I just looked and MSDOS has a printer API. Maybe that is what the author meant.

In MSDOS, I was able to use:

A mode line may be needed, and was with a tape punch:

MODE COM3:1200,N,8,1,P

And then, given the cable is setup to exchange the flow control signals: RTS, CTS

Then in MSDOS, this would work:

COPY GCODE.TXT COM3

The punch would start cutting paper tape.

I never did the reverse. Not sure how in MSDOS. I used PROCOM then clean up the capture and save to file.

And if one wants a binary, the /B option is needed so MSDOS will send 8 bits, not 7