Windows Printer Driver

User Guide
for NCR Retail Printers

B005-0000-1609
Issue G
The product described in this book is a licensed product of NCR Corporation.

NCR is a registered trademark of NCR Corporation.

It is the policy of NCR Corporation (NCR) to improve products as new technology, components, software,
and firmware become available. NCR, therefore, reserves the right to change specifications without prior
notice.

All features, functions, and operations described herein may not be marketed by NCR in all parts of the
world. In some instances, photographs are of equipment prototypes. Therefore, before using this document,
consult with your NCR representative or NCR office for information that is applicable and current.

To maintain the quality of our publications, we need your comments on the accuracy, clarity, organization,
and value of this book.

Address correspondence to:

Copyright © 2017
By NCR Corporation Duluth,
GA U.S.A.
All Rights Reserved
 i

Preface
Audience
This guide is targeted to users who want to understand how NCR
printer driver works in order to maximize the capabilities of the printer
and print text/graphics documents successfully.
This guide is also geared toward software developers who need to
create custom application to perform special printer functionalities
using native printer command sequences such as barcode printing,
bit-image download, bit-image printing, printer status notification, etc.
Notice: This document is NCR proprietary information and is not to be
disclosed or reproduced without consent.
ii

References
• NCR 7197 Thermal Receipt Printer Owner’s Manual (B005-000-1409)
• NCR 7167 Two Station-POS Printer Owner’s Manual (B005-000-1406)
• NCR K590 Self Service Printer Owner’s Guide (B005-0000-1346)
• NCR 7198 Thermal Receipt Printer Owner’s Guide (B005-0000-1736)
• NCR 7168 Thermal Receipt Printer Owner’s Guide (B005-0000-1713)
• NCR F306 FastLane Thermal Printer Owner’s Guide
• NCR 7152 Self Service Printer Owner’s Manual (B005-0000-1739)
• NCR 7346-F309 2ST FastLane Printer Owner’s Manual (B005-0000-
1816)
 iii

Table of Contents
Introduction............................................................................................... 1
Printer driver Architecture...................................................................... 2
Printing Mechanism in Windows .................................................... 2
Printer Driver Components .............................................................. 4
Minidriver ........................................................................................... 5
Language Monitor ............................................................................. 5
NCR POS Application Programming Interface ............................. 6
SETTINGS.................................................................................................. 9
Resolution ........................................................................................... 9
Paper Sizes ........................................................................................ 10
Paper Sources ................................................................................... 11
Paper Orientation ............................................................................. 13
Two sided thermal Printing............................................................ 14
Two Sided Thermal(2ST) Printing Modes ............................... 15
Print on both Sides ...................................................................... 17
Knife Cut Feature ............................................................................. 19
Changing Default Settings .............................................................. 21
Programming (NCR Language Monitor & NCRPOSAPI) ............... 22
Commands ........................................................................................ 22
Application Information & Error Notification ........................ 22
How To Use NCRPOSAPI.dll ........................................................ 27
Interfaces ........................................................................................... 31
NCRPOS API Exported Functions ............................................ 31
DLL-Related Functions ............................................................... 34
Job Control Functions ................................................................. 36
iv

Revision Record
Issue Date Remarks
A Nov 2004 First issue
B Jun 2007 Driver 4.0 release; NCRPOSAPI 4.2 release;
Windows standalone install documentation
C Jan 2008 Addition of Knife Cut Feature
D Feb 2008 Addition of F307, F309, 7198 Receipt, 7198 Slip
printer models.
E May 2008 Two Sided thermal printing feature
F May 2008 Addition of 7198 Receipt Label printer. Removal of
references for O/S prior to XP, and non-existant
printer models
G Apr 2017 Driver 6.x.x Release
 Windows Printer Driver 1

Introduction
This manual discusses the windows printer driver technology in order
to successfully print on the following NCR Retail raster printers:
• NCR 7167 Receipt Printer
• NCR 7167 Slip Printer
• NCR 7197 Receipt Printer
• NCR K590 Self-Service Printer
• NCR F306 Self-Service Printer
• NCR 7168 Receipt 2ST Printer
• NCR 7168 Slip Printer
• NCR 7198 Receipt 2ST Printer
• NCR 7198 Slip Printer
• NCR F307 Self-Service Printer
• NCR F309 Self-Service Printer
• NCR 7198xx4x Label Receipt Printer
• NCR 7199 Receipt Printer
2 Windows Printer Driver

Printer driver Architecture

Printing Mechanism in Windows
If an application uses a printer in Windows, it starts a complex
interaction with the GDI16 / GDI32 library module, the printer device
driver library module (which has a .DRV/.dll extension) and the
Windows print spooler.
 Windows Printer Driver 3

The following figure explains how the printing mechanism is being

implemented in Windows platform.

