# PRINT (command)

> Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/PRINT_(command)
> Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/PRINT_(command).md
> Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PRINT_(command)
> Source revision: 1314541593
> License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/)

{{Short description|Computing command}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2025}}
[[File:RT-11 help.jpg|thumb|Description of the <code>PRINT</code> command of [RT-11SJ](/source/%3Aen%3ART-11) displayed on a [VT100](/source/%3Aen%3AVT100).]]
In [computing](/source/computing), the '''<code>print</code>''' [command](/source/command_(computing))
provides single-user print [spooling](/source/spooling) capability in a number of [operating system](/source/operating_system)s. It is roughly similar to that provided by the [UNIX System V](/source/UNIX_System_V) [lp](/source/Lp_(Unix)) and [BSD](/source/Berkeley_Software_Distribution) lpr print spooler systems.

== Implementations ==
The command is available in the [DEC](/source/Digital_Equipment_Corporation) [RT-11](/source/RT-11),<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://paleoferrosaurus.com/beta/documents/rt11help.html#PRINT|title=RT-11 HELP FILE|website=paleoferrosaurus.com|access-date=16 July 2018|archive-date=17 July 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180717041552/http://paleoferrosaurus.com/beta/documents/rt11help.html#PRINT|url-status=dead}}</ref> [OS/8](/source/OS%2F8),<ref name="OS8.HandB">"Concise Command Language" (CCL).{{cite web
|url=http://bitsavers.trailing-edge.com/pdf/dec/pdp8/os8/OS8_Handbook_Apr1974.pdf
|title=OS/8 Handbook |date=April 1974 |access-date=28 November 2017}}</ref> [RSX-11](/source/RSX-11),<ref>{{Cite book |title=RSX A Guide for Users |date=1987 |author=John F. Pieper |publisher=Digital Equipment Corporation |url=http://www.rsx11m.com/rsxguide.pdf |isbn=0-932376-90-8 |access-date=2020-09-19}}</ref> [TOPS-10](/source/TOPS-10),<ref>{{Cite book |title=TOPS-10 Operating System Commands Manual |date=August 1980 |publisher=Digital Equipment Corporation |url=http://scandocs.trailing-edge.com/tops10-aa-0916d-tb.pdf |access-date=2019-02-17 |archive-date=9 August 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200809145058/http://scandocs.trailing-edge.com/tops10-aa-0916d-tb.pdf |url-status=dead }}</ref> and [TOPS-20](/source/TOPS-20)<ref name=CMDref>{{cite web
|url=http://www.textfiles.com/bitsavers/pdf/dec/pdp10/TOPS20/V6.1/AA-FP65A-TM_tops20CmdsRef.pdf
|title=TOPS-20 Command manual
|access-date=18 July 2018
|archive-date=9 August 2020
|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200809103116/http://www.textfiles.com/bitsavers/pdf/dec/pdp10/TOPS20/V6.1/AA-FP65A-TM_tops20CmdsRef.pdf
|url-status=dead
}}</ref> operating systems and also in [DR](/source/Digital_Research) [FlexOS](/source/FlexOS),<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.bitsavers.org/pdf/digitalResearch/flexos/1073-2003_FlexOS_Users_Guide_V1.3_Nov86.pdf |title=FlexOS User's Guide |date=1986 |website=bitsavers.org |access-date=2020-09-19 |archive-date=25 September 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190925131719/http://bitsavers.org/pdf/digitalResearch/flexos/1073-2003_FlexOS_Users_Guide_V1.3_Nov86.pdf |url-status=dead }}</ref> [DR DOS](/source/DR_DOS), [TSL](/source/The_Software_Link) [PC-MOS](/source/PC-MOS%2F386),<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://github.com/roelandjansen/pcmos386v501|title=roelandjansen/pcmos386v501|website=GitHub|date=2 January 2022}}</ref> [Paragon Technology](/source/Paragon_Technology) [PTS-DOS](/source/PTS-DOS),<ref>
{{cite web |title=PTS-DOS 2000 Pro User Manual |publisher=[Paragon Technology GmbH](/source/Paragon_Technology_GmbH) |location=Buggingen, Germany |date=1999 |url=http://download.paragon-software.com/doc/manual_dos_eng.pdf |access-date=2018-05-12 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180512094512/http://download.paragon-software.com/doc/manual_dos_eng.pdf |archive-date=2018-05-12}}</ref> [SISNE plus](/source/SISNE_plus),<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://datassette.org/manuais/ibm-pc/sisne-plus-referencia-sumaria|title=SISNE plus – Referência Sumária|date=14 May 2015|website=Datassette|access-date=28 September 2019|archive-date=28 September 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190928211058/https://datassette.org/manuais/ibm-pc/sisne-plus-referencia-sumaria|url-status=dead}}</ref> [IBM](/source/IBM) [OS/2](/source/OS%2F2),<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.jatomes.com/Help/Os2Cmd.php#PRINT |title=JaTomes Help – OS/2 Commands |access-date=6 July 2019 |archive-date=14 April 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190414130029/http://www.jatomes.com/Help/Os2Cmd.php#PRINT |url-status=dead }}</ref> [eComStation](/source/eComStation), [ArcaOS](/source/ArcaOS), [Microsoft Windows](/source/Microsoft_Windows), [FreeDOS](/source/FreeDOS),<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.ibiblio.org/pub/micro/pc-stuff/freedos/files/distributions/1.2/repos/pkg-html/group-base.html|title=ibiblio.org FreeDOS Group -- FreeDOS Base|website=ibiblio.org}}</ref> [Stratus](/source/Stratus_Technologies) [OpenVOS](/source/Stratus_VOS),<ref>{{cite web |url=http://stratadoc.stratus.com/vos/19.1.0/r098-19/wwhelp/wwhimpl/common/html/r098-19.pdf |title= Manual |website=stratadoc.stratus.com |access-date=2020-09-19}}</ref> [AROS](/source/AROS_Research_Operating_System),<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://aros.sourceforge.io/documentation/users/shell/index.php|title=AROS Research Operating System|website=aros.sourceforge.io|access-date=19 September 2020|archive-date=2 July 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190702203042/http://aros.sourceforge.net/documentation/users/shell/index.php|url-status=dead}}</ref> [HP](/source/Hewlett-Packard) [MPE/iX](/source/HP_Multi-Programming_Executive),<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.teamnaconsulting.com/compresources/pdfs/c01687363.pdf |title=MPE/iX Command Reference Manual |access-date=21 October 2018 |archive-date=21 October 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181021232213/http://www.teamnaconsulting.com/compresources/pdfs/c01687363.pdf |url-status=dead }}</ref> and [OpenVMS](/source/OpenVMS).<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.itec.suny.edu/scsys/vms/OVMSDOC073/v73/6489/6489pro_005.html|title=OpenVMS User's Manual|website=itec.suny.edu}}{{Dead link|date=October 2023 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref>

