🚀 go-pugleaf

MICROSOFT C PROBLEM?

     The task is to output a binary bit map to a printer (in this case, an HP
ThinkJet, but the same problem occurs with an IBM Proprinter).  The seemingly
reasonable way to do it is with the following kind of open and write (using
Microsoft C version 3.00, an IBM PC/AT, and DOS 3.1):

	handle = open(name,mode|O_BINARY);
	i = write(handle, buf, i);

The printer is opened by name 'PRN'.  The problem is that the write terminates
whenever it encounters a bit pattern byte with a value of hex 1A (decimal 26
which is the DOS EOF char).  If the same bitmap data is written to a disk file,
then copied to the PRN device using DOS COPY /B, the EOF data bytes cause no
problem!

Does anyone have a clue?

By the way, the program must not be required to know that it is writing to
a printer, the open must be general purpose.  So a solution that works only
for the printer, but fails for writing to a disk file is not useful.

						Steve Burbeck
						Linus Pauling Institute
						(415) 327-4064