2.9BSD/usr/man/cat4/vp.4
VP(4) UNIX Programmer's Manual VP(4)
NAME
vp - Versatec printer-plotter
DESCRIPTION
_V_p_0 is the interface to a Versatec 1200A printer-plotter
with a Versatec C-PDP-11(DMA) controller. In print mode
bytes written are interpreted as ASCII characters and
printed. The format is 64 lines of 132 characters each on
11 by 8.5 inch paper. (The printer will perform an
automatic form feed at the bottom of a page.) Only some of
the ASCII control characters are interpreted.
NL performs the usual new-line function, i.e. spaces up
the paper and resets to the left margin. It is
ignored, however, following a CR which ends a non-empty
line or if the print buffer is already full.
CR is ignored if the current line is empty but is other-
wise like NL.
FF resets to the left margin and then to the top of the
next page. Do not use in SPP mode (see below).
EOT resets to the left margin, advances 8 inches, and then
performs a FF. Do not use in SPP mode.
The _i_o_c_t_l(2) system call may be used to change the mode of
the device. Only the first word of the 3-word argument
structure is used. The bits mean:
0400 Enter simultaneous print/plot mode.
0200 Enter plot mode.
0100 Enter print mode (resets SPP mode, default on open).
040 Send remote line terminate.
020 Send remote form-feed. (Illegal in SPP mode.)
010 Send remote EOT. (Illegal in SPP mode.)
04 Send remote clear.
02 Send remote reset.
When the device is opened a reset and clear are performed
automatically. When the device is closed an end-of-
transmission signal is automatically sent to advance the
last written page past the toner developing bath. Notice
that the actual device mode control bits (PRINT, PLOT, SPP)
are not encoded with the remote functions and it is there-
fore required that exactly one of these be set for each
_i_o_c_t_l call.
In plot mode each byte is interpreted as 8 bits with the
high-order bit plotted as the leftmost dot; a `1' leaves a
visible dot. A full line of dots is produced by 264 bytes;
lines are terminated only by count or by sending a remote
Printed 5/17/83 1
VP(4) UNIX Programmer's Manual VP(4)
line terminate function. There are 200 dots per inch both
vertically and horizontally.
Simultaneous print/plot (SPP) operation is provided to per-
mit direct overlaying of character data generated by the
internal character generator, with plotting data generated
on a dot-by-dot basis.
When simultaneous print-plot mode is entered exactly one
line of characters, terminated by an NL or CR character, or
the remote line terminate function, should be written. The
device should then be set to plot mode and at least 20 lines
of plotting bytes should be sent. As the line of characters
(which is 20 dots high) is printed, the plotting bytes over-
lay the characters. Notice that it is impossible to print
characters on baselines that differ by fewer than 20 dot-
lines. New data can only be entered into the print buffer
after the last scan of the previous line of characters is
complete.
In print mode lines may be terminated either with an
appropriate ASCII character or by using the remote line ter-
minate function.
FILES
/dev/vp0
SEE ALSO
vpr(1)
DIAGNOSTICS
_E_r_r_n_o is set to ENXIO if an _o_p_e_n(2) fails because the device
is already in use by another process.
_E_r_r_n_o is set to EIO if _o_p_e_n or _w_r_i_t_e(2) fail because the
power is off or the paper supply is depleted. A diagnostic
message is printed on the console terminal on the first
occurrence of one of these errors.
Printed 5/17/83 2