Printing graphics to a Windows printer

Requests and discussion of possible enhancements of the CCS64 emulator.

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K.C.
Posts: 115
Joined: Fri Nov 12, 2004 12:12 pm
Location: The Netherlands

Printing graphics to a Windows printer

Post by K.C. »

This is the only thing I am still missing in any C64 emulator. Why on earth is it possible that a C64 emulator can emulate a VIC, SID, datasette, 1541, 1571, 1581, a 1531 mouse and joysticks and is it impossible to emulate an MPS80x or ESC/P printer? :shock:
Is a tool available somewhere that can read a raw print file generated by CCS64 or WinVice, convert it and pass it to a Windows printer?
I don't know much of this stuff, but I think it must be possible, or am I missing something? :?
Anyway, it should be great to run programs like Print Shop or The Newsroom and make REAL printouts with it to a laser/inkjet printer! 8)
Stuart Toomer
Site Co-Admin
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Joined: Wed Aug 20, 2003 2:46 pm
Location: East Yorkshire, England

Post by Stuart Toomer »

There is a VICE2PS (VICE-to-PostScript) utility, for use with VICE output. I assume that it is not fully possible, due to various character/hardware differences.
Kind regards,

Stuart Toomer.
K.C.
Posts: 115
Joined: Fri Nov 12, 2004 12:12 pm
Location: The Netherlands

Post by K.C. »

I have tried Vice2PS, but the only thing you can do with it is print plain text in a Commodore matrixprinter-looking font. :(
What I want to do is make graphical printouts with Print Master of maybe Geos.

I just can't believe that it can't be done in an emulator. When printing from a real Computer to a matrix printer the following happens:
- Printer waits for input via serial/centronics interface.
- When a complete line of data/commands or a Carriage Return character is received, the line is printed and the print head is moved to the home location.

To make this work in an emulator, I think the following has to be done:
- Emulate the ROM of the printer so that printer commands are recognised and processed correctly.
- Instead of moving the print head and pushing the needles on the paper, a bitmap file can be created that sets the pixels on the right place.

Again, I am a real noob, but this doesn't sound extremely difficult to me, or am I missing something? :?
Comments welcome!
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