---
title: "Power Print"
id: 72099
type: "computer_media"
slug: "power-print"
url: "http://localhost/computer_media/power-print/"
markdown_url: "http://localhost/computer_media/power-print.md"
published_at: "2026-10-21T05:34:33+00:00"
modified_at: "2026-10-21T05:34:33+00:00"
author: "David Anderson"
featured_image:
  url: "http://localhost/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/pprint-1.png"
excerpt: "Configuration program that builds a relocatable printer driver with correct LLISTings, margins, tab stops, text and graphics screen dumps, and an interrupt-driven print spooler."
post_tag:
  - name: "Downloadable"
    slug: "downloadable"
    taxonomy: "post_tag"
    url: "http://localhost/tag/downloadable/"
  - name: "McBrine Computer Products"
    slug: "mcbrine-computer-products"
    taxonomy: "post_tag"
    url: "http://localhost/tag/mcbrine-computer-products/"
  - name: "TS 2068"
    slug: "ts2068"
    taxonomy: "post_tag"
    url: "http://localhost/tag/ts2068/"
model:
  - name: "Timex/Sinclair 2068"
    slug: "ts-2068"
    taxonomy: "model"
    url: "http://localhost/model/ts-2068/"
indiv:
  - name: "William McBrine"
    slug: "william-mcbrine"
    taxonomy: "indiv"
    url: "http://localhost/indiv/william-mcbrine/"
genre:
  - name: "Printer"
    slug: "printer"
    taxonomy: "genre"
    url: "http://localhost/type/printer/"
media_type: "Program"
programmers:
  - name: "William McBrine"
    slug: "william-mcbrine"
    taxonomy: "indiv"
    url: "http://localhost/indiv/william-mcbrine/"
download_url: "https://archive.org/download/timex-sinclair-software-archive/Power%20Print%20%281988%29%28McBrine%2C%20William%29%28TS2068%29%28US%29%28Program%29.zip"
tsrun_member: "Power Print (1988)(McBrine, William)(TS2068)(US)(Program)/Power Print (1988)(McBrine, William)(TS2068)(US)(Program).tap"
mediadate: "1988"
producer_company:
  - id: 11084
    title: "McBrine Computer Products"
    type: "company"
    url: "http://localhost/company/mcbrine-computer-products/"
images:
  - url: "http://localhost/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/pprint-1.png"
  - url: "http://localhost/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/pprint-2.png"
related_products:
  - id: 13619
    title: "Power Print"
    type: "product"
    url: "http://localhost/product/power-print/"
media_type_tags: "Printer"
license: false
---

# Power Print

Builds a custom 80-column printer driver that can run at any address you choose, and includes only the parts you ask for. It translates LLIST output properly, including the TS2068-only keywords, the © and £ characters, the block graphics and UDGs. The driver supports top, bottom and left margins, a set line length, correct `TAB`, `AT` and print-comma tab stops, and printing INVERSE, BRIGHT and FLASH text as emphasized, underlined and italic. Optional modules add large and small graphics screen dumps, a text-only screen dump and an interrupt-driven print spooler. The configuration program supports Aerco, A&J, Tasman-B and Tasman-C interfaces and saves the finished code.

The title screen reads “Printer Support Program by William J McBrine III, Copyright © 1988, McBrine Computer Products.” McBrine’s two-part manual is included as text, along with its notes and corrections and an LCODE table of Epson printer control codes.

## Program Analysis

### Program Structure

The BASIC configuration program works on the 3720-byte machine-code package loaded at 32768. It sets options by POKEing into the package, and the final driver is assembled by machine code. The main menu at line 3000 dispatches with a computed `GO SUB`:

- 1. Backup Customization Program (line 200): saves `PPRINT.B1` and `pprint.C1`, keeping any margin and character settings
- 2. Produce Output File (lines 5–70, 100–150): asks for the start address, driver, spooler, interface and dump modules, then calls `USR 32768` to relocate and link the chosen modules. It reports the start and length and saves the result from 36488 as `outp.C1`
- 3. Set Margins, etc. (lines 300–430): translation on or off, control characters, UDG markers, margins, line length, dump margins and up to eight tab stops
- 4. Customize Characters (lines 500–550): printer codes for ©, £, the UDG marker and the 16 block graphics
- 5. Exit (`STOP`)

The output code runs only at the address it was built for. You load it there with `LOAD ""CODE x` and start it with `RANDOMIZE USR x`. `RANDOMIZE USR x+2` or `LPRINT CHR$ 5` switches back to the TS2040 driver. With the special control characters enabled, `LPRINT CHR$ 1` and `CHR$ 2` give the large and small graphics dumps, `CHR$ 3` the text dump and `CHR$ 4` a form feed. In the finished driver, `POKE 23728` turns translation on and off, and `POKE 23729` sets the control-character and UDG-marker flags.

