Determining the Print Format (SAP Library - ABAP Programming (BC-ABA))

Determining the Print Format

To determine the print format, use the PRINT-CONTROLstatement:

Syntax

PRINT-CONTROL formats [LINE lin] [POSITION col].

Without the options LINE and POSITION, this statement sets the print format specified in formats for all characters that are printed starting from the current output position (system fields sy-colno and sy-linno). The LINEaddition sets the print format to start from line lin. The POSITION addition sets the print format to start from column pos.

In formats, you can specify several different print formats. The system converts the values into a printer-independent code, the so-called print-control code. When printing, the system translates the print-control code to printer-specific control characters of the selected printer.

The table below lists the valid formatsadditions and the corresponding print-control codes:

formats	Code	Meaning
CPI cpi	CIcpi	Characters per inch
LPI lpi	LIlpi	Lines per inch
COLOR BLACK	CO001	Color black
COLOR RED	CO002	Color red
COLOR BLUE	CO003	Color blue
COLOR GREEN	CO004	Color green
COLOR YELLOW	CO005	Color yellow
COLOR PINK	CO006	Color pink
LEFT MARGIN lfm	LMlfm	Space from the left margin
FONT fnt	FOfnt	Font style
FUNCTION code	code	For directly specifying a code

There are many more print-control codes than formatsadditions. Therefore, you can specify any print-control code directly using the FUNCTIONaddition.

Caution

Use the print formats only to set formats that are either not possible or not reasonable when formatting output for the output screen (for example, size specifications or fonts). You should set all other formats as described in Formatting Options or Formatting the Output. These formats automatically apply for printing as well as for display (provided the specified printer supports them).

To find the codes supported by a certain printer, choose Tools ® Administration ® Spool ® Spool administration. This takes you to the screen Spool Administration (transaction SPAD).

Choose the individual components to receive the following information:

Selection	Information
Output devices	List of the installed printers, including the device types
Device types	a description of the device types
Standard print control	List of the print-control codes
Print control for device type	Assignment of printer-specific control characters to the print-control codes for each device type
Page formats	a list of page formats
Paper types	List of valid formats
Device initialization	Assignment of formats for each device type

Display Print control for Device Type to find the print-control codes available for the printer you want to use. From the displayed list, select the desired device type.

Here you can see whether printer-specific control characters are maintained for a print-control code. Choose Info to display additional information for the individual codes in a dialog window.

For more detailed information about spool administration, refer to the Structure link SAP Printing Guide (BC-CCM-CRM).

Example

The following executable program is connected to the logical database F1S.

REPORT demo_list_print_control LINE-SIZE 60.

TABLES spfli.

PRINT-CONTROL FUNCTION: 'SABLD' LINE 1,
'SAOFF' LINE 2,
'SAULN' LINE 3.

GET spfli.
WRITE: / spfli-carrid, spfli-connid, spfli-cityfrom,
spfli-airpfrom, spfli-cityto, spfli-airpto.

If in table T02DD, the printer control characters for the print-control codes SABLD, SAOFF, and SAULN are defined as in the figure above, the system formats the output as follows:

1996/03/13                  SPFLI                          1
------------------------------------------------------------
AA  0017 NEW YORK             JFK SAN FRANCISCO        SFO
AA  0064 SAN FRANCISCO        SFO NEW YORK             JFK
DL  1699 NEW YORK             JFK SAN FRANCISCO        SFO
DL  1984 SAN FRANCISCO        SFO NEW YORK             JFK
LH  0400 FRANKFURT            FRA NEW YORK             JFK

....

The print format for the first line is set to bold, using the print-control code SABLD. The print-control code SAOFF turns off bold style, starting from the second line. Using the print-control code SAULN, the system underlines all lines starting from line 3.