Re: QSYSPRT Print 1 Page and feed

On 08-Jun-2018 12:22 -0500, Jack Woehr wrote:

On Fri, Jun 8, 2018 at 10:39 AM, Jack Woehr wrote:

In the midst of a CL which is calling RPG programs that do
printing, I want to print 1 page to QSYSPRT and make sure it feeds
the page. What's the easiest way to print a mostly-blank page with
a short message like "SEPARATE HERE!!!" and feed the page?

Typically, each program that opens and writes to the printer file will effect a new page implicitly, with the close of the device file; i.e. the prior program would have done the same, so despite the prior program possibly only having written a single line of text, the next printout would [also] start on a new page, after the printer moves/feeds the page to process the next form/printout. A shared open data path for the device file would require the sharing programs to ensure the progressing to the new page; e.g. by writing the proper forms control character or line positioning request.

I guess that an adjunct question is this: If I CPYF to *PRINT is it
guaranteed to occupy an entire page?

The Copy File (CPYF) request, with TOFILE(*PRINT) specified, will [as best I recall] effect the full open and full close of the device file QSYSPRT, irrespective any attempt to use a shared open; i.e. an implicit form feed is the effect, such that the start of the next printout will begin on the specified start line of the next page. So in effect, Yes; though possibly only fifteen lines taken on the page by the TOFILE(*PRINT) spooled output, the next called RPG program would start the next printout on a new page.