epson -- Command

Prepare files for Epson printer
epson [ -cdfnrw8 ] [ -b head ] [ -i n ] [ -o file ] [ -s n ] [ file ... ]

epson prepares  text for printing  an Epson or  Epson-compatible dot-matrix
printer.  It recognizes the nroff output sequences for boldface and italics
and converts them into the Epson codes for emphasized print and italics.

If you  do not name  a file on  its command line, epson  reads the standard
input.  By default, epson writes  its output to the standard output.  Thus,
you can use epson as a filter within an MLP backend script.

By default, epson outputs the string  ``\033 @ \033 t \0'' at the beginning
of each job to initialize the  printer.  The sequence ``\033 @'' clears the
printer  and prepares  it to  receive new data;  while the  escape sequence
``\033 t \0'' makes an Epson printer's built-in italics font available.  To
suppress the  italics-font portion of the  initialization sequence, use the
command-line option -n, described below.

epson recognizes the following command-line options:

-b head
     Print the given head as a  double-width banner at the top of the first
     output page.

-c   Use compressed printing mode.

-d   Print  boldface as  double  strikes.  Normally,  epson recognizes  the
     sequence ``c\bc''  as boldface  and  prints c  in emphasized  printing
     mode.  -d is useful in conjunction with -c.

-f   Do not print a formfeed character at the end of each file.

-in  Indent n spaces at the start of each output line.

-n   No italics: suppress the italics portion of the printer-initialization
     string.  When you use this switch, epson outputs the string ``\033 @''
     to initialize the printer.

-o file
     Write output into file, instead of sending it to device /dev/lp.

-r   Print all  characters in Roman;  do not  use italics.  Normally, epson
     recognizes the sequence ``_\bc'' as italic  and prints c in its italic
     character set.

-sn  Print n newlines at the end  of each line.  n must be 1, 2, or 3;  the
     default is 1.

-w   Use double width printing mode.

-8   Print lines  with vertical spacing of eight lines  per inch instead of
     the default six lines per inch.

See Also

commands,
lp,
nroff,
pr,
printer

Notes

Prior  to release  4.2.12 of  COHERENT,  epson wrote  its output  to device
/dev/lp instead of to the standard output.

© 2012 by Stephen A. Ness