Jumping to a new page in the output file

[Skeetchik]

How would I print enough blank lines to an output file when the data file has an unknown number of entries? ( I can have multiple arrays on a page, but output for an individual array can not be split between two pages.)

[confuted]

there aren't any pages in a text file. Try opening something large in Notepad (or the Linux equivalent... KWrite, maybe)

[Skeetchik]

when you print a large file even in Notepad, it still will print on multiple pages...my printer prints 65 lines/page.

[dalek]

Yes, but in the file itself it doesn't have a concept of seperate pages. You usually need to tell your printer to form feed, by sending it a ^L character.

For instance you may set the program up with a page size of 65 lines, once 65 lines have been printed - send the form feed.

But I guess it depends on what platform/compiler your using because I am sure the Win32 API for example has a more elegant method.

[dalek]

Sorry - I had just been doing shell scripts - ignore the ^L, it should be '\f'..

You should send the form feed character for C/C++ which is of course '\f'.

I am not near a compiler right now, but I snarfed this code from a site that should do what you want.

#include<iostream>
#include<fstream>

using namespace std;

int main(void)
{   
    cout << "Started" << endl;
    ofstream printer1;
    printer1.open ("LPT1", ios::out);

    for (int count = 1; count <= 65; count++)        // to fill page
    {
        printer1 << "testing" << endl;
    }
    printer1 << '\f' << endl;                       // form feed
    printer1.close();
    cout << "Finished printing to LPT1 " << endl;                   // finished

    return 0;
}

EDIT: This code assumes that your printer is connected on port LPT1, if you are on a network, you can reference the printer using the network pathname.. something like "//PRINTERHOST/PRINTER"

[Skeetchik]

Thank you, that helped a lot
I appreciate it.