Program

Call Print GDI functions (StartDoc, StartPage, EndDoc etc.)

GDI Calls (lineTo, Rectangle etc.)

GDI (16) Module

(Win XP SP3/ 7/ 10)

Control Calls (Printer Escapes)

Drawing Instructions (Output, BitBlt etc.)

GDI 32 Module
Printer Driver (Win XP SP3/ 7/ 10)

Spooler Process
Print Provider Router
(SPOOLER.EXE)

Language Port
Monitor Monitor

Printer

Figure 1. Printing Mechanism in Windows

4 Windows Printer Driver

When the application wants printing to begin using a printer, it first

obtains a handle to the printer device context using CreateDC or
PrintDlg. This causes the printer device driver library module to be
loaded into memory and to initialize itself. The program then calls the
StartDoc function, which signals the beginning of a new document. The
StartDoc function is handled by the GDI module. The GDI module calls
the Control function in the printer device driver, telling the device
driver to prepare for printing.
The call to StartDoc begins the process of printing a document; the
process ends when the program calls EndDoc. These two calls act as
bookends for the normal GDI functions that display text or graphics to
the document pages. Each page is itself delimited by a call to StartPage
to begin a page and EndPage to end the page. For example, if a program
wants to draw an ellipse on the page, it first calls StartDoc to begin the
print job, then StartPage to signal a new page. It then calls Ellipse, just as
it does when drawing an ellipse on the screen. When the application
program is finished, the program then calls EndPage.

Printer Driver Components

A Windows Raster printer driver consists of the following components:
• The printer graphics driver DLL implements the DDI to the degree
necessary to support printer rendering features and capabilities
that cannot be adequately handled by the graphics engine.
• The printer interface driver DLL creates an interface that allows
users to set the physical properties of the printer and the logical
properties of the document. This interface is also responsible for
interacting with the Common Property Sheet User Interface to
provide device- and document-specific property sheet page(s) in
response to an application request.
• An optional print processor that helps the spooler process to
despool print jobs.
 Windows Printer Driver 5

• An optional language monitor to enable spooler to communicate

with the bi-directional printer
• An optional port monitor that sends printer-ready data to
hardware port drivers.
To help vendors provide printing solutions to customers, Microsoft
provides a standard printer driver for non-Postscript printers called
Universal Printer Driver (Unidrv). Instead of creating full-blown
drivers, printer vendors only need to provide minidrivers to support
new printers.
In Windows 2000/XP and later versions, system-supplied
UNIDRV.DLL and UNIDRVUI.DLL are the printer graphics driver
DLL and printer interface DLL respectively.

Minidriver
A printer minidriver is data file that provides device-driver support for
a particular class of printers. A printer minidriver contains a collection
of data structures referred to as the printer's data table. A data table
contains data such as the printer's resolution, color capabilities, metrics
for device fonts, and the strings that correspond to various printer
commands. It also specifies printer model-specific aspects of how
primitive bitmap and text operations are to be performed.
NCR provides minidrivers to allow Unidrv to support NCR POS
printers.

Language Monitor
NCR printer drivers also include a language monitor based on ESC/P
POS language to provide a full-duplex communication channel
between the print spooler and the NCR printers.
This Language Monitor will be able to handle the following
errors/status in the printer:
1. Printer is busy.
6 Windows Printer Driver

2. Receipt paper door or Slip Cassette door is open

3. Paper Feed button is pressed
4. Printing stopped due to paper condition
5. Slip motor jam
6. Knife error occurred
7. Thermal print head temperature and power supply voltage are out
of range
8. Paper low (if paper low sensor enabled)
9. Receipt Paper exhausted
10. Unrecoverable error
11. Slip paper exhausted
12. Presenter Mechanism Error (Only for K590)
13. Paper jam status (Only for K590)
14. Printer door status (Only for K590)
15. Black Mark Detection Failure (Only for K590)
16. Printer Head Failure (Only for K590)
17. Slip Leading Edge Sensor Error
18. Slip Trailing Edge Sensor Error
19. Presenter Paper Detector Paper Status (Only for K590)
20. Printer Reset Status (Only for K590)

NCR POS Application Programming Interface

Aside from printing normal text/graphics documents, NCR printers are
capable of reporting printer status and performing special printer
functionalities using native printer command sequences such as
barcode printing, Bitimage download and printing, etc. To take
advantage of these functionalities, NCR provides NCRPOS API dll
which application developers can exploit. This DLL will be part of the
NCR POS printer driver installation package. It is copied during
installation to the System directory of the OS.
 Windows Printer Driver 7

NCR POS API DLL exports the following functions:

