---
name: "curs_print"
section: "3"
platform: "freebsd"
package: "base"
version: "16.0-CURRENT-20261027-61c70dc16a79"
release: "FreeBSD 16.0-CURRENT (2026-10-27)"
platforms: ["freebsd"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/curs_print"
---

# curs\_print(3)

write binary data to printer using terminfo capabilities

## NAME

**mcprint** - write binary data to printer using *terminfo* capabilities

## SYNOPSIS

```
#include <curses.h>
```

**int mcprint(char \*** *data***, int** *len***);**

## DESCRIPTION

**mcprint**, **an** *ncurses* **extension to the** *curses* **library,** **uses the terminal's** **prtr\_non** (**mc5p**) **or** **prtr\_on** (**mc5**) **and** **prtr\_off** (**mc4**) **media copy capabilities,** **if defined,** **to send** *len* **bytes of the given string** *data* **to a printer attached to the terminal.**

**mcprint** **has no means of flow control to the printer** **nor of knowing how much buffering it has.** **Your application is responsible** **for keeping the rate of writes to the printer** **below its continuous throughput rate,** **typically about half of its nominal characters-per-second (cps) rating.** **Dot-matrix printers and** **6-page-per-minute laser printers can typically handle 80 cps,** **so a conservative rule of thumb** **is to sleep for one second after sending an 80-character line.**

## RETURN VALUE

**On success,** **mcprint** **returns the number of characters sent to the printer.**

**mcprint** **returns** **ERR** **if the write operation fails for any reason.** **In that event,** **errno** **contains either a value set by** *write***(2),** **or one of the following.**

- **ENODEV**

  **The terminal lacks relevant media copy capabilities.**

- **ENOMEM**

  *ncurses* **could not allocate sufficient memory to buffer the write operation.**

## EXTENSIONS

**mcprint** **is an ncurses(3X) extension,** **and is not found in SVr4** *curses*, **4.4BSD** *curses*, **or any other previous** *curses* **implementation.**

## PORTABILITY

**Applications employing this** *ncurses* **extension should condition its use on the visibility of the** **NCURSES\_VERSION** **preprocessor macro.**

## HISTORY

*ncurses* **introduced** *mcprint* **prior to version 1.9.9g (1996).**

## BUGS

**Padding in the** **prtr\_non** (**mc5p**), **prtr\_on** (**mc5**), **and** **prtr\_off** (**mc4**) **capabilities is not interpreted.**

## SEE ALSO

**curses(3X)**