### Notable Techniques

- Numeric inputs accept hexadecimal with a `#` prefix. The converter at line 1000 sets variables `a` to `f` to 10–15, so `VAL` of a single hex digit, letter or number, gives its value.
- The spooler uses Z80 interrupt mode 2 with a 257-byte vector table on a 256-byte page boundary at or above 32768. It sends one character to the printer every 1/60 second while other programs run.
- The dumps check the `VIDMOD` system variable for the video mode, so the large dump and the text dump also work in the 512-pixel, 64-column mode.
- The text dump reads characters back from the display, including block graphics and UDGs, and LPRINTs them. This is much faster than a graphics dump.
- Menu dispatch uses one Boolean-sum expression: `GO SUB (5 AND a$="2")+(200 AND a$="1")+…`.

### Potential Issues

- As the notes and corrections say, driver 1 (printer-based) is no longer supported. Line 21 accepts only 2 or 3, though the menu still lists driver 1.
- Nothing checks whether the driver, jump table and spooler buffer overlap. The manual warns that an overlap is disastrous.
- The VERIFY steps the manual describes are `REM`med out in this version (lines 65, 67, 210 and 220).
- The hex converter reads only the first four digits.

This copy comes from a Larken disk in the TS User Group collection (disk l-36). It was converted for tape by removing the LKDOS `RANDOMIZE USR 100`, `OPEN #4` and `PRINT #4:` prefixes from the loader and save lines, and was tested in ZEsarUX.

