Printer and BACKSPACE

[Root Boy Jim]

   From: "Peter J. Holsberg" <pjh at mccc.uucp>

   I am attempting to print text files prepared with "nroff -man" on an
   Okidata 294 printer.  This printer *is* capable of backspacing, but
   seems to ignore the ^Hs in the text file.

   Is there a way of setting the port to pass ^Hs unmolested?  I have tried
   playing with /etc/gettydefs "printer" line, with ICANON and OPOST, but
   nothing has worked yet.

This is what printer filters are for. You might try looking at what
exactly your printer does when it receives certain characters. For
example, we have a Printronix printer or two. The change the entire
line to double width when they see a ^H. What the filter does is to
print the line without the underscores and backspaces, emit a CR which
prints the line without advancing the paper, then print a line of
spaces and underscores, this underlining (or emboldening) by overprinting.
Finally, a LF is output to advance the paper.

Since you are running `The Other UNIX', I can't help you with
the precise incantations. Good luck.

   Peter Holsberg                  UUCP: {rutgers!}princeton!mccc!pjh
   Technology Division             CompuServe: 70240,334
   Mercer College                  GEnie: PJHOLSBERG
   Trenton, NJ 08690               Voice: 1-609-586-4800

	(Root Boy) Jim Cottrell	<rbj at icst-cmr.arpa>
	National Bureau of Standards
	Flamer's Hotline: (301) 975-5688
	I'm encased in the lining of a pure pork sausage!!