Hello NG
I have a laserprinter Brother HL-2030 on a XP sytem.
when i try to print out from an old DOS application - nothing
happens...frustrating...
Hope you have an idea about this problem...
Sensirely
Bjarne

"bsn" <bsnSnabelAoncableDoTdk> wrote in message
news:4333a779$0$94446$(E-Mail Removed)...

> I have a laserprinter Brother HL-2030 on a XP sytem.
> when i try to print out from an old DOS application - nothing
> happens...frustrating...

1. One of the MS XP NGs may be able to supply
what you need.
2. The practical difference between DOS and Windows
is that printing any DOS document requires either a
formatter or printer selection within the app. What
old DOS app are you using?

--
Don Phillipson
Carlsbad Springs
(Ottawa, Canada)

"Don Phillipson" <(E-Mail Removed)> skrev i en meddelelse
news:xGXYe.3561$(E-Mail Removed)...
> "bsn" <bsnSnabelAoncableDoTdk> wrote in message
> news:4333a779$0$94446$(E-Mail Removed)...
>
>> I have a laserprinter Brother HL-2030 on a XP sytem.
>> when i try to print out from an old DOS application - nothing
>> happens...frustrating...
>
> 1. One of the MS XP NGs may be able to supply
> what you need.
> 2. The practical difference between DOS and Windows
> is that printing any DOS document requires either a
> formatter or printer selection within the app. What
> old DOS app are you using?
It's an old finance app. called PC-PLUS...
I can select printers in the app., but not Brother HL-2030 ...
Bjarne
Denmark

> It's an old finance app. called PC-PLUS...
> I can select printers in the app., but not Brother HL-2030 ...
> Bjarne
> Denmark

I'm not up to speed on current usb printers under dos... I imagine you
could share the printer over the network and define lpt1: to use the
network printer

net use lpt1: \\My-Computer-name\MyPrintername

If you don't know your computer name you can find out at the command
line
ipconfig /all. If you're feeling lazy and know the name of your shared
printer

net use lpt1: \\127.0.0.1\MyPrintername
where 127.0.0.1 represents your self on the network (loopback).

>From the pc persective, dos prints to the network printer. windows sees
the print job request from the network and prints it.

You'll have to type in that command each time unless you want it
persistent... if so "/Persistent:Yes" tacked at the end.

"zakezuke" <(E-Mail Removed)> skrev
> I'm not up to speed on current usb printers under dos... I imagine you
> could share the printer over the network and define lpt1: to use the
> network printer
>
> net use lpt1: \\My-Computer-name\MyPrintername
Thanks so far...
Now I get a blank page from the printer...
Thats a little progress...
How do I get my data from my financeapp on the blank page???
Hope you have an idea...
Bjarne
Odense / Denmark

> Thanks so far...
> Now I get a blank page from the printer...
> Thats a little progress...
> How do I get my data from my financeapp on the blank page???
> Hope you have an idea...

This is a very good question. I know jack about your software. I know
brothers often support the following emulation

HP LaserJet
EPSON FX-850
IBM ProPrinter XL

You can for laughs type in the following at the command prompt
echo test [ctrl-l] > lpt1:
were [ctrl-l] IIRC represents the ctrl key on your keyboard and would
be represented on the scrren as
echo test ^L > lpt1:

This will at least tell you if things are working and if your printer
driver will inturperate straight ascii. It's possible that it does not
in which case you might have to switch to using a different printer
driver, like an HP laserjet II. Basicly add a printer, select the USB
virtual port that corisponds to your printer, and select HP and
Laserjet II for example .

This is assuming that this model of brother supports HP emulation. You
may have to consult your manual or support about emulation. The
HL-2070N for example supports these things, I have no clue about your
model.

However. this is a big however. It's just as likely that there might
not be any hope for you. Not to be an ass master but printing from dos
apps can be very touchy in the 21th century. You can solve the usb
problem by going over the network even via the loopback interface but
there still is a language problem unless you buy a printer that
supports

1. Postscript. Big popular and universal
2. HP emulation - big popular and most often supported
3. EPSON FX emulation- Popular among dot matrix printers, even current
OKIs support Epson emulation. Many lasers supported this as well.
4. IBM Proprinter - Usually that option that no one uses unless it's
their only choice.

If you can't get this printer to work, find out what your software
supports and pick a printer. HP and Epson are likely. On a new printer
you might spend more money on something that works. On an old printer
esp old parallel lasers it's likely not so much of an issue. It might
be possible you might have to switch to a new version of the software
to support windows printers. It's up to you which is worth your
investement... printer that works or software that works with windows
printers. If it was me i'd be hitting the local forsale groups for
older HP lasers.

In theory in windows there are options for dos printing support, but as
this isn't an issue I deal with often I know nothing about that.

Best of luck to you.

