LIST

LIST is a file print program.  It sends a file or series of files
to  the  LST device.  A left border of 4 spaces  is  provided.	A
header with page count is given at the top of each page,  and the
program does not print over perfs. Usage is

     LIST <filename> <filename> ... <filename>

Wildcards ARE supported. Tabs in the source are handled properly.

Of all the programs I have written, I am least proud of this one.
It works fine most of the time,  which is why I tolerate it.  The
problem is that is is much too rigid:  the left border setting is
compiled into the program, and the width is set for 8" paper. The
tab setting commands are specific to Epson/Gemini control  codes.
If  any of your needs are different than this,	you will have  to
recompile the program ... I'm including the BDS C source.

Worse,	the program doesn't respond well to lines too long to fit
on the page.  Long lines are sent on to the printer as is,  which
means that the printer will do with them whatever it is set up to
do.  Depending upon dipswitch settings, most printers will either
return	to column one and continue from there,	or do CRLF to the
next line. If the latter, the line count will get bollixed up.

There are a number of things that can be done to improve  things.
First,	I should probably expand tabs into spaces,  to accomodate
plain  vanilla	printers.  I  could  also set  page  width  as	a
variable.

The problem with the line length is more difficult.  The  obvious
thing  to  do is to truncate all lines that are longer	than  the
available  space,  but that seems a bit brutal.  Short	of  that,
there  are only two options:  split the line onto two lines (with
proper line count),  or use a compressed print pitch.  I  thought
about  switching  the  pitch  dynamically,  from  line	to  line,
depending upon the line length. But that would produce a printout
too  bizarre for words.  And the idea of pre-scanning the  entire
document, to find out how long the lines are, offends my sense of
efficiency.  If  anyone has a sugggestion how best to handle this
one, I'd appreciate it. Even better, how about just rewriting the
program for me!

Jack W. Crenshaw
P.O. Box 15888
Tampa, Fla. 33684
CIS 72325,1327