Printing text using jdk 1.4...only first character in string output

Question

I have read way too many forum postings and still can't get simple ascii to come out my printer. Please don't point me to awt printing samples. I don't want the overhead/baggage of graphics contexts when they shouldn't be needed.
If I create a printer that's a file (set to generic/ascii), then after printing and giving a filename the file contents look ok. So, this seems to be a DocFlavor issue or something.
However when I try to print to a network printer (usb attached), I only get at best a single character on my page.
The following is tracing from my print method (shows text to be printed and doc flavors supported by printer):
PrinterImpl::print(text=hello world)
image/gif; class="[B"
image/gif; class="java.io.InputStream"
image/gif; class="java.net.URL"
image/jpeg; class="[B"
image/jpeg; class="java.io.InputStream"
image/jpeg; class="java.net.URL"
image/png; class="[B"
image/png; class="java.io.InputStream"
image/png; class="java.net.URL"
application/x-java-jvm-local-objectref; class="java.awt.print.Pageable"
application/x-java-jvm-local-objectref; class="java.awt.print.Printable"
application/octet-stream; class="[B"
application/octet-stream; class="java.net.URL"
application/octet-stream; class="java.io.InputStream"
It appears, that besides copious image printing support (why PNG and not TEXT?!?!?!?) I can print Printable's from the awt api, as well as byte arrays and input streams. I wish to not use the awt printing api.
I have tried all mentioned DocFlavors regarding BYTE_ARRAY.AUTOSENSE, etc. Nothing gives me more than a single character of output.
Any ideas? I'm getting a little burnt out on this problem.
Thanks.

Answer 1

I cannot comment on the 2 examples you referenced, because I don't have a Postscript printer, but your own example does not work, at least under Win2K, neither on a USB nor an ASCII printer, here is why (aside from the fact that it contains 2 or 3 formal errors).
I am trying desparately to print a simple ASCII file on a USB printer under Win2K since weeks and found 2 problems, but no solution so far.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Java PrintServiceLookup.lookupPrintServices() returns nothing
=============================================================
I want to print a simple ASCII file on a USB printer under Win2K and found 2 problems. Here is the 1st one.
PrintServiceLookup.lookupPrintServices(<DocFlavor>, <AttributeSet>) returns nothing when I specify any AttributeSet:
PrintRequestAttributeSet aset = new HashPrintRequestAttributeSet();
I tried
aset.add(new Copies(1));
or
aset.add(MediaSizeName.ISO_A4);
I tried it with JDK 1.4.2 and with Java 6, same problem.
When I specify null for AttributeSet, I get as many services as I have printers specified in the Printers folder of the Control panel.
I have scanned quite a few contributions about this subject, and it looks like this problem has been around since years, but I haven't found a solution.
But there is a circumvention of the problem for a parallel printer (at least an HP Laserjet 4 Plus): forget lookupPrintServices, just use the default printer. It works. Here are the essential code lines to print a simple ASCII file in Win2K.
//String fileID = = args[0];
FileInputStream textStream = new FileInputStream(fileID);
PrintService defService = PrintServiceLookup.lookupDefaultPrintService();
DocFlavor myFormat = DocFlavor.INPUT_STREAM.AUTOSENSE;
PrintRequestAttributeSet aset = new HashPrintRequestAttributeSet();
aset.add(MediaSizeName.ISO_A4);
DocPrintJob job = defService.createPrintJob();
Doc myDoc = new SimpleDoc(textStream, myFormat, null);
try {
job.print(myDoc, aset);
} catch (PrintException pe) {
System.out.println(pe.toString());
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Cannot print on a USB printer with Java PrintService
====================================================
I want to print a simple ASCII file on a USB printer under Win2K and
found 2 problems. Here is the 2nd one.
Even though
PrintServiceLookup.lookupPrintServices(<DocFlavor>, <AttributeSet>)
returns nothing when I specify any AttributeSet, I can still print on the default printer, which I get by
PrintService defServicedefService = PrintServiceLookup.lookupDefaultPrintService();
but only on a parallel printer (HP Laserjet 4 Plus), either directly attached or over the network. When I try the very same code on a locally USB-attached printer, the printer is obviously reacting, but nothing is printed.
In case of a Lexmark 730 (an ink printer), the driver even lies, it has printed 100%,
on a Samsung CLP-510 (a color laser) the ready light flashes twice, that's all.
The file to be printed has 5 lines and a "0C"X at the end in order to force a page eject at the end.
I tried it with JDK 1.4.2 and with Java 6, same problem.
I should mention that I can print that little file out of the editor Textpad without any problem.
Edited by: eSchobbert on Jan 30, 2008 7:26 AM
Sorry I forgot to mention, that this post refers to the pretty old post of MartinHilpert of May 22, 2003 2:45 AM