• NCRPOS_WritePrinter()
• NCRPOS_ReadPrinter()
• NCRPOS_PrinterStatus()
The application developers will load this DLL using LoadLibrary
function call during run-time. After the DLL is loaded into the virtual
memory address of the calling process, the application will call
GetProcAddress function to get the addresses of the above mentioned
exported. The application will then call these exported DLL functions
using the function pointers returned by GetProcAddress.
8 Windows Printer Driver

Application

LoadLibrary() DLL exported functions:

GetProcAddress() NCRPOS_Readprinter()
NCRPOS_WritePrinter()
NCRPOS_PrinterStatus()

NCRPOS API DLL

Returns handle of the

OpenPrinter()
NCR printer object
(Win32 API call)
and current printer
status.

NCR POS
Printer Driver

NCR POS
Printer Object

Figure 2. Architecture of Interfacing the DLL with an application module

Note: When using the NCRPOSAPI.DLL/NCRAPI.DLL from the

application (provided with the package) for querying printer status,
the user may get a time-out message. In such cases, the user is
requested to wait for some time before querying the printer status
again.
 Windows Printer Driver 9

Settings

Resolution
This printer driver supports various print resolutions.
The following table describes the printer wise breakup of supported
resolutions:
Printer Supported Resolution Displayed Resolution
NCR K590 Self-Service 203 dpi x 68 dpi 203 x 68 dots per inch
NCR F306 Self-Service 203 dpi x 203 dpi 203 x 203 dots per inch
NCR F307 Self-Service 203 dpi x 203 dpi 203 x 203 dots per inch
NCR F309 Self-Service 203 dpi x 203 dpi 203 x 203 dots per inch
203 dpi x 68 dpi 203 x 68 dots per inch
NCR 7197 Receipt
203 dpi x 203 dpi 203 x 203 dots per inch
NCR 7167 Receipt
NCR 7168 Receipt
NCR 7198 Receipt 203 dpi x 68 dpi 203 x 68 dots per inch

NCR 7198xx4x Label 203 dpi x 203 dpi 203 x 203 dots per inch
Receipt
NCR 7199 Receipt
NCR 7167 Slip
70 dpi x 72 dpi 70 x 72 dots per inch
NCR 7168 Slip
140 dpi x 72 dpi 140 x 72 dots per inch

For K590, 7167, 7197, 7198 and 7199 Receipt printers, the default
resolution is set to 203 x 203 dpi.
10 Windows Printer Driver

For 7167 and 7168 Slip printer, the default resolution is set to 140 x 72
dpi.

Paper Sizes
This printer driver supports various paper sizes. The following table
describes the printer wise breakup of supported paper sizes:
Printer Supported Paper Sizes

NCR K590 Self-Service 80 mm x 111 mm Black Mark

80 mm x 127 mm Black Mark
80 mm x 140 mm Black Mark
80 mm x 152 mm Black Mark
80 mm x 75 mm TO 80 mm x 600 mm
82.5 mm x 111 mm Black Mark
82.5 mm x 127 mm Black Mark
82.5 mm x 140 mm Black Mark
82.5 mm x 152 mm Black Mark
82.5 mm x 75 mm TO 82.5 mm x 600 mm
114 mm x 111 mm Black Mark
114 mm x 127 mm Black Mark
114 mm x 140 mm Black Mark
114 mm x 152 mm Black Mark
114 mm x 75 mm TO 114 mm x 600 mm
NCR 7197 Receipt 80 mm
NCR 7198xx4x Label 58 mm
Receipt
 Windows Printer Driver 11

Printer Supported Paper Sizes

NCR 7167 Receipt 80 mm

NCR 7168 Receipt 58 mm
NCR 7198 Receipt
NCR 7199 Receipt
NCR F307 Self-Service 80 mm
NCR F309 Self-Service 58 mm
NCR F306 Self-Service 80 mm
NCR 7167 Slip 82.2 mm
NCR 7168 Slip

For 7167, 7197, 7198 and 7199 Receipt printers, the default paper size is
80mm.
For K509 Self-Service printer, the default paper size is 80mm x 75mm
TO 80mm x 600mm.