The [FreeDOS](/source/FreeDOS) version was developed by James Tabor and is licensed under the [GPL](/source/GNU_General_Public_License).<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.ibiblio.org/pub/micro/pc-stuff/freedos/files/distributions/1.2/repos/pkg-html/print.html|title=ibiblio.org FreeDOS Package -- print (FreeDOS Base)|website=ibiblio.org}}</ref>

== DOS, OS/2, Windows ==
=== Background ===
The command was introduced in [MS-DOS](/source/MS-DOS)/[IBM PC DOS](/source/IBM_PC_DOS) 2.0.<ref name="Paterson_2014_MSDOS125"/><ref name="Shustek_2014_MS-DOS"/> [DR DOS 6.0](/source/DR_DOS_6.0) includes an implementation of the {{code|PRINT}} command.<ref name="drdos6userguide">{{Cite web |url=https://www.4corn.co.uk/archive/docs/DR%20DOS%206.0%20User%20Guide-opt.pdf |title=DR DOS 6.0 User Guide Optimisation and Configuration Tips |access-date=12 August 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190930135943/http://www.4corn.co.uk/archive/docs/DR%20DOS%206.0%20User%20Guide-opt.pdf |archive-date=30 September 2019 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

In early versions of [DOS](/source/DOS), printing was accomplished using the <code>[copy](/source/copy_(command))</code> command: the file to be printed was "copied" to the file representing the [print device](/source/device_file).<ref name=Dickinson1986/> Control returned to the user when the print job completed.<ref name=Rubenking1993/> Beginning with DOS 2.0,<ref name=Norton1983/> the <code>print</code> command was included to allow basic print spooling:  the ability to continue to use the computer while printing occurred in the background, and the ability to create a queue of jobs to be printed.<ref name=Cooper/>

=== Description ===
The <code>print</code> command allowed specifying one of many possible local printer interfaces,<ref name=Cooper/> and could make use of networked printers using the <code>[net](/source/net_(command))</code> command.<ref name=ora/> A maximum number of files and a maximum buffer size could be specified, and further command-line options allowed adding and removing files from the queue.<ref name=Cooper/> Margins, page lengths and number of copies could also be set,<ref name=UMCC/> as well as a parameter to adjust between favoring printing speed versus computer responsiveness.<ref name=Cooper/>

