and process it.  My understanding is that this approach was
used to minimize or eliminate software development on the mainframe
side.

Any illumination would be greatly appreciated.
- Keith

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Keith Bennett                             Bennett Business Solutions, Inc.
Silver Spring, MD USA                     OS/2 & DOS Software Development
kbennett@cpcug.org                        (301) 871-7696