Paper Sources
This driver provides the following paper source for POS Printer.
Printer Supported Paper Source
NCR K590 Self-Service Receipt
NCR 7197 Receipt Receipt
NCR 7167 Receipt Receipt
NCR 7167 Slip Slip
NCR 7168 Receipt Receipt
NCR 7168 Slip Slip
12 Windows Printer Driver

NCR F306 Self-Service Receipt

NCR F307 Self-Service Receipt
NCR F309 Self-Service Receipt
NCR 7198 Receipt Receipt
NCR 7198xx4x Label Receipt
Receipt
 Windows Printer Driver 13

Paper Orientation
This printer driver supports the following paper orientation
• Portrait
• Landscape
The default paper orientation is set to Portrait.
14 Windows Printer Driver

Two sided thermal Printing

The printer driver supports the printing on both sides of a sheet of
paper for 7168, 7198 and F309 Printer. Two sided printing option is
shown below.
 Windows Printer Driver 15

Two Sided Thermal(2ST) Printing Modes

The printer driver supports five types of modes for printing on two
sided thermal paper. Clicking on the Advanced button would show the
window below for the 7168 printer. The Two-Sided Thermal printing
modes are shown in a dropdown list.
16 Windows Printer Driver

Single-sided Receipt:
In this mode printer prints the data on front side of paper, as soon as it
receives the data from application. This is the usual printing mode just
like other printers.
Single-sided Buffered Receipt:
In this mode printer buffers the data until a paper cut command and
then it prints the data at once on front side of the paper.
Duplex
In this mode the printer receives the data until paper cut command and
then it prints the data on both sides of paper, where data on odd page
number is printed on front side of paper and data on even page
number is printed on back side of the paper.
Duplex Split Receipt
In this mode the printer receives single sided data until a paper cut
command is received. The print data is then automatically divided into
two parts where the first part is printed on the front side and the
second part is printed on back of the receipt when knife cut command
is send to the printer.
Duplex Pre-Defined Image
This option will allow the automatic printing of predefined data on
back of the receipt. The pre-defined data is preloaded into the printer
and when the receipt is printed the predefined data is automatically
printed on the back of the receipt.
 Windows Printer Driver 17

Print on both Sides

In order to select one sided or two sided printing, on the Layout tab,
under Print on Both Sides, click one of the following options:
• None to print just on front side of paper.
• Flip on Long Edge to print on both sides of the paper with pages
that are bound on the left edge.
• Flip on Short Edge to print on both sides of the paper with pages
that are bound on the top edge
18 Windows Printer Driver

In order to select any single sided options of thermal printing mode

like Single-sided Receipt or Single-sided Buffered Receipt, the Print
on Both Sides option must be selected as None in the window above.
In order to select any two sided options of thermal printing modes like
Duplex/ Duplex Split Receipt/Duplex Pre-Defined Image, the Print
on Both Sides options other than None must be selected in the window
above.
Note: While printing the document with two sided thermal option as
Duplex, the top margin on back side of paper is the default margin of
physical printer device for back side printing and it is not adjustable.
 Windows Printer Driver 19

Knife Cut Feature

This printer driver supports knife cut feature. With the knife cut
feature, printer becomes capable of cutting the page after printing. The
cutting of page takes place as per the selected options shown below.
20 Windows Printer Driver

End page option cuts the paper upon reaching the end of every page of
the document.
EndDoc option cuts the paper upon reaching the end of the document.
EndJob option cuts the paper upon reaching the end of the job.
The default Knife Cut option is set to End Page.
Note: The K-590 printer configured with EndDoc or EndJob knife cut
option, supports maximum document limit of 610 mm.
 Windows Printer Driver 21

Changing Default Settings

To view and modify the default settings of your printer, perform the
following steps:
1. Select an installed printer from Printers folder.
2. Right click on the printer icon and select ‘Printing Preferences’.
3. Select Layout tab to change paper orientation.
4. Select Paper/Quality tab to change paper source.
5. Press the Advanced button to change resolution and paper size
settings.
22 Windows Printer Driver

Programming (NCR Language Monitor & NCRPOSAPI)

Commands
The different features and functions provided by the printer are
controlled by sending commands from the host computer to the
printer. The printer commands are made up of one or more bytes of
data starting with a command control code followed by its supporting
parameters. For in-depth information regarding the available
commands supported by your printer, see references.
To be able to send commands to and read status from the printer, use
the functions exported by NCRPOSAPI.dll.

Application Information & Error Notification

Language monitor generates an event to notify about the error message
to user mode applications. This mechanism is explained below.
Language monitor registers a message called
“NCRRSD_WIN32_GDI_ERROR” using RegisterWindowMessage() API.
RegisterWindowMessage API generates a system wide unique
message identifier for “NCRRSD_WIN32_GDI_ERROR” and
guarantees that it does not conflict with any existing or future
messages. An application that wants to receive this message has to call
RegisterWindowMessage(“NCRRSD_WIN32_GDI_ERROR”) from with
in the application. Once an application calls RegisterWindowMessage()
API, it can handle this message in it’s message handling routine.
 Windows Printer Driver 23

Language monitor declares 32-bit error macros for NCR printer

statuses to uniquely identify each printer status using this 32-bit macro.
A list of these macros along with NCR printer statuses is shown in
table below.
Sr. No. NCR printer status 32-bit error code used by Language Monitor
Macro 32-bit value

