MATLAB Functions

Create hardcopy output

print
print -devicetype -options filename
[pcmd,dev] = printopt

Description

print and printopt produce hardcopy output. All arguments to the print command are optional. You can use them in any combination or order.

print

sends the contents of the current Figure, including any user interface controls, to the printer using the device and system print command defined by printopt.

print -devicetype

specifies a device type, overriding the value returned by printopt. The "Devices" section lists all supported device types.

print -options

specifies print options that modify the action of the print command. (For example, the -noui option suppresses printing of user interface controls.) The "Options" section lists available options.

print filename

directs the output to the file designated by filename. If
filename does not include an extension, print appends an appropriate extension, depending on the device (e.g., .eps). If you omit filename, print sends the file to the default output device (except for -dmeta and -dbitmap, which place their output on the clipboard).

[pcmd,dev] = printopt

returns strings containing the current system-dependent print command and output device. printopt is an M-file used by print to produce the hardcopy output. You can edit the M-file printopt.m to set your default printer type and destination.

pcmd and dev are platform-dependent strings. pcmd contains the command that print uses to send a file to the printer. dev contains the device options for the print command. Their defaults are platform-dependent.


`Platform`	`pcmd`	`dev`
UNIX (except Silicon Graphics)	`lpr -r -s`	`-dps2`
Silicon Graphics	`lp`	`-dps2`
VMS	`PRINT/DELETE`	`-dps2`
Windows	`COPY /B %s LPT1:`	`-dwin`
Macintosh	(not applicable)	`-dps2`

Devices

The table below lists device types supported by MATLAB's built-in drivers. Generally, Level 2 PostScript files are smaller and render more quickly when printing than Level 1 PostScript files. However, not all PostScript printers support Level 2, so determine the capabilities of your printer before using those devices.


`Device`	`Description`
`-dps`	Level 1 black and white PostScript
`-dpsc`	Level 1 color PostScript
`-dps2`	Level 2 black and white PostScript
`-dpsc2`	Level 2 color PostScript
`-deps`	Level 1 black and white Encapsulated PostScript (EPS)
`-depsc`	Level 1 color Encapsulated PostScript (EPS)
`-deps2`	Level 2 black and white Encapsulated PostScript (EPS)
`-depsc2`	Level 2 color Encapsulated PostScript (EPS)
`-dhpgl`	HPGL compatible with HP 7475A plotter
`-dill`	Adobe Illustrator 88 compatible illustration file
`-dmfile`	M-file, and MAT-file when appropriate, containing Handle Graphics commands to re-create the Figure and its children

This table lists additional devices supported via the Ghostscript post-processor, which converts PostScript files into other formats. (This feature is not available on Macintosh systems.)


`Device`	`Description`
`-dlaserjet`	HP LaserJet
`-dljetplus`	HP LaserJet+
`-dljet2p`	HP LaserJet IIP
`-dljet3`	HP LaserJet III
`-dljet4`	HP LaserJet 4 (defaults to 600 dpi)
`-ddeskjet`	HP DeskJet and DeskJet Plus
`-ddjet500`	HP Deskjet 500
`-dcdeskjet`	HP DeskJet 500C with 1 bit/pixel color
`-dcdjmono`	HP DeskJet 500C printing black only
`-dcdjcolor`	HP DeskJet 500C with 24 bit/pixel color and high-quality color (Floyd-Steinberg) dithering
`-dcdj500`	HP DeskJet 500C
`-dcdj550`	HP Deskjet 550C
`-dpaintjet`	HP PaintJet color printer
`-dpjxl`	HP PaintJet XL color printer
`-dpjetxl`	HP PaintJet XL color printer
`-dpjxl300`	HP PaintJet XL300 color printer
`-ddnj650c`	HP DesignJet 650C
`-dbj10e`	Canon BubbleJet BJ10e
`-dbj200`	Canon BubbleJet BJ200
`-dbjc600`	Canon Color BubbleJet BJC-600 and BJC-4000
`-dln03`	DEC LN03 printer
`-depson`	Epson-compatible dot matrix printers (9- or 24-pin)
`-depsonc`	Epson LQ-2550 and Fujitsu 3400/2400/1200
`-deps9high`	Epson-compatible 9-pin, interleaved lines (triple resolution)
`-dibmpro`	IBM 9-pin Proprinter
`-dbmp256`	8-bit (256-color) BMP file format
`-dbmp16m`	24-bit BMP file format
`-dpcxmono`	Monochrome PCX file format
`-dpcx16`	Older color PCX file format (EGA/VGA, 16-color)
`-dpcx256`	Newer color PCX file format (256-color)
`-dpcx24b`	24-bit color PCX file format, three 8-bit planes
`-dpbm`	Portable Bitmap (plain format)
`-dpbmraw`	Portable Bitmap (raw format)
`-dpgm`	Portable Graymap (plain format)
`-dpgmraw`	Portable Graymap (raw format)
`-dppm`	Portable Pixmap (plain format)
`-dppmraw`	Portable Pixmap (raw format)
`-dbit`	A plain "bit bucket" device
`-dbitrgb`	Plain bits, RGB
`-dbitcmyk`	Plain bits, CMYK

This table summarizes additional devices available on Windows systems.


`Device`	`Description`
`-dwin`	Use Windows printing services (black and white)
-dwinc	Use Windows printing services (color)
`-dmeta`	Copy to clipboard in Enhanced Windows metafile format
`-dbitmap`	Copy to clipboard in Windows bitmap (BMP) format
`-dsetup`	Display Print Setup dialog box, but do not print
`-v`	Verbose mode to display Print dialog box (suppressed by default)

This table summarizes additional devices available on Macintosh systems.


`Device`	`Description`
`-dpict`	Create PICT file
`-v`	Verbose mode to display Print dialog box (suppressed by default)

Options

This table summarizes printing options that you can specify when you enter the print command.


`Option`	`Description`
`-epsi`	Add 1-bit deep EPSI preview to EPS
`-loose`	Use loose bounding box for EPS and PS
`-cmyk`	Use CMYK colors in PostScript instead of RGB
`-append`	Append to existing PostScript file without overwriting
`-rnumber`	Specify resolution in dots per inch
`-adobecset`	Use PostScript default character set encoding
`-Pprinter`	Specify printer to use
`-fhandle`	Handle of a Figure graphics object to print
`-swindowtitle`	Name of SIMULINK system window to print
`-painters`	Render using painter's algorithm
`-zbuffer`	Render using Z-buffer
`-noui`	Suppress printing of user interface controls

Example

This command saves the contents of the current Figure as Level 2 color Encapsulated PostScript in the file called meshdata.eps:

print -depsc2 meshdata