!AMFPrint  2.40 (20-Jun-92)
===========================
Text Printer Driver
===================
AMFPrint is a printer driver that,unlike the standard RISCOS printer drivers,
is designed only to print out text files.Whilst this means that it cannot
print out sprite or draw files,it allows a far greater range of options to
be used,including special codes that can be added to text files so that
parts of them are underlined,itallicised,etc.

Use
===
Initially,AMFPrint is configured so that the printer codes it uses match
those used on a Citizen 120D+ printer.For Epson compatible printers,only
slight alterations need to be maade,as the Citizen 120D+ uses a standard
similar to the Epson standard.However,AMFPrint can be configured to work
with a wide variety of printers,so long as the codes that are required to
switch on/off certain effects are known.For the time being,it will be
assumed that a Citizen 120D+ printer is being used with AMFPrint,so that
the basics of using this software may be understood before the complexities
of configuring it.

Once loaded,click on the AMFPrint.A window will appear containing a
multiplicity of icons,allowing various options to be set.For most options,
there are three icons that have an effect.The first icon,to the far left of
the line can be clicked on,altering it from a " " to an "S".If it is set to
an "S" then when the printer file is saved,the option is included,otherwise
it is not.The next icon determines whether the option is sent "On" or "Off",
thus,if bold is the option,and this icon is selected,the codes for Bold On
will be sent,otherwise it will be Bold Off.Finally,the "Send" icon may be
clicked on to send the codes for that option to the printer immediately.

When you have set the options you require,press menu on the AMFPrint icon,
and move to the Save option.The file icon may be dragged directly into an
Edit document,placing the codes required at the position of the caret,or on
to disc as a normal text file.

Recommended use
===============
It is advised that you first create the text file you wish to print,without
any codes,and format it so that it appears correctly on screen.Then,create
the codes you require,and drag them into the Edit file at the correct places,
remembering to switch an option off if you do not wish it to continue for
the entire file.Although the formatting of the file will be altered on
screen,it will not affect the print our.Save the file onto disc,using a
different filename,and drag it onto the AMFPrint icon.The file will then
print,as described beneath,with the required effects included.

Printing
========
Dragging a text file onto the AMFPrint icon will open a printing window,and
the file will start to print,so long as the printer is ready.By default,
AMFPrint will print "in the background",multitasking,so that you can
continue working in the desktop.If this is the case,the window will show
how the printing is getting on,with two icons to Pause and Abort the
printing.After dragging the file,click on Start to start the printing.

At the bottom of the window is an icon reading "# chars per cycle",where #
is a number.This number determines the number of characters printed per
RISCOS cycle,with a high number meaning a quicker print out (subject to the
printer speed),but a slower desktop.Enter a new value into this box,and
press RETURN to set it.

Codes
=====
AMFPrint will,by default,use APS (AMF Printer Standard) codes,which consist
of three characters.The first character is a character 255,which when
AMFPrint loads,is redefined to resemble the letters "Pr".The second
character determines the effect,and the third character determines the
action of that effect,whether to switch it on or off,for example.If you
examine a file saved by AMFPrint,you will notice the format of these codes.
Though you can save such files,it is often quicker to enter them by hand
into an Edit file.Hold Alter down,and type 255 on the numerical keypad.Then
type the required effect and action,from the list below.

In the following list,the character # is used to represent either 0 or 1,
with 0 switching off the effect and 1 switching it on.

A  -
B# - Emphasised/Bold
C# - Compressed
D# - Doublestruck
E# - Expanded
F# - Use font number #
G# - Use graphics characters
H  -
I# - Italic
J  -
K  -
L  -
M* - Reserved for AMFMerge
N# - Near Letter Quality
O# - Overscored
P# - Proportional
Q  -
R# - Reverse print
RP - Reset printer
S1 - Subscript on,superscript off
S2 - Superscript on,subscript off
S0 - Subscript and superscript off
T  -
U# - Underlined
V  -
W# - Width (0=pica,1=elite)
X# - Size
Y* - Change to colour * (not supported in this version) 
Z# - Configuration (0=Epson,1=IBM)

Preferences
===========
From the main icon bar menu (accessed by pressing menu on the AMFPrint icon),
move to the Options submenu,and select Preferences.A window will open,
showing the current preferences,which are loaded in from disc when AMFPrint
is run,to determine how AMFPrint reacts in certain circumstances.

If the Print while multitasking icon is selected,AMFPrint will print all
files in the background,whereas if it is unselected,AMFPrint will print its
file,and then return control back to the desktop.The Ignore unknown APS
codes,and Ignore unavailable APS codes determine the effect of either an
unknown or an unavailable APS code in a text file.If these icons are
selected,such codes are ignored,otherwise an error is reported,and the
print aborted.

