-Q <printerName> syntax

isCOBOL Evolve : Language Reference : Environment Division : INPUT-OUTPUT Section : File Names : -Q <printerName> syntax

The "-Q <printerName>" syntax allows to assign a print file to a specific printer and configure some settings like font and orientation through the physical file name.

The base syntax assigns the file to a named printer:

-Q <printerName>

For example, the below print file will work on a printer named "Samsung-ML-3471ND":

SELECT print-file ASSIGN TO PRINT "-Q Samsung-ML-3471ND"

ORGANIZATION LINE SEQUENTIAL

The extended syntax allows to set one or more additional settings as follows:

-Q <printerName>;DIRECT=<value>;FONT=<value>;PITCH=<value>;LINES=<value>;ORIENTATION=<value>;COPY=<value>

Settings have the following meaning:

DIRECT	Two possible values are allowed: “ON”: all file operations are directly redirected to the printer. “OFF”: all file operations are redirected to the print spooler.
FONT	Specifies the name of the font. Spaces are allowed so double quotes must not be used in order to delimit the font name.
PITCH	Specifies the size of the font
LINES	Specifies the number of lines for each page. When this number is reached, a new page is printed.
ORIENTATION	Three possible values are allowed: 0: default printer orientation 1: portrait orientation 2: landscape orientation
COPY	Specifies the number of copies.

Any setting in addition to the printer name is optional and can appear in any order.

The following complex string, for example, assigns a print file to the printer named "Samsung-ML-3471ND" and specifies that the print job will have a landscape orientation and use the Courier New font:

-Q Samsung-ML-3471ND;FONT=Courier New;PITCH=10;ORIENTATION=2