On Fri, 23 Sep 2005 08:58:07 +0200, "bsn" <bsnSnabelAoncableDoTdk>
wrote:

>Hello NG
>I have a laserprinter Brother HL-2030 on a XP sytem.
>when i try to print out from an old DOS application - nothing
>happens...frustrating...
>Hope you have an idea about this problem...
>Sensirely
>Bjarne

According to the specs, this is a GDI printer; that is you need to use
the specific Windows driver, and your DOS app won't have this.

There are workarounds.
See this page, which is about how to use WordPerfect DOS, but is
applicable to any DOS app:
<http://www.columbia.edu/~em36/wpdos/anyprinter.html>

"Alan" <(E-Mail Removed)> skrev i en meddelelse
news:1127660696.f958938e84ab7b0aeb6fbf9b439f0734@teranews...
> On Fri, 23 Sep 2005 08:58:07 +0200, "bsn" <bsnSnabelAoncableDoTdk>
> wrote:
>
>>Hello NG
>>I have a laserprinter Brother HL-2030 on a XP sytem.
>>when i try to print out from an old DOS application - nothing
>>happens...frustrating...
>>Hope you have an idea about this problem...
>>Sensirely
>>Bjarne
>
> According to the specs, this is a GDI printer; that is you need to use
> the specific Windows driver, and your DOS app won't have this.
>
> There are workarounds.
> See this page, which is about how to use WordPerfect DOS, but is
> applicable to any DOS app:
What is WordPerfect DOS ???
Never heard of it...

> <http://www.columbia.edu/~em36/wpdos/anyprinter.html>
Thanks...
Can you guide me to a specific section that covers my problem, on the above
url ...
Bjarne

> What is WordPerfect DOS ???
> Never heard of it...

Word Perfect was released in 1985 or so. Windows 1.0 was released late
1985 but wasn't a popular product at all. If you're not familar with
word perfect it's a word processing application, the last version I
know of for dos was 6.2 but typicaly 5.x is more common to see these
days. Basicly organizations spent alot of time making forms for word
perfect and didn't see any reason to upgrade.

Alan sugests there is no chance in hell that dos software would support
a GDI printer. As I don't know your printer personaly I must assume he
is correct. The question is does your software support postscript, if
so then you can install ghostscript which is a postscript inturperter.


http://www.cs.wisc.edu/~ghost/doc/faq.htm
http://www.cs.wisc.edu/~ghost/redmon/index.htm

In simple terms... it's as if your printer speaks only Chinese. You
know how to phone someone in China (net use) but they are not likely
to understand you because you only know Danish, German, Sweedish,
Flemmish and English. Your only resolve is to find someone that knows
Chinese and whatever you can speak to translate for you. Chances are
you're more likely to find a Chinese/English speaker than a Chinese /
Flemmish one.

If your dos software supports postscript, for example the apple
laserwriter NT, you can print to a postscript printer. You can run
ghostscript which can act as a translator that can take postscript
input, and via the windows driver print to your printer.

Or

You can accept that GDI printers are not a good idea if you need dos
support and buy a printer that would be supported... one that supports
Postscript, HP, Epson, or IBM emulation.

"zakezuke" <(E-Mail Removed)> skrev i en meddelelse
news:(E-Mail Removed)...
>> What is WordPerfect DOS ???
>> Never heard of it...
>
> Word Perfect was released in 1985 or so. Windows 1.0 was released late
> 1985 but wasn't a popular product at all. If you're not familar with
> word perfect it's a word processing application, the last version I
> know of for dos was 6.2 but typicaly 5.x is more common to see these
> days. Basicly organizations spent alot of time making forms for word
> perfect and didn't see any reason to upgrade.
Ok...
> Alan sugests there is no chance in hell that dos software would support
> a GDI printer. As I don't know your printer personaly I must assume he
> is correct. The question is does your software support postscript, if
> so then you can install ghostscript which is a postscript inturperter.
Unfortunately...
>
> http://www.cs.wisc.edu/~ghost/doc/faq.htm
> http://www.cs.wisc.edu/~ghost/redmon/index.htm
>
> In simple terms... it's as if your printer speaks only Chinese. You
> know how to phone someone in China (net use) but they are not likely
> to understand you because you only know Danish, German, Sweedish,
> Flemmish and English. Your only resolve is to find someone that knows
> Chinese and whatever you can speak to translate for you. Chances are
> you're more likely to find a Chinese/English speaker than a Chinese /
> Flemmish one.
Ok...I don't want to speak Chinese...
> If your dos software supports postscript, for example the apple
> laserwriter NT, you can print to a postscript printer. You can run
> ghostscript which can act as a translator that can take postscript
> input, and via the windows driver print to your printer.
>
> Or
>
> You can accept that GDI printers are not a good idea if you need dos
> support and buy a printer that would be supported... one that supports
> Postscript, HP, Epson, or IBM emulation.
I have learned the lesson...
my pal got an older printer he gave to me, so now I can print my
dosapp...:-)
Thanks a lot for good explanation, and for helping me...
Bjarne
Denmark...