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Another undocumented +3 bug: FORMAT LPRINT

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  Another undocumented +3 bug: FORMAT LPRINT "Paul E Collins" <equi@cl4.invalid> - 2014-08-14 20:31 +0100
    Re: Another undocumented +3 bug: FORMAT LPRINT "Brian Gaff" <brian1gaff@gmail.com> - 2014-08-15 08:19 +0100
    Re: Another undocumented +3 bug: FORMAT LPRINT "Chris Young" <chris.usenet@mail-filter.com> - 2014-08-15 20:22 +0100
      Re: Another undocumented +3 bug: FORMAT LPRINT "Brian Gaff" <brian1gaff@gmail.com> - 2014-08-16 11:10 +0100
        Re: Another undocumented +3 bug: FORMAT LPRINT Guesser <alistair@alistairsserver.no-ip.org> - 2014-08-16 15:20 +0100
          Re: Another undocumented +3 bug: FORMAT LPRINT "Paul E Collins" <equi@cl4.invalid> - 2014-08-17 01:05 +0100
            Re: Another undocumented +3 bug: FORMAT LPRINT Duncan Snowden <duncan_s@talktalk.net> - 2014-08-17 13:40 +0100
              Re: Another undocumented +3 bug: FORMAT LPRINT "Paul E Collins" <equi@cl4.invalid> - 2014-08-18 15:33 +0100
                Re: Another undocumented +3 bug: FORMAT LPRINT Guesser <alistair@alistairsserver.no-ip.org> - 2014-08-18 15:56 +0100
            Re: Another undocumented +3 bug: FORMAT LPRINT "Paul E Collins" <equi@cl4.invalid> - 2014-08-18 15:34 +0100

#3140 — Another undocumented +3 bug: FORMAT LPRINT

FORMAT LPRINT has only four valid parameter values: "C", "E", "R", and "U".

If you try something else, e.g. FORMAT LPRINT "Q", the error is "Invalid  
drive", which is not a meaningful error for a command dealing with printer  
settings. The list of errors in the manual doesn't suggest that this error  
can appear when configuring the printer, either.

Eq.

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#3144

I suspect they should have pointed it elsewhere, but at least it does have a 
meaningful error not rubbish or some kind of gimmick feature.
 Brian

-- 
From the Sofa of Brian Gaff Reply address is  active
"Paul E Collins" <equi@cl4.invalid> wrote in message 
news:op.xklkidrz34qdui@flay.home...
> FORMAT LPRINT has only four valid parameter values: "C", "E", "R", and 
> "U".
>
> If you try something else, e.g. FORMAT LPRINT "Q", the error is "Invalid 
> drive", which is not a meaningful error for a command dealing with printer 
> settings. The list of errors in the manual doesn't suggest that this error 
> can appear when configuring the printer, either.
>
> Eq. 

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#3145

On Thu, 14 Aug 2014 20:31:15 +0100 da kidz on comp.sys.sinclair were rappin'
to MC Paul E Collins:

> FORMAT LPRINT has only four valid parameter values: "C", "E", "R", and "U".
> 
> If you try something else, e.g. FORMAT LPRINT "Q", the error is "Invalid  
> drive", which is not a meaningful error for a command dealing with printer  
> settings. The list of errors in the manual doesn't suggest that this error  
> can appear when configuring the printer, either.

I have no idea what FORMAT LPRINT is supposed to do, however the error
would suggest that it is the FORMAT part which is causing that to
return.  "LPRINT "Q"" is, indeed, an invalid drive, and thus cannot be
formatted.

Chris


-- 
+-------------------------------------------+
| Unsatisfactory Software - "because it is" |
|  http://www.unsatisfactorysoftware.co.uk  |
| Your Sinclair: A Celebration              |
+- http://www.yoursinclair.co.uk -----------+

DISCLAIMER: I may be making all this stuff up again.

