Obsession Off-Line: How to Print to a text file

For version 5.2.0 and above:

1. Load the show into the Obsession Offline Editor (OLE).  This can be accomplished by either:
   • 1. Put the ETCSHOW.DAT and ETCSHOWS.DIR files onto a floppy diskette in drive A. 

        Note: The filenames are hardcoded.  If you have changed the names, rename them back to the original filenames to load them into the OLE.

     2. In the OLE choose {SET} for Setup, {3}{ENTER} for Diskette Functions, {3}{ENTER}{ENTER}{ENTER} to Read All from Diskette.
   • 1. Put the ETCSHOW.DAT file into the shows subdirectory of the directory where Obsession Offline was installed (typically C:\etc\obsn\shows\ )

        Note: The filename is hardcoded.  If you have changed the name, rename it back to the original filename to load it into the OLE.

     2. In the OLE choose {SET} for Setup, {4}{ENTER} for Diskette Functions, use {Up Arrow} and {Down Arrow} to select the appropriate show, then use {S5}{ENTER}{ENTER} to Read All from the file.
2. Still in the OLE, choose {SET} for Setup, {6}{Enter} for Print to File Functions. You now have available a menu of print categories for Show, Setup, and Moving Light Functions.
3. Select a print category and press the onscreen {Enter} button to see available print functions within that category.
4. Choose a menu option and press the onscreen {Enter} button to designate what to print.
5. Use Windows Explorer or My Computer to browse to the directory where Obsession Offline was installed (typically C:\etc\obsn\).
6. In that directory there is a file named Print.txt which contains the output of the most recent print command. Note that this file will be overwritten with each print instruction issued in the OLE, so copy and rename the file before each print command.
7. The file will best viewed/edited/printed with an editor which displays monospaced fonts. Windows Notepad might be a popular choice.

For versions before 5.2.0:

First, disconnect your printer from your computer before following these instructions.

Then select a print option from the printing section of the setup menu. Obsession Off-Line will generate an error, saying that it could not detect a printer connected to the printer port.

Now exit Off-Line. It will create a file called "prn01.$$$" in the "OBSN" folder containing the information you wanted to print. This is a temporary printer cache file that you can copy and open in any text editor. Be aware that this printer cache will be overwritten every time you try to print without a printer connected.