=== Retrospect ===
Users of the initial release of the <code>print</code> command commented on the slow print speed and high resource usage, as well as the lack of support for the newly introduced [subdirectories](/source/directory_(computing)).<ref name=Norton1983/> The command was among the first [RAM](/source/Random-access_memory)-resident programs and was the first to achieve widespread use, with many users disassembling the binary in order to determine how RAM-resident programs should be written.<ref name=Rubenking1993/>

==See also==
*[List of DOS commands](/source/List_of_DOS_commands)
*[List of Unix commands](/source/List_of_Unix_commands)

==References==
{{Reflist|refs=
<ref name=Norton1983>{{cite news | newspaper=PC Magazine | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=V2588uIxmAQC&pg=PA290 | page=290 | last=Norton | first=Peter | date=July 1983 | title=The Dark Side of PC-DOS 2.0}}</ref>

<ref name=Dickinson1986>{{cite news | newspaper=PC Magazine | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=VomWiyJuttsC&pg=PA363 | last=Dickinson | first=John | date=11 November 1986 | page=363 | title=Mastering Your Printer's Options}}</ref>

<ref name=Rubenking1993>{{cite news | newspaper=PC Magazine | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=gCfzPMoPJWgC&pg=RA1-PA299 | last=Rubenking | first=Neil J. | title=Moving PRINT.COM | date=29 June 1993}}</ref>

<ref name=Cooper>{{cite book | title=Using MS-DOS 6.22 | last=Cooper | first=Jim | pages=322–325 | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=u7oN-5y7nGsC&pg=PA324 | edition=3rd | publisher=Que | year=2002 | isbn=0-7897-2573-8}}</ref>

<ref name=ora>{{cite book | title=Home Networking Annoyances | publisher=O'Reilly | pages=117–118 | chapter=Network Printing and MS-DOS | year=2005 | isbn=0-596-00808-2 | last=Ivens | first=Kathy}}</ref>

<ref name=UMCC>{{cite book | page=37 | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=qIJQAAAAMAAJ&pg=RA7-PA36 | title=Using the Xerox 9700 Page Printer | date=September 1988 | publisher=University of Michigan Computing Center | series=Memo 800}}</ref>

<ref name="Paterson_2014_MSDOS125">{{Cite web
|first1=Tim
|last1=Paterson
|author-link1=Tim Paterson
|title=Microsoft DOS V1.1 and V2.0: /msdos/v20source/PRINT.ASM
|url=http://www.computerhistory.org/atchm/microsoft-research-license-agreement-msdos-v1-1-v2-0/
|publisher=[Computer History Museum](/source/Computer_History_Museum), [Microsoft](/source/Microsoft)
|date=2013-12-19<!-- 2014-03-25 -->
|orig-year=1983<!-- 1983-05-17 -->
|access-date=2015-10-01
}}</ref>

<ref name="Shustek_2014_MS-DOS">{{Cite web
|url=http://www.computerhistory.org/atchm/microsoft-ms-dos-early-source-code/
|title=Microsoft MS-DOS early source code
|series=Software Gems: The Computer History Museum Historical Source Code Series
|first=Len
|last=Shustek
|date=2014-03-24
|access-date=2015-10-01}}</ref>
}}

==Further reading==
*{{Cite book|author-last=Cooper|author-first=Jim|title=Special Edition Using MS-DOS 6.22, Third Edition|date=2001|publisher=[Que Publishing](/source/Que_Publishing)|isbn=978-0789725738}}
*{{Cite book|author1=Kathy Ivens|author2=Brian Proffit|year=1993|title=OS/2 Inside & Out|publisher=[Osborne McGraw-Hill](/source/Osborne_McGraw-Hill)|isbn=978-0078818714}}
*{{Cite book|author=John Paul Mueller|year=2007|title=Windows Administration at the Command Line for Windows Vista, Windows 2003, Windows XP, and Windows 2000|publisher=[John Wiley & Sons](/source/Wiley_(publisher))|isbn=978-0470165799}}

==External links==
{{Wikibooks|Guide to Windows Commands}}
*[https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-server/administration/windows-commands/print print | Microsoft Docs]
*[https://github.com/microsoft/MS-DOS/blob/master/v2.0/source/PRINT.ASM Open source PRINT implementation that comes with MS-DOS v2.0]

{{Windows commands}}

Category:External DOS commands
Category:OS/2 commands
Category:Windows commands
Category:Microcomputer software
Category:Microsoft free software
Category:Windows administration
Category:Computer printing

---
Adapted from the Wikipedia article [PRINT (command)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PRINT_(command)) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PRINT_(command)?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.