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#3147

I can no longer look this up, but I seem to remember that format lprint had 
something to do with the way the printer ports were set up, seems odd though 
as I've never seen any useful use for it.
 Brian

-- 
From the Sofa of Brian Gaff Reply address is  active
"Chris Young" <chris.usenet@mail-filter.com> wrote in message 
news:53EE6BFB.MD-1.4.17.chris.young@unsatisfactorysoftware.co.uk...
> On Thu, 14 Aug 2014 20:31:15 +0100 da kidz on comp.sys.sinclair were 
> rappin'
> to MC Paul E Collins:
>
>> FORMAT LPRINT has only four valid parameter values: "C", "E", "R", and 
>> "U".
>>
>> If you try something else, e.g. FORMAT LPRINT "Q", the error is "Invalid
>> drive", which is not a meaningful error for a command dealing with 
>> printer
>> settings. The list of errors in the manual doesn't suggest that this 
>> error
>> can appear when configuring the printer, either.
>
> I have no idea what FORMAT LPRINT is supposed to do, however the error
> would suggest that it is the FORMAT part which is causing that to
> return.  "LPRINT "Q"" is, indeed, an invalid drive, and thus cannot be
> formatted.
>
> Chris
>
>
> -- 
> +-------------------------------------------+
> | Unsatisfactory Software - "because it is" |
> |  http://www.unsatisfactorysoftware.co.uk  |
> | Your Sinclair: A Celebration              |
> +- http://www.yoursinclair.co.uk -----------+
>
> DISCLAIMER: I may be making all this stuff up again. 

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#3149

FORMAT LPRINT "R" and "C" switch between RS323 and Centronics printers.

"U" sends all characters to the printer as is so you can send epson 
control codes etc. whereas the default mode "E" translates them to the 
token string etc. This mode must be on to use LLIST otherwise everywhere 
there's a token it will send a single unprintable character to the printer.

Guesser

On 16/08/2014 11:10, Brian Gaff wrote:
> I can no longer look this up, but I seem to remember that format lprint had
> something to do with the way the printer ports were set up, seems odd though
> as I've never seen any useful use for it.
>   Brian
>

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#3151

On Sat, 16 Aug 2014 15:20:34 +0100, Guesser  
<alistair@alistairsserver.no-ip.org> wrote:

> FORMAT LPRINT "R" and "C" switch between RS323 and Centronics printers.
>
> "U" sends all characters to the printer as is so you can send epson  
> control codes etc. whereas the default mode "E" translates them to the  
> token string etc. This mode must be on to use LLIST otherwise everywhere  
> there's a token it will send a single unprintable character to the  
> printer.

I sent a note about this to Ian Collier (of the Spectrum +3 bugs FAQ --  
not that I imagine this has been updated for a decade or so), and he  
replied:

"To be fair, the manual doesn't specify what error you should expect when  
trying that.  I agree that it doesn't sound right for dealing with  
printers, but there are not that many other error messages that would suit.
The FORMAT command when dealing with disks does of course report that  
error if the disk name is wrong.  When it's checking the syntax of FORMAT  
LPRINT it uses the exact same piece of code to report the error if you get  
the parameter wrong.  I appear to have not thought there was anything odd  
about that when I was originally analysing the code. :-)"

Eq.

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#3155

On Sun, 17 Aug 2014 01:05:22 +0100
"Paul E Collins" <equi@cl4.invalid> wrote:

> I sent a note about this to Ian Collier (of the Spectrum +3 bugs FAQ
> -- not that I imagine this has been updated for a decade or so), and
> he replied:
> 
> "To be fair, the manual doesn't specify what error you should expect
> when trying that.  I agree that it doesn't sound right for dealing
> with printers, but there are not that many other error messages that
> would suit. [...]"

“Invalid device” would have covered any eventuality. Mind you, it's a
byte longer.

-- 
Duncan Snowden.

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#3157

On Sun, 17 Aug 2014 13:40:15 +0100, Duncan Snowden <duncan_s@talktalk.net>  
wrote:

> “Invalid device” would have covered any eventuality.

FORMAT LPRINT "Q" doesn't specify an invalid device, but an invalid  
parameter to a real device (the printer).

Eq.

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#3159

On 18/08/2014 15:33, Paul E Collins wrote:
> FORMAT LPRINT "Q" doesn't specify an invalid device, but an invalid
> parameter to a real device (the printer).

FORMAT LPRINT doesn't just set parameters for a particular device 
though, two of the parameters are to select which device to use...
"Q" is neither a valid parameter NOR a valid device :)

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#3158

On Sun, 17 Aug 2014 01:05:22 +0100, Paul E Collins <equi@cl4.invalid>  
wrote:

> I sent a note about this to Ian Collier (of the Spectrum +3 bugs FAQ --  
> not that I imagine this has been updated for a decade or so), and he  
> replied: [...] there are not that many other error messages that would  
> suit.

I suppose "Q Parameter error" would be reasonable, actually.

Eq.

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