how do you make a program send data to the printer?

Do you guys know how to make your program print some data? The reason I ask is in our school we have an ANCIENT computer in the weight room that we use to make a lifting schedule based on maxes that we enter in. I have taken it upon myself to write a program that will do the same thing for a newer computer. All attempts to adapt the old program have failed. I need to know how to make my program print a hard copy so we can carry our schedule around with us. Help?

system dependant. we need some specs.

Windows XP SP2, idk what kind of printer the school would use... probably a usb or network printer... maybe serial, but I doubt it.

You could just send the output to a .txt file, once that is done and the file stream is closed you can then just make the program launch the txt file with the system command. People can then just easily do file print (and have easy access to all the printer properties they would normally have access to, select diff printers, ect).

Code:

#include <iostream>
#include <fstream>
using namespace std;


int main()
{

	ofstream out;

	out.open("test.txt");

	out << "Like this";

	out.close();

	system("test.txt");


	return 0;

}

You would want to check for opening failed, ect. But that would be much simpler and allow the user more control than just direct output to printer IMHO.

thats an idea. i might just use that. If I understood it...

Compile and build an exe with this code (and run the exe):

Code:

#include <iostream>
#include <fstream>
using namespace std;


int main()
{

	int reps;
	int weight;
	int sets;
	
	ofstream out_to_file;

	out_to_file.open("temp.txt");

	cout << "How many sets of leg presses would you like to do? : ";
	cin >> sets;
	cout << "How many reps per set?: ";
	cin >> reps;
	cout << "And at what weight? : ";
	cin >> weight;




	out_to_file << "Legpress:: " << sets << " sets at " << weight << " lbs for " << reps << " reps." << endl;


	out_to_file.close();

	system("temp.txt");


	return 0;

}

Then all the user has to do is go to the File menu and hit print (or ctrl + P). Just like in any windows program. Just as if you where going to print this webpage, or print a Word file.

thats great, but I dont understand exactly what you guys are doing to send the data to a file. sorry, just started programming less then a week ago...

thats great, but I dont understand exactly what you guys are doing to send the data to a file. sorry, just started programming less then a week ago...

Ohh ok. Why did ya not say so! I thought you just where not sure what I was saying do.
It is really simple:
http://www.cprogramming.com/tutorial/lesson10.html

Then what ever you call your file stream you can use inplace of "cout" and do everything just like you would if it was in the console screen.
In my example:

Code:

ofstream out_to_file;

out_to_file.open("temp.txt");

Simply declares a file stream called "out_to_file" and links that file stream to a 'temp.txt'. If temp.txt does not exist it creates it, if it does exist it overides all the data in it (or you can append, alll kinds of good stuff).
Then when I want to chose what I want to output, just like the console and cout but instead of cout I use 'out_to_file' (or whatever you call your output stream)

Code:

out_to_file << (stuff I want to output);

To use filestreams you must

Code:

#include <fstreams>

my compiler cant seem to find fstreams. Here is my code so far. it cant print yet.

Code:

#include <iostream>


char liftName;
int Max;




unsigned short int liftingPlanner (char liftName, int Max)
         {
                std::cout << "Lift: " <<liftName<<"\n";
                std::cout << "                Sets              \n";
                std::cout << "Day ||  1    2    3    4    5\n";
                std::cout << "| 1 || " <<Max*.6<< " "<<Max*.65<<" "<<Max*.7<<" "<<Max*.75<<" "<<Max*.7<<"\n";
                std::cout << "| 2 || " <<Max*.65<< " "<<Max*.7<<" "<<Max*.75<<" "<<Max*.8<<" "<<Max*.75<<"\n";
                std::cout << "| 3 || " <<Max*.7<< " "<<Max*.75<<" "<<Max*.8<<" "<<Max*.85<<" "<<Max*.8<<"\n";
                std::cout << "| 4 || " <<Max*.75<< " "<<Max*.8<<" "<<Max*.85<<" "<<Max*.9<<" "<<Max*.85<<"\n"; 
                std::cout << "| Max Day! || *Warm up before maxing* || Max Day!|\n";
                }


int main()
{
      int counter = 0;
      while(counter < 10)
      {    
      std::cout <<"This program was created by Aaron Quamme\n for BHS in October of 2005\n";
      system ("PAUSE");
      
      std::cout <<"Enter the name of your first lift.\n";
      std::cin >> liftName;
      std::cout << "Enter your max:\n";
      std::cin >> Max;
      liftingPlanner (liftName, Max);
      counter++;
      
      return 0;
      }
      system ("PAUSE");
      return 0;
      }

It compiles fine but liftName cant hold more than a one letter lift name and the program closes on me when liftingPlanner is called. I dont know whats wrong, like i said before i have been programming for less then a week so dont start flaming me because im to lazy to do my own debugging. I'd appriciate any help.

my compiler cant seem to find fstreams.