## Source Code

```
    1 PRINT '"                         '     :  :'''': :'''': :  : : :''': :''''   :'''': :'''' : :'''': :''' :   : :  : :  : : :'''' :     :  : :   : :   : :  :''''' '''''' ''''''' ''''' '     :''''' '   ' '   ' '''' "
    2 PRINT ''TAB 4;"Printer Support Program"'''TAB 14;"by"'''TAB 5;"William J McBrine III"'''TAB 7;"Copyright * 1988"'''TAB 3;"McBrine Computer Products"
    3 PAUSE 300: GO TO 3000
    5 CLS : LET h=0: PRINT TAB 5;" Produce Output File "
   10 PRINT '"Starting address? ";: GO SUB 900: LET add=num: POKE 32770,add-256*INT (add/256): POKE 32771,INT (add/256)
   20 PRINT '"Driver?     1. Printer-based"'TAB 12;"2. Computer-based"'TAB 12;"3. None"'TAB 11;"(screen dump(s) only)"
   21 LET a$=INKEY$: IF a$>"3" OR a$<"2" THEN GO TO 21
   22 LET drv=VAL a$: PRINT AT drv+3,12; OVER 1;"                 ";AT 7,0: POKE 32782,drv: IF drv=3 THEN POKE 32782,0
   24 PRINT '"Use spooler (y/n)? ";
   25 GO SUB 2000
   26 POKE 32784,0: IF a$="Y" OR a$="y" THEN POKE 32784,1: GO SUB 100: LET h=6
   27 PRINT '"Interface?  1. Aerco"'TAB 12;"2. A&J"'TAB 12;"3. Tasman-B"'TAB 12;"4. Tasman-C"
   28 LET a$=INKEY$: IF a$>"4" OR a$<"1" THEN GO TO 28
   29 LET int=VAL a$: PRINT AT int+h+10,12; OVER 1;"           ";AT h+14,0: POKE 32783,int-1
   30 PRINT '"Text dump (y/n)? ";
   31 GO SUB 2000
   32 POKE 32785,(a$="Y" OR a$="y")
   40 PRINT '"Graphics dump (y/n)? ";
   41 GO SUB 2000
   42 POKE 32786,(a$="Y" OR a$="y")
   49 REM do it
   50 LET len=USR 32768
   55 PRINT '"Start address: ";add'"Length of code: ";len''"OK to save (y/n)? ";
   56 GO SUB 2000
   60 IF a$="Y" OR a$="y" THEN PRINT #4: SAVE "outp.C1"CODE 36488,len
   65 REM PRINT '"Verify (y/n)? ";: GO SUB 2000
   67 REM IF a$="Y" OR a$="y" THEN PRINT : VERIFY "outp"CODE : PRINT '"Saved OK": PAUSE 60
   70 RETURN 
  100 PRINT '"Jump table address? ";
  105 GO SUB 901: LET tadd=num: IF tadd>=32768 THEN LET tadd=INT (tadd/256): GO TO 120
  110 IF tadd>255 OR tadd<128 THEN GO TO 105
  120 POKE 32777,tadd: PRINT tadd*256
  130 PRINT '"Buffer start address? ";: GO SUB 900: POKE 32778,num-256*INT (num/256): POKE 32779,INT (num/256)
  140 PRINT '"Buffer end address? ";: GO SUB 900: POKE 32780,num-256*INT (num/256): POKE 32781,INT (num/256)
  150 RETURN 
  200 CLS : PRINT "  Backup Customization Program "''"OK to save (y/n)? ";: GO SUB 2000: IF a$<>"Y" AND a$<>"y" THEN RETURN 
  210 PRINT #4: SAVE "PPRINT.B1" LINE 9999: PRINT #4: SAVE "pprint.C1"CODE 32768,3720: REM PRINT '"Verify (y/n)? ";: GO SUB 2000: IF a$<>"Y" AND a$<>"y" THEN RETURN 
  220 REM PRINT : VERIFY "PPRINT": VERIFY "pprintc"CODE : PRINT '"Saved OK": PAUSE 60
  230 RETURN 
  300 CLS : PRINT TAB 6;" Set Margins, etc. "
  310 PRINT '"Disable translation (y/n)? ";: GO SUB 2000: LET num=(a$="Y" OR a$="y")
  320 POKE 33150,num: POKE 34072,num
  330 PRINT '"Enable control chars. (y/n)? ";: GO SUB 2000: LET num=(a$="Y" OR a$="y")
  340 PRINT '"Disable UDG markers (y/n)? ";: GO SUB 2000: LET num=num+(2 AND (a$="Y" OR a$="y"))
  350 POKE 33155,num: POKE 34077,num
  360 PRINT '"Top margin? (0) ";: LET def=0: GO SUB 890: LET num=num+1: POKE 33632,num: POKE 34715,num
  370 PRINT '"Bottom margin? (0) ";: LET def=0: GO SUB 890: POKE 33635,num: POKE 34716,num
  380 PRINT '"Left margin? (0) ";: LET def=0: GO SUB 890: POKE 33638,num+1: POKE 34717,num+1
  390 LET lm=num: PRINT '"Line length? (";80-lm;") ";: LET def=80-lm: GO SUB 890: LET num=num+lm: POKE 33641,num: POKE 34718,num
  400 PRINT '"Left mar. for large dump? (8) ";: LET def=8: GO SUB 890: LET num=num+1: POKE 35979,num
  410 PRINT '"Lf. mar. for small dump? (40) ";: LET def=40: GO SUB 890: LET num=num+1: POKE 35978,num
  420 PRINT '"Define new tab stops (y/n)? ";: GO SUB 2000: IF a$<>"Y" AND a$<>"y" THEN RETURN 
  430 PRINT '"How many (max. 8)? ";: GO SUB 900: FOR x=1 TO num: GO SUB 900: POKE 33643+x,num: POKE 34718+x,num: NEXT x: POKE 33643+x,0: POKE 34718+x,0: RETURN 
  500 CLS : PRINT TAB 5;" Customize Characters "
  510 PRINT '"Code for ""*"" symbol? (64) ";: LET def=64: GO SUB 890: POKE 33526,num: POKE 34514,num
  520 PRINT '"Code for ""`"" symbol? (195) ";: LET def=195: GO SUB 890: POKE 33558,num: POKE 34555,num
  530 PRINT '"Mark for UDG's? (61) ";: LET def=61: GO SUB 890: POKE 33484,num: POKE 34472,num
  540 PRINT '"Redefine graph. chars. (y/n)? ";: GO SUB 2000: IF a$<>"Y" AND a$<>"y" THEN RETURN 
  550 FOR x=0 TO 15: PRINT 'CHR$ (128+x);" ";128+x,: GO SUB 900: POKE 33574+x,num: POKE 34674+x,num: NEXT x: RETURN 
  890 INPUT LINE a$: IF a$="" THEN LET num=def: PRINT num: RETURN 
  895 GO SUB 910: PRINT num: RETURN 
  900 GO SUB 901: PRINT num: RETURN 
  901 INPUT LINE a$: IF a$="" THEN GO TO 901
  910 IF a$(1)="#" THEN LET a$=a$(2 TO ): GO TO 1000
  920 LET num=VAL a$
  930 RETURN 
 1000 REM hex to dec
 1001 LET a=10: LET b=11: LET c=12: LET d=13: LET e=14: LET f=15
 1007 IF LEN a$<4 THEN FOR x=1 TO 4-LEN a$: LET a$="0"+a$: NEXT x
 1010 LET num=4096*VAL a$(1)+256*VAL a$(2)+16*VAL a$(3)+VAL a$(4)
 1020 RETURN 
 2000 LET a$=INKEY$: IF (a$<>"Y" AND a$<>"y") AND (a$<>"N" AND a$<>"n") THEN GO TO 2000
 2002 PRINT a$
 2005 IF INKEY$<>"" THEN GO TO 2005
 2010 RETURN 
 3000 CLS : PRINT TAB 10;" Main Menu "''"1. Backup Customization Program"''"2. Produce Output File"''"3. Set Margins, etc."''"4. Customize Characters"''"5. Exit this Program"
 3010 LET a$=INKEY$: IF a$>"5" OR a$<"1" THEN GO TO 3010
 3020 IF a$="5" THEN STOP 
 3030 GO SUB (5 AND a$="2")+(200 AND a$="1")+(300 AND a$="3")+(500 AND a$="4"): GO TO 3000
 9999 CLEAR 32767: RANDOMIZE USR 100: OPEN #4,"dd": PRINT #4: LOAD "pprint.C1"CODE : RUN
```