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Path: utzoo!linus!decvax!harpo!seismo!rlgvax!guy
From: guy@rlgvax.UUCP (Guy Harris)
Newsgroups: net.micro
Subject: Re: Bidirectional/Proportional
Message-ID: <1654@rlgvax.UUCP>
Date: Fri, 3-Feb-84 22:09:33 EST
Article-I.D.: rlgvax.1654
Posted: Fri Feb  3 22:09:33 1984
Date-Received: Thu, 9-Feb-84 02:55:38 EST
References: <333@hou5g.UUCP>
Organization: CCI Office Systems Group, Reston, VA
Lines: 15

>	Bidirectional printing is NOT a function of software.  It must
>	be handled by HARDWARE.

On some printers, however, it is not only a function of hardware (or, actually,
firmware; any one of the Diablo-type servo-controlled printers has the hardware
capability, but the micro controlling the printer may not have code to do
it) but also a function of the software controlling the printer.  The letter-
quality printers I've worked with of the Diablo-type servo-controlled family
(Diablo, NEC Spinwriter, Qume, etc.) could print backwards; however, the
host software had to position the head to the leftmost or rightmost position,
put the printer in "print forwards" or "print backwards" mode, and send the
characters in right-to-left order if printing backwards.

	Guy Harris
	{seismo,ihnp4,allegra}!rlgvax!guy