1. Communication Interface busy PTRSTAT_INTERFACE_BUSY 0x00002000

2. Cover or Door open PTRSTAT_COVER_OPEN 0x00000001

3. Paper feed button is pressed PTRSTAT_PAPERFEED_PRESSED 0x00000020

4. Slip motor fault PTRSTAT_MOTOR_FAULT 0x00000200

5. Knife error PTRSTAT_KNIFE_FAULT 0x00000400

6. General fault PTRSTAT_FAULT 0x00000800

7. Unrecoverable error PTRSTAT_FAILURE 0x00001000

8. Printhead temperature or PTRSTAT_AUTORECOVER_FAULT 0x00000100

Voltage out of range

9. Receipt low PTRSTAT_REC_NEAREND 0x00000004

10. Receipt empty PTRSTAT_REC_EMPTY 0x00000002

11. Paper condition error PTRSTAT_PAPER_CONDITION 0x00000080

12. Slip leading edge sensor no PTRSTAT_SLP_LEAD_NO_PAPER 0x00000008

paper

13. Slip trailing edge sensor no PTRSTAT_SLP_TRAIL_NO_PAPER 0x00000010

paper

14. Slip empty PTRSTAT_SLP_EMPTY 0x00000040

15. Presenter mechanism error PTRSTAT_PRESENTER_ERR 0x00010000

16. Presenter paper jam PTRSTAT_PAPER_JAM 0x00020000

17. Presenter door open PTRSTAT_CDS_OPEN 0x00040000

24 Windows Printer Driver

Sr. No. NCR printer status 32-bit error code used by Language Monitor
Macro 32-bit value

18. Black mark detection failed PTRSTAT_BMD_FAILURE 0x00080000

19. Printhead damaged PTRSTAT_HEAD_FAILURE 0x00100000

20. Presenter Paper Detector PTRSTAT_PRSNT_PDP_STATUS 0x00200000

Paper status

21. Printer Reset status PTRSTAT_PRINTER_RESET 0x00400000

22. Time Out PTRSTAT_TIMEOUT 0x00800000

Below is a standard Win32 application code showing how to obtain

NCR error message. An action of popping up a MessageBox is shown in
this code. Such an action is not the recommended way of handling
errors. It is only shown for demonstration purposes. It is recommended
that the application prompt the user to take the appropriate action to
recover from the error, and then attempt to continue printing, or
reprint depending on the situation.
/* main.c
*/

#include <windows.h>

/* define error constants */

#define PTRSTAT_COVER_OPEN 0x00000001 // Cover or door open.

#define PTRSTAT_REC_EMPTY 0x00000002 // Receipt out.
#define PTRSTAT_PAPERFEED_PRESSED 0x00000020 // paper feed button pressed

/* other error constants */

const char g_szClassName[] = "myWindowClass";

UINT NCRMsgID = 0;

/* The Window Procedure */

LRESULT CALLBACK WndProc(HWND hwnd, UINT msg, WPARAM wParam, LPARAM lParam)
{
 Windows Printer Driver 25

if (msg == NCRMsgID)
{
if (wParam & PTRSTAT_COVER_OPEN)
MessageBox(hwnd, "Cover Open", "Error", MB_OK);

if (wParam & PTRSTAT_REC_EMPTY)

MessageBox(hwnd, "Out of Paper", "Error", MB_OK);

if (wParam & PTRSTAT_PAPERFEED_PRESSED)

MessageBox(hwnd, "Paper feed button is pressed.", "Error", MB_OK);

/* process other errors here */

}

switch(msg)
{
case WM_CLOSE:
DestroyWindow(hwnd);
break;
case WM_DESTROY:
PostQuitMessage(0);
break;
default:
return DefWindowProc(hwnd, msg, wParam, lParam);
}
return 0;
}

int WINAPI WinMain(HINSTANCE hInstance, HINSTANCE hPrevInstance, LPSTR lpCmdLine, int nCmdShow)
{
WNDCLASSEX wc;
HWND hwnd;
MSG Msg;

/* Registering the Window Class */

wc.cbSize = sizeof(WNDCLASSEX);
wc.style = 0;
wc.lpfnWndProc = WndProc;
wc.cbClsExtra = 0;
wc.cbWndExtra = 0;
wc.hInstance = hInstance;
26 Windows Printer Driver

wc.hIcon = LoadIcon(NULL, IDI_APPLICATION);

wc.hCursor = LoadCursor(NULL, IDC_ARROW);
wc.hbrBackground = (HBRUSH)(COLOR_WINDOW+1);
wc.lpszMenuName = NULL;
wc.lpszClassName = g_szClassName;
wc.hIconSm = LoadIcon(NULL, IDI_APPLICATION);

if(!RegisterClassEx(&wc))
{
MessageBox(NULL, "Window Registration Failed!", "Error!", MB_ICONEXCLAMATION | MB_OK);
return 0;
}

