VT510 Video Terminal Programmer Information

MC—Media Copy

MC is the control sequence that enables the terminal to control all print functions. There are two variations—ANSI standard and VT mode.

Format

CSI
9/11		 Pn
3/n		 i
6/9		 ANSI standard.
CSI
9/11		 ?
3/15		 Pn
3/n		 i
6/9		 VT mode.

Parameters

Pn (ANSI standard)
indicates the following ANSI standard print functions:

Pn Action Notes on Print Page
0 Prints the page that has the cursor.
  • The terminal stores data from the keyboard until printing is complete.
  • If printer extent mode (DECPEX) is currently reset, then the print page function only prints the scrolling region.
2 Sends screen data through host port.
Pn Action Notes on Printer Controller Mode
4 Turns off printer controller mode.
  • Printer controller mode lets the host control printer operation. The terminal sends characters and control sequences directly to the printer, without displaying them on the screen.
  • The terminal sends all characters and control sequences except NUL, XON, XOFF, and the printer controller mode sequences.
  • Printer controller mode cancels autoprint mode. When the terminal leaves printer controller mode, it returns to the normal method for printing operations.
  • The printer's active column position should always be on the left margin before the terminal leaves printer controller mode.
Pn Action
5 Turns on printer controller mode.
6 Disables a printer-to-host session.
7 Enables a printer-to-host session.

Pn (VT mode)
indicates the following VT mode print functions:

Pn Action Note on Print Cursor Line
1 Prints the line that has the cursor. The cursor does not move.
Pn Action Notes on Autoprint Mode
4 Turns off autoprint mode.
5 Turns on autoprint mode.
  • The printer prints a line from the screen when you move the cursor off that line with an LF, FF, or VT character, or an autowrap occurs.
  • The printed line ends with a CR and the character (LF, FF, or VT) that moved the cursor off the previous line.
Pn Action Notes on Set/Reset Printer to Host
8 Disables communication from the printer port to the host. CSI ? 8 i and CSI ? 9 i are media copy commands used in VT terminals to reset/set printer to host mode.
9 Enables communication from the printer port to the host.
Pn Action Note on Print Screen Data
10 Prints the data on the screen. Printer extent mode (DECPEX) does not affect this function.
Pn Action Notes on Print All Pages
11 Prints all pages in page memory.
  • If the current page format is 3 pages of 24 lines each, the printer prints 3 pages of 24 lines.
  • The terminal stores new data from the keyboard until printing is complete.
  • If print form feed mode (DECPFF) is set, then the terminal sends a form feed (FF) to the printer after each page.

Note on MC Command

The ANSI Escape Sequences CSI 6 i and CSI 7 i to reset/set printer to host mode are functionally equivalent to CSI ? 8 i and CSI ? 9 i, respectively.