The next icon,Ignore all APS codes,should be used with care.If selected,no
APS codes will be allowed,and they will be converted into normal text,and
printed.Should Add linefeed character to file be selected,AMFPrint will
automatically print a linefeed character after every file,so that the last
few characters of each file are not left in the printer buffer until the
next file is printed.If Load file into memory is selected,AMFPrint will
attempt to load all the files it wishes to print into memory,so that it
does not have to continually access the disc that they are contained on.
Otherwise,AMFPrint will not use any extra memory,but will require access to
the files being printed periodically,to load more of them in.

If Allow top bit characters is set,all characters above character 127 will
be printed normally,otherwise they will be replaced with "."s (character 46).
If Allow directory printing is selected,a directory full of text files may
be dragged onto the AMFPrint icon,and every file within it will be printed,
one after another.The Allow control characters will allow control characters
(less than 32) to be printed,and if APS codes are to be used,it is vital
that this option is set.Finally,a default characters per cycle value may be
entered,and the type of codes AMFPrint prints out may be defined,either
APS codes,which are easy to read,and are not printer specific,or printer
codes,which aren't easy to read,and are printer specific.

If Allow document paging is selected,all files will be divided into pages.
This is discussed more fully below.Once you have set the preferences you
require,click on OK to set them temporarily,or Save to save them to disc,
permanently.Also saved with the preferences is the current character set
(below),and the options that are currently selected in the main AMFPrint
window.As soon as AMFPrint is reloaded,these options will be sent to the
printer,so be careful as to what is selected.

Characters
==========
From the Options submenu,select the Characters option.A window will open,
containing all the printable characters.Selecting one of these will insert
it into the current input focus,where the caret is (for example,and Edit
window).AMFPrint also allows character translation,so that a  sign is
automatically converted into a # sign for printing,for example.Select the
character you wish to translate,click in the right hand numerical box to
enter the translation value,and press RETURN.Clicking on Show will show all
the character translations,whereas clicking on Unshow will show all the
normal characters.Clicking on Save will save the translation table
permanently to disc,whereas Load will reload the translation table.

The three icons named Normal,IBM and Epson determine the character font
used.If Normal is selected,the Latin 1 Archimedes (the standard system) font
is shown.If IBM is selected,the standard IBM font is shown,whereas if Epson
is selected,the standard Epson font is shown.These fonts are identical to
the fonts used within the Citizen 120D+,and thus make it easier to see how
a document will print.Before these characters may be used,it may be
necessary to send a G1 APS command (above),to allow graphics characters to
be printed.

Paging
======
Paging was mentioned earlier,but not fully discussed.AMFPrint can
automatically split a document into pages,so that it flows evenly between
sheets of continuous paper.This is achieved via three numbers and an option
in the Preferences window.The first number determines the number of blank
lines at the top,the second number the number of printable lines,and the
third number determines the number of blank lines at the bottom.Add the
three numbers together to give the total number of lines per page.

Unfortunately,when using fanfold continuous paper,certain printers tend to
get out of step after a number of pages.Using the Configure window (below),
examine the New page offset code.Into this code can be inserted a printer
code that is printed every time a new page is required.The default value is
to move the page down by 6/216 inches,which should be enough to counter the
out of step generated for several pages,although you are recommended not to
use the paging option should you wish to print out a multiplicity of pages.

Configuration
=============
From the Options submenu,select the Configure option.A window will open,
containing the codes that are sent to the printer for a variety of effects.
New codes may entered into the area provided,saved with the Save icon,or
reloaded with the Load icon.This window allows full configuration of
AMFPrint,allowing it to run with many printers.

Versions
========
2.40 Improved version,with directory printing,paging,memory loading,and
     character control added.Automatic virus checking on load up.Improved
     error messages,giving help and advice.Configuration is now possible.

Source
======
This version of AMFPrint was originally supplied as part of a software
package,namely the AMF the Doomwatcher Collection Part I.It should not be
distributed separately from this package,although it may be separated for
the personal use of the owner,so long as it is not passed on to others in
this form.

Copyright
=========
This version of AMFPrint is not Public Domain.It may be distributed as
Public Domain only by those who are licensed so to do,with the terms of this
license and the official distributor for this version to be found as part of
the general information supplied with this software collection.No part of
this software may be used in any other program,whether commercial or public
domain,without my prior written consent,though any files created by this
software are not bound by this condition.This software may not be
distributed for a profit,save that required to cover packaging and media
costs,nor may it be distributed by an unlicensed person or company.Copyright
() is retained by the author,who may be contacted at the address beneath.No
liability can be accepted by the author for any loss or damage arising from
use or misuse of this software.

Addresses
=========
Should you wish to contact the author of this software,make any constructive
comments or suggestions,report any errors or bugs,or make any donations (all
cheques being made payable to A.M.Flintham),write to the address beneath:

AMF the Doomwatcher,
  The Monastary of Doomwatcher Monks,
    50 Burlington Way,
      Mickleover,
        Derby.
          DE3 5BD
