Inserting a page Break in a text file by inserting

Question

Inserting a page Break in a text file by inserting FormFeed Character using Java.

Is my solution universal or will it cause any problems?

Sample Code:
PrintWriter bof = response.getWriter();             // Obtained Writer from HTTP Response
bof.write("Para 1");                        // Write 1st Para to printWriter
bof.write(new Character((char) 12).toString());         // Write Form Feed Character for Page Break
bof.write("Para 1");                        // Write 2nd Para to printWriter

My Concerns: The Solution is working but below my 2 concenrs:

Point 1: Is there a way to hide Unknown symbol shown for FormFeed character in notepad ?

Point 2: I am currently opening the txt file with Word and checking the print Preview:

the Form Feed is actually making a page break as expected.

But are there any implications to this solution or will it work universally with all printers?

Answer 1

Factors effecting Display and Print:

Display of formFeed on opening a txt file by a program depends on:

• The Program's Interpretation of FormFeed character.

But Print operation result depends on:

• Program used to open and Print txt file
• The Printer we are using.

Form Feed Character handling by Various Programs:

1)NotePad:

• Notepad is only text Editor and dont interpret Form Feed Character as pageBreak.

• Hence when a txt file containing a formFeed Character:

  when opened with Notepad >> It is displayed as Unreadable Symbol

  When Printed after opening with NotePad : same unreadable Symbol is printed on paper.

2) Some WordProcessors like WordPad/ Microsoft Word/other 3rd party Editors :

• Renders FormFeed character correctly as pageBreak.
• On opening txt file with them Displays it as pageBreak and on printing also it acts as pagebreak.
• We can also see Form Feed rendered as PageBreak in PrintPreview option in programs like WordPag/MS Word.

Universal Solution for getting PageBreak:

• Some printers dont support Page Break by formFeed character and simply Ignores it irrespective of program used to open/print it.

• Usage of "/page" with RichTextFile(RTF) File is more Reliable/Universal solution and works with most printers.

With Rtf Files we can specify:

• "/page" instead of "/f" for page Break and /par for lineBreak.

• Rtf file is opened by default with Wordpad program in Windows.

• Additional format control is possible using Rtf file like:

  ex: particular font and font size (like Times New Roman size 10) can be specified.

In my Case Solution used is:

Point 1:

• when opened by notepad Unreadable symbol is shown as notepad cant render FormFeed character.

Point 2:

• I got PageBreak in Print Preview as I used MS Word which renders formFeed correctly as Page Break.
• But as already said some Printers might ignore it eventhough MS Word interprets it correctly and sends it for printing.

So I used rtf file instead of txt file and hence used "/page" instead of "/f" for more universal solution.

• Below Hyperlink specifies info on how to create Rtf file and use /apge for page Break:

  rtf File creation and using it for font and page Break Features