// Creating the Window

Hwnd = CreateWindowEx(WS_EX_CLIENTEDGE, g_szClassName,
"Test Application", WS_OVERLAPPEDWINDOW,
CW_USEDEFAULT, CW_USEDEFAULT, 240, 120,
NULL, NULL, hInstance, NULL);

if(hwnd == NULL)
{
MessageBox(NULL, "Window Creation Failed!", "Error!", MB_ICONEXCLAMATION | MB_OK);
return 0;
}

ShowWindow(hwnd, nCmdShow);
UpdateWindow(hwnd);

/* register so we can be notified about NCR error messages */

NCRMsgID = RegisterWindowMessage("NCRRSD_WIN32_GDI_ERROR");

/* The Message Loop */

while(GetMessage(&Msg, NULL, 0, 0) > 0)
{
TranslateMessage(&Msg);
DispatchMessage(&Msg);
}

return Msg.wParam;
}
 Windows Printer Driver 27

How To Use NCRPOSAPI.dll

The pseudo-code to access the NCRPOS API DLL’s exported functions
from an application using run-time dynamic linking is given below:
Library_handle = LoadLibrary ( DLL_Path \ DLL_name) // The LoadLibrary function maps the
// specified executable module into the
// address space of the calling process
If ( Library_handle == NULL )
{
Message( Failed to obtain DLL handle)
Exit
}

Function_handle = GetProcAddress( Function_name ) // The GetProcAddress function

// retrieves the address of an
// exported function from the
// specified dynamic-link library
// (DLL)
NCRMessage = 0
If ( Function_handle == NULL)
Message ( GetProcAddress Failed )
else
Function_handle ( Printer_name, NCRMessage) // Call the function using the
// function pointer and providing pointer
// to message value to be returned.
.
.
.
.
FreeLibrary(Library_handle) // Loaded dll will be freed from the
// process address space
28 Windows Printer Driver

Below is a sample code to demonstrate how to communicate with a

printer using NCRPOSAPI.dll. The code specifically sets up a print bar
code command sequences and writes it to the printer.
/* main.c
*/

#include windows.h

int WINAPI WinMain(HINSTANCE hInstance, HINSTANCE hPrevInstance, LPSTR lpCmdLine, int

nCmdShow)
{
HINSTANCE hLibrary;
FARPROC hFunction = NULL;
char PrinterName[] = "NCR 7167 Receipt"; /* or NCR K590 Self-Service or /
/NCR 7197 Receipt or NCR 7167 Slip */
HANDLE hPrinter;
DOC_INFO_1 pDocInfo;
DWORD pcWritten;
char pBarCode[16];

/***** Loads the NCRPOSAPI.DLL****/

hLibrary =LoadLibrary("NCRPOSAPI.DLL");
if(hLibrary == NULL)
{
MessageBox(NULL,"NCRAPI.DLL cannot be loaded", "Error", MB_ICONERROR);
return 1;
}

/***** Retrieves the NCRPOS_WritePrinter() function handle ****/

hFunction = GetProcAddress(hLibrary,"NCRPOS_WritePrinter");
if(hFunction == NULL)
{
MessageBox(NULL, "NCRPOS_WritePrinter function failed", "Error", MB_ICONERROR);
return 1;
}

/***** Retrieves the Printer handle ****/

 Windows Printer Driver 29

if(!OpenPrinter(PrinterName, &hPrinter, NULL))

{
MessageBox(NULL, "Error Opening Printer", "Error", MB_ICONERROR);
return 1;
}

pDocInfo.pDocName ="Bar Code";

pDocInfo.pDatatype = NULL;
pDocInfo.pOutputFile = NULL;

StartDocPrinter(hPrinter, 1, (LPBYTE)&pDocInfo);
StartPagePrinter(hPrinter);

/***** Setup UPC-A bar code command ****/

pBarCode[0] = 0x1D;
pBarCode[1] = 0x6B;
pBarCode[2] = 0x00; /* UPC-A bar code type */

/***** numeric data ****/

pBarCode[3] = '0';
pBarCode[4] = '1';
pBarCode[5] = '2';
pBarCode[6] = '3';
pBarCode[7] = '4';
pBarCode[8] = '5';
pBarCode[9] = '6';
pBarCode[10] = '7';
pBarCode[11] = '8';
pBarCode[12] = '9';
pBarCode[13] = '0';

pBarCode[14] = '5'; /* check digit */

pBarCode[15] = 0; /* end of command */

/******** NCRPOS_WriterPrinter() function call **********/

if(!hFunction( hPrinter, pBarCode, 16, &pcWritten))
{
MessageBox(NULL, "Error in Writing to the Printer", "Error", MB_ICONERROR);
return 1;
}
30 Windows Printer Driver

else
MessageBox(NULL, "Command successfully Written to the Printer", "Success", MB_OK);

