Print Command Returns Name of List Device Message (78404)

SUMMARY

After issuing the PRINT command to print a text file, the following message may be displayed:

Name of list device [PRN]:

The above message indicates that a print output device has not been specified. After the message is displayed, two options are available:

Press ENTER to use the default print device setting of PRN (equivalent to LPT1). -or-
Type the name of a valid print device that PRINT should access.

MORE INFORMATION

Valid parallel devices include LPT1, LPT2, and LPT3. Valid serial devices are COM1, COM2, COM3, and COM4.

Once the print device is set, MS-DOS will use that device each time the PRINT command is issued. To change the device setting, restart your system and use the PRINT command again.

The default printer device can be set when PRINT is first invoked by using the /D switch, as in the following example:

print /d:com1 filename.txt

The /D switch is one of several switches available that can only be used the first time PRINT is started. The switches and their uses are as follows:

Switch       Use
   ------       ---

   /d:device    Designate the default print device
   /b:size      Set the size in bytes of the internal buffer (valid
                  ranges are 512 to 16384; default is 512)
   /u:ticks1    Set the maximum number of clock ticks PRINT waits for
                  the printer to become available (valid ranges are 1 to
                  255; default is 1)
   /m:ticks2    Set the maximum number of clock ticks PRINT can take
                  to print a character on the printer (Valid ranges are 1
to
                  255; default is 2)
   /s:ticks3    Set the number of clock ticks the MS-DOS scheduler
                  allocates for background printing (Valid ranges are 1 to
                  255; default is 8)
   /q:qsize     Set the maximum number of files allowed in the print
                  queue (valid ranges are 4 to 32; default is 10)