Printer Exits

If a printer exit is specified in the logical printer definition, control is passed to this exit at print time for each record to be printed. Here you can insert, modify or suppress records.

Usually a printer exit is used to insert escape sequences, so that the printer can select special print styles.

As in the examples PRCANON and PRKYOCER in the library SYSNOMS, this could be an escape sequence at the beginning of the printout to switch to landscape mode.

Ideally, the printout should contain mnemonics for all kinds of print attributes (highlighting, underscoring, etc.) which are translated into escape sequences depending on the physical printer to be used. In this way, the printout is independent of any physical printer type.

Printer Exit Interface

Parameter	Format/Length	Description
`PRT-RC`	B2	Return code to be set by the exit: 0 = No modification 4 = Record was modified 8 = Record to be inserted 12 = Record to be suppressed 97 = Do not call the exit again until the next report separator start. On the next call, the exit PRT-WORK will be reset. 98 = Stop printing immediately. 99 = Do not call the exit again, but carry on printing. `n` = All other codes are reserved for future use. When a report is printed, 97 and 99 have the same effect.
`PRT-RECORD`	A251	The record to be printed.
`PRT-RECNO`	P7	The current record number.
`PRT-FLAG`	A1	Flag with the following meaning: F = First record, M = in the Middle of the printout, L = Last record.
`PRT-WORK`	A250	Work area for the printer exit.
`PRT-REPORT`	A25	The name of the report being printed.
`PRT-BUNDLE`	A25	The name of the bundle being printed.
`PRT-RECFM`	A3	The record format of the printout.