EndPagePrinter(hPrinter);
EndDocPrinter(hPrinter);
ClosePrinter(hPrinter);
FreeLibrary(hLibrary);

return 0;
}
 Windows Printer Driver 31

Interfaces

NCRPOS API Exported Functions

BOOL NCRPOS_WritePrinter(HANDLE hPrinter, LPVOID pBuf,

DWORD cbBuf, LPDWORD pcWritten)
Notifies the print spooler that data should be written to the specified
printer.
Parameters:
hPrinter - [in] Handle to the printer. Use the OpenPrinter function
to retrieve a printer handle.

pBuf - [in] Pointer to an array of bytes that contains the data that
should be written to the printer.

cbBuf - [in] Specifies the size, in bytes, of the array.

pcWritten - [out] Pointer to a value that receives the number of

bytes of data that were written to the printer.

Returns:
If the function succeeds the return value is nonzero.
If the function fails, the return value is zero.
BOOL NCRPOS_ReadPrinter(HANDLE hPrinter, LPVOID pBuf,
DWORD cbBuf, LPDWORD pNoBytesRead)
Retrieves data from the specified printer.
32 Windows Printer Driver

Parameters:
hPrinter - [in] Handle to the printer for which to retrieve data. Use
the OpenPrinter function to retrieve a printer handle.

pBuf - [in] Pointer to a buffer that receives the printer data.

cbBuf - [in] Specifies the size, in bytes, of the buffer to which pBuf
points.

pNoBytesRead - [out] Pointer to a value that receives the number of

bytes of data copied into the array to which pBuf points.

Returns:
If the function succeeds the return value is nonzero.
If the function fails, the return value is zero.
BOOL CALLBACK NCRPOS_PrinterStatus(LPSTR PrinterName,
LPDWORD NCRPOSMsg)
Retrieves 32-bit printer status message identifier posted by the
Language Monitor Module of the specified Printer Driver.
Parameters:

PrinterName - [in] Pointer to a null-terminated string that specifies

the printer object name.
NCRPOSMsg - [out] Return value is 32-bit unique message
identifier. See the table below for possible values.

Returns:
If the function succeeds the return value is True.
If the function fails, the return value is False.
 Windows Printer Driver 33

Sr. No. NCR printer status 32-bit error code used by Language Monitor
Macro 32-bit value

1. Communication interface busy PTRSTAT_INTERFACE_EMPTY 0x00002000

2. Cover or Door open PTRSTAT_COVER_OPEN 0x00000001

3. Paper feed button is pressed PTRSTAT_PAPERFEED_PRESSED 0x00000020

4. Slip motor fault PTRSTAT_MOTOR_FAULT 0x00000200

5. Knife error PTRSTAT_KNIFE_FAULT 0x00000400

6. General fault PTRSTAT_FAULT 0x00000800

7. Unrecoverable error PTRSTAT_FAILURE 0x00001000

8. Printhead temp. or Voltage out of range PTRSTAT_AUTORECOVER_FAULT 0x00000100

9. Receipt low PTRSTAT_REC_NEAREND 0x00000004

10. Receipt empty PTRSTAT_REC_EMPTY 0x00000002

11. Paper condition error PTRSTAT_PAPER_CONDITION 0x00000080

12. Slip leading edge sensor no paper PTRSTAT_SLP_LEAD_NO_PAPER 0x00000008

13. Slip trailing edge sensor no paper PTRSTAT_SLP_TRAIL_NO_PAPER 0x00000010

14. Slip empty PTRSTAT_SLP_EMPTY 0x00000040

15. Presenter mechanism error PTRSTAT_PRESENTER_ERR 0x00010000

16. Presenter paper jam PTRSTAT_PAPER_JAM 0x00020000

17. Presenter door open PTRSTAT_CDS_OPEN 0x00040000

18. Black mark detection failed PTRSTAT_BMD_FAILURE 0x00080000

19. Printhead damaged PTRSTAT_HEAD_FAILURE 0x00100000

20. Presenter Paper Detector Paper status PTRSTAT_PRSNT_PDP_STATUS 0x00200000

21. Printer Reset status PTRSTAT_PRINTER_RESET 0x00400000

22. Time Out PTRSTAT_TIMEOUT 0x00800000

34 Windows Printer Driver

DLL-Related Functions
HMODULE LoadLibrary(LPCTSTR lpFileName)
Maps the specified executable module into the address space of the
calling process.

