# curs_print 3x 2025-02-15 ncurses 6.6 Library calls

    curs_print(3x)                   Library calls                  curs_print(3x)

## NAME

           mcprint - write binary data to printer using terminfo capabilities

## SYNOPSIS

           #include <curses.h>

           int mcprint(char * data, int len);

## DESCRIPTION

           mcprint,   an  ncurses  extension  to  the  curses  library,  uses  the
           terminal's prtr_non (mc5p) or prtr_on (mc5) and  prtr_off  (mc4)  media
           copy  capabilities,  if  defined, to send len bytes of the given string
           data to a printer attached to the terminal.

           mcprint has no means of flow control to the printer nor of knowing  how
           much buffering it has.  Your application is responsible for keeping the
           rate  of  writes  to  the printer below its continuous throughput rate,
           typically about half of its nominal characters-per-second (cps) rating.
           Dot-matrix printers and 6-page-per-minute laser printers can  typically
           handle  80  cps,  so  a  conservative rule of thumb is to sleep for one
           second after sending an 80-character line.

## RETURN VALUE

           On success, mcprint returns  the  number  of  characters  sent  to  the
           printer.

           mcprint  returns  ERR  if the write operation fails for any reason.  In
           that event, errno contains either a value set by write(2),  or  one  of
           the following.

           ENODEV
                The terminal lacks relevant media copy capabilities.

           ENOMEM
                ncurses  could  not allocate sufficient memory to buffer the write
                operation.

## EXTENSIONS

           mcprint is an ncurses(3x) extension, and is not found in  SVr4  curses,
           4.4BSD curses, or any other previous curses implementation.

## PORTABILITY

           Applications  employing this ncurses extension should condition its use
           on the visibility of the NCURSES_VERSION preprocessor macro.

## HISTORY

           ncurses introduced mcprint prior to version 1.9.9g (1996).

## BUGS

           Padding in the prtr_non  (mc5p),  prtr_on  (mc5),  and  prtr_off  (mc4)
           capabilities is not interpreted.

## SEE ALSO

           curses(3x)

    ncurses 6.6                       2025-02-15                    curs_print(3x)