Last line of my previous post.
Also, re-read the tutorial I linked to about file input and output in my previous post then.

It compiles fine but liftName cant hold more than a one letter

Char's can only hold one letter unless you use an array.
Use strings instead.
http://www.cprogramming.com/tutorial/lesson9.html

and the program closes on me when liftingPlanner is called

It is a function that expects to return something.
You can either add return 0; to the end of the function, or change the declaration to something like this (void means it does not expect to return a value)

Code:

void liftingPlanner (char liftName, int Max)

I am surprised your compiler even let you try and compile and did not warn you.

like i said before i have been programming for less then a week so dont start flaming me because im to lazy to do my own debugging.

Ok, but can we flame you for poor communication skills through the written language? Minor attempts at punctuation and capitalization will make it A LOT easier to read your post, and thus will make it more likely somebody will be willing to help.

Quote:
my compiler cant seem to find fstreams.


Last line of my previous post.

I used #include to try and find fstreams. My compiler said it couldn't find the file.

Ok, but can we flame you for poor communication skills through the written language? Minor attempts at punctuation and capitalization will make it A LOT easier to read your post, and thus will make it more likely somebody will be willing to help.

I apologize. My capitalization and punctuation have been slipping ever since I started using MSN. I will clean my typing up. Thank you for the help! I will let you know how it goes within a few minutes...

wait wait wait, isn't it

Code:

#include <fstream>

?
not fstreams
just fstream without the s... that should help your compiler find fstream

?
not fstreams
just fstream without the s... that should help your compiler find fstream

Bah me! Well...at least I got it right in the sample code(s) I gave him

O.K. guys I tried. I really did. But, I can't seem to find the bug in my program. My compiler gives me an error that says "Invalid conversion from "char" to "char" on line 36.

Code:

#include <iostream>
#include <fstream>


char liftName[50];
int Max;

int liftingPlanner (char liftName, int Max)
         {
                std::cout << "Lift: " <<liftName<<"\n";
                std::cout << "                Sets              \n";
                std::cout << "Day ||  1    2    3    4    5\n";
                std::cout << "| 1 || " <<Max*.6<< " "<<Max*.65<<" "<<Max*.7<<" "<<Max*.75<<" "<<Max*.7<<"\n";
                std::cout << "| 2 || " <<Max*.65<< " "<<Max*.7<<" "<<Max*.75<<" "<<Max*.8<<" "<<Max*.75<<"\n";
                std::cout << "| 3 || " <<Max*.7<< " "<<Max*.75<<" "<<Max*.8<<" "<<Max*.85<<" "<<Max*.8<<"\n";
                std::cout << "| 4 || " <<Max*.75<< " "<<Max*.8<<" "<<Max*.85<<" "<<Max*.9<<" "<<Max*.85<<"\n"; 
                std::cout << "| Max Day! || *Warm up before maxing* || Max Day!|\n";
                return 0;
                }
                

int main()
{     
      system ("COLOR 1F ");
      int counter = 0;
      while(counter < 10)
      {    
      std::cout <<"This program was created by not telling you my real name ;) \nfor BHS in October of 2005\n";
      system ("PAUSE");
      
      std::cout <<"Enter the name of your first lift.\n";
      std::cin >> liftName;
      std::cout << "Enter your max:\n";
      std::cin >> Max;
      liftingPlanner (liftName, Max);
      counter++;
      
      return 0;
      }
      system ("PAUSE");
      return 0;
      }

The first parameter to function liftingPlanner() is a single character, not a character array. If a character array is intended, then change it like this

Code:

int liftingPlanner (char  liftName[], int Max)
         {

or like this

Code:

int liftingPlanner (char*  liftName, int Max)
         {