Q(uick)BASIC Function: LPOS

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LPOS

A device I/O function that returns the current position of the line printer's print head within the printer buffer

Worth knowing

Useful and cross-version information about the programming environments of QBasic and QuickBasic.

Syntax

LPOS(n%)

Description/Parameter(s)

LPOS returns the number of characters sent to a printer since the last carriage return was sent.

n%	Indicates one of the printer ports:
	0 = LPT1, 1 = LPT1, 2 = LPT2, 3 = LPT3

Example

This example requires a printer.

LPRINT
FOR i% = 1 TO 20
    LPRINT i%;
    IF LPOS(1) >= 10 THEN LPRINT     'Begin a new line.
NEXT i%

Syntax

LPOS(n)

Description/Parameter(s)

The argument n is the index of the printer being tested:
LPT1:	would be tested with LPOS(1) or LPOS(0)
LPT2:	would be tested with LPOS(2)
LPT3:	would be tested with LPOS(3)
The LPOS function does not necessarily give the physical position of the print head because it does not expand tab characters. In addition, some printers may buffer characters.

Example

This example prompts the user for team names and the names of players on each team. It then prints the players and their teams on the printer.

CLS                                ' Clear screen
LPRINT"Team Members"; TAB(76); "TEAM" : LPRINT
INPUT "How many teams"; TEAMS
INPUT "How many players per team";PPT
PRINT
FOR T = 1 TO TEAMS
    INPUT "Team name: ", TEAM$
    FOR P = 1 TO PPT
        INPUT "   Enter player name: ", PLAYER$
        LPRINT PLAYER$;
        IF P < PPT THEN
            IF LPOS(0) > 55 THEN     'Print a new line if print
                                     'head past column 55.
                LPRINT : LPRINT "     ";
            ELSE
                LPRINT ", ";         'Otherwise, print a comma.
            END IF
        END IF
    NEXT P
    LPRINT STRING$(80-LPOS(0)-LEN(TEAM$),"."); TEAM$
NEXT T

Syntax

LPOS(n%)

Description/Parameter(s)

LPOS returns the number of characters sent to the printer since the last carriage return was sent.

n%	An integer expression with a value between 0 and 3 that indicates one of the printers:
	0 = LPT1, 1 = LPT1, 2 = LPT2, 3 = LPT3

Example

This example uses the LPRINT statement to print team and player names on a line printer. The LPOS function is used to determine the position of the print head and avoid printing past the end of the line.
Note: To run this program, you must have a printer connected to LPT1.

CLS                                  'Clear screen.
LPRINT "Team Members"; TAB(76); "TEAM"
LPRINT
INPUT "How many teams"; TEAMS
INPUT "How many players per team"; PPT
PRINT
FOR T = 1 TO TEAMS
    INPUT "Team name: ", TEAM$
    FOR P = 1 TO PPT
  INPUT "   Enter player name: ", PLAYER$
  LPRINT PLAYER$;
  IF P < PPT THEN
      IF LPOS(0) > 55 THEN     'Print a new line if print
             'head past column 55.
    LPRINT : LPRINT "     ";
      ELSE
    LPRINT ", ";         'Otherwise, print a comma.
      END IF
  END IF
    NEXT P
    LPRINT STRING$(80 - LPOS(0) - LEN(TEAM$), "."); TEAM$
NEXT T