Parameter:
lpFileName - [in] Pointer to a null-terminated string that names the
executable module (either a .dll or .exe file). The name specified is
the file name of the module and is not related to the name stored in
the library module itself, as specified by the LIBRARY keyword in
the module-definition (.def) file.

If the string specifies a path but the file does not exist in the
specified directory, the function fails. When specifying a path, be
sure to use backslashes (\), not forward slashes (/).

If the string does not specify a path, the function uses a standard
search strategy to find the file.

Returns:
If the function succeeds, the return value is a handle to the module.
If the function fails, the return value is NULL. To get extended
error information, call GetLastError.

FARPROC GetProcAddress(HMODULE hModule, LPCSTR

lpProcName )
Retrieves the address of an exported function or variable from the
specified dynamic-link library (DLL).
 Windows Printer Driver 35

Parameters:
hModule - [in] Handle to the DLL module that contains the function
or variable. The LoadLibrary function returns this handle.

lpProcName - [in] Pointer to a null-terminated string containing the

function or variable name, or the function's ordinal value. If this
parameter is an ordinal value, it must be in the low-order word; the
high-order word must be zero.

Returns:
If the function succeeds, the return value is the address of the
exported function or variable.
If the function fails, the return value is NULL. To get extended
error information, call GetLastError.

BOOL FreeLibrary(HMODULE hModule )

Decrements the reference count of the loaded dynamic-link library
(DLL). When the reference count reaches zero, the module is
unmapped from the address space of the calling process and the
handle is no longer valid.

Parameters:
hModule - [in, out] Handle to the loaded DLL module. The
LoadLibrary function returns this handle.

Returns:
If the function succeeds the return value is nonzero.
If the function fails, the return value is zero. To get extended error
information, call GetLastError.
36 Windows Printer Driver

Job Control Functions

BOOL OpenPrinter( LPTSTR pPrinterName, LPHANDLE phPrinter,

LPPRINTER_DEFAULTS pDefault)
Retrieves a handle to the specified printer or print server.

Parameters:
pPrinterName - [in] Pointer to a null-terminated string that
specifies the name of the printer or print server.

phPrinter - [out] Pointer to a variable that receives a handle to the

open printer or print server object.

pDefault - [in] Pointer to a PRINTER_DEFAULTS structure. This

value can be NULL.
Use the DesiredAccess member of the PRINTER_DEFAULTS
structure to specify the access rights that you need to the printer. The
access rights can be one of the following. (If pDefault is NULL, then the
access rights are PRINTER_ACCESS_USE.)
Desired Access value Meaning

PRINTER_ACCESS_ADMINISTER To perform administrative tasks,

such as those provided by
SetPrinter.

PRINTER_ACCESS_USE To perform basic printing

operations.

PRINTER_ALL_ACCESS To perform all administrative

tasks and basic printing
operations except for
SYNCHRONIZE (see Standard
Access Rights.
 Windows Printer Driver 37

Returns:
If the function succeeds the return value is nonzero.
If the function fails, the return value is zero.

DWORD StartDocPrinter( HANDLE hPrinter, DWORD Level, LPBYTE

pDocInfo)
Notifies the print spooler that a document is to be spooled for printing.

Parameters:
hPrinter - [in] Handle to the printer.

Level - [in] Specifies the version of the structure to which pDocInfo

points.

pDocInfo - [in] Pointer to a structure that describes the document to

print.

Returns:
If the function succeeds, the return value identifies the print job.
If the function fails, the return value is zero.

BOOL StartPagePrinter( HANDLE hPrinter )

Notifies the spooler that a page is about to be printed on the specified
printer.

Parameters:
hPrinter - [in] Handle to the printer.

Returns:
If the function succeeds, the return value is nonzero.
If the function fails, the return value is zero.
38 Windows Printer Driver

BOOL EndPagePrinter( HANDLE hPrinter )

Notifies the print spooler that the application is at the end of a page in
a print job.

Parameters:
hPrinter - [in] Handle to the printer for which the page will be
concluded.

Returns:
If the function succeeds, the return value is nonzero.
If the function fails, the return value is zero.

BOOL EndDocPrinter( HANDLE hPrinter )

Ends a print job for the specified printer.

Parameters:
hPrinter - [in] Handle to a printer for which the print job should be
ended.

Returns:
If the function succeeds, the return value is nonzero.
If the function fails, the return value is zero.

BOOL ClosePrinter( HANDLE hPrinter )

Closes the specified printer object.

Parameters:
hPrinter - [in] Handle to the printer object to be closed.

Returns:
If the function succeeds, the return value is nonzero.
If the function fails, the return value is zero.