How to access special printer functions

General
1

It seems most of the printer discussions out there revolve around selecting a printer without a dialogue. It also seems like that issue has a pretty clear solution. My question is about how to activate printer specific features without a dialogue. For example, the printSetupString allows you to set certain universal printer settings of which printer you want like page width, resolution, etc, but it does not let you set specific aspects like receipt length, or cut length (to name a couple) which are specific to a Star TSP800II. Does anyone have an idea of how to set these properties without a dialogue. I have tried setting the printSetupString to a stored configuration of a working Star receipt printer, but the openPrinter() function fails using that configuration. I should add that I am working on Mac.

2

I believe all those type of configurations need to be sent to the printer with special escape sequences.
This would involve NOT using the standard built in print mechanism in Xojo, as that treats your printer as a graphic context, not as a serial character device.

3

Do you know how one would SEND these special escape sequences?

4

Which platform?

5

Mac

6

this might relate to what you want to do

https://forum.xojo.com/34990-how-to-print-label-using-dymo-label-printer-esc-commands/0#p285620

different printer, but same concepts

7

Directly from Stars web sit about this specific printer

Star’s TSP800II WebPRNT offers another exciting option. WebPRNT technology allows users to print from their application to any Star WebPRNT enabled printer from any device (Mac, PC, tablet, smartphone, etc.) regardless of its operating platform (Windows, iOS, Android, etc.). With WebPRNT support, the TSP800II WebPRNT allows the retailer or hospitality provider to print high-quality POS receipts with professional and crisp graphics from web-based applications. WebPRNT also eliminates the need to install drivers or download software. WebPRNT enables printing from any local device hosting a web-based or native application to any Star WebPRNT enabled printer. Simply use the appropriate XML tags or integrate commands from Star’s WebPRNT Javascript library into the web-based application being used to begin printing from that application to Star’s TSP800II WebPRNT thermal receipt printer. The TSP800II WebPRNT comes with a WebPRNT Ethernet interface.

http://www.starmicronics.com/printer/thermal_printers/tsp800ii
Click Download manuals
Select Thermal , TSP800II, WebPrnt
The body will change so below you can click on the WEbPRNT link & it will give you the entire webprnt manual

Looks like you can use HTTP to send it print requests

Or there is an SDK that could be used to make a plugin
Havent looked at it enough to know if you can incorporate that code or port that code into Xojo code directly
The library they give IS just a dylib so you might be able to use declares to get at it directly