Q(uick)BASIC Statement: LPRINT USING

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LPRINT USING

A file I/O statement that prints formatted output on the printer LPT1

Worth knowing

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

Syntax
  • PRINT [#filenumber%,] USING formatstring$; expressionlist [{; | ,}]
  • LPRINT USING formatstring$; expressionlist [{; | ,}]
Description/Parameter(s)
filenumber% The number of an open sequential file.
formatstring$; A string expression, specifies the format. Characters in the formatstring$ have the following meaning:
Characters that format a numeric expression
#Digit position.
.Decimal point position.
,Placed left of the decimal point, prints a comma every third digit.
+Position of number sign.
^^^^Prints in exponential format.
-Placed after digit, prints trailing sign for negative numbers.
$$Prints leading $.
**Fills leading spaces with *.
**$Combines ** and $$.
Characters used to format a string expression
&Prints entire string.
!Prints only the first character of the string.
\ \Prints first n characters, where n is the number of blanks between slashes + 2.
Characters used to print literal characters
_Prints the following formatting character as a literal.
 Any character not in this table is printed as a literal.
expressionlist A list of one or more numeric or string expressions to print, separated by commas, semicolons, spaces, or tabs.
{; | ,} Determines where the next output begins:
  • ; means print immediately after the last value.
  • , means print at the start of the next print zone.
  •   Print zones are 14 characters wide.
Example
a = 123.4567 PRINT USING "###.##"; a LPRINT USING "+###.####"; a a$ = "ABCDEFG" PRINT USING "!"; a$ LPRINT USING "\ \"; a$

See also:

Syntax
  • LPRINT [expressionlist][{;|,}]
  • LPRINT USING formatstring; expressionlist[{;|,}]
Description/Parameter(s)
  • If all arguments are omitted from the LPRINT statement, the printer prints a blank line
  • expressionlist is one or more expressions, separated by semicolons
  • ";" or "," are optional characters:
    • ";" means print immediately after the last value in this LPRINT statement
    • "," means print at the start of the next unoccupied print zone
  • formatstring in the LPRINT USING statement is a string literal or variable containing literal characters to print and using the same special formatting characters as the ⮜ PRINT USING ⮞ statement.

These statements function in the same way as the PRINT and PRINT USING statements except that output goes to the line printer and the filenumber option is not permitted.

The LPRINT statement assumes an 80-character-wide printer. This width can be changed with a WIDTH LPRINT statement.

Warning

  • Since the LPRINT statement uses the LPT1 printer device, you should not use LPRINT in a program that also contains an OPEN LPT1 statement. Using these two statements together produces unpredictable results.

Differences from BASICA

  • If you do LPRINT CHR$(13), BASIC actually outputs LPRINT CHR$(13) and LPRINT CHR$(10). This feature was created to provide compatibility between Microsoft BASIC and IBM BASICA.
Example

See the ⮜ LPOS function programming example ⮞, which uses the LPRINT command.

See also:

Syntax
  • LPRINT USING formatstring$; expressionlist [{;|,}]
Description/Parameter(s)
formatstring$ Specifies the format, using the same formatting characters as the ⮜ PRINT USING ⮞ statement.
expressionlist The values that are printed on printer LPT1:.
{;|,} Determines the location on the page of the first value printed by the next statement to use LPT1 (such as the next LPRINT statement or a PRINT # or WRITE # directing data to LPT1).
  • ";" means print immediately after the last value in this LPRINT statement.
  • "," means print at the start of the next unoccupied print zone.
  • The printer output from an LPRINT USING statement will be the same as the screen output from a PRINT USING statement, if both statements have the same values for formatstring$, expressionlist, and output line width.

Important

  • Because the LPRINT USING statement uses the LPT1 printer device, you should not use LPRINT USING in a program that also contains an OPEN "LPT1" statement. Using these two statements together produces unpredictable results.

Usage Notes

  • This statement functions in the same way as the PRINT USING statement except that output goes to the printer.
  • The printer output from an LPRINT USING statement will be the same as the screen output from a PRINT USING statement, if both statements have the same values for formatstring$, expressionlist, and output-line width.
  • The LPRINT USING statement assumes an 80-character-wide printer. This width can be changed with a WIDTH statement.
  • If you use LPRINT USING with no arguments, a blank line is printed.
Example

This example uses the LPRINT USING statement to print a receipt on the printer.
Note: To run this program, you must have a printer connected to LPT1.

CLS 'Clear screen. Total = 0 LPRINT "Your receipt:" LPRINT DO INPUT "Enter quantity (0 to end): ", Quantity IF Quantity = 0 THEN EXIT DO INPUT "Item name: ", Item$ INPUT "Amount: ", Amount PRINT 'Calculate subtotal. Amount = Amount * Quantity Total = Total + Amount 'Print line of receipt. LPRINT USING "### "; Quantity; LPRINT USING "\ \"; Item$; LPRINT USING "$$######,.##"; Amount LOOP 'Finish receipt. LPRINT LPRINT TAB(12); "Total amount paid: "; LPRINT USING "$$#######,.##"; Total

Sample Output:

Enter quantity (0 to end): 1 Item name: Used car Amount: 3999 Enter quantity (0 to end): 10 Item name: Gallons gas Amount: .98 Enter quantity (0 to end): 0 Output on line printer Your receipt: 1 Used car $3,999.00 10 Gallons gas $9.80 Total amount paid: $4,008.80

See also: