Within the last few weeks I have had a couple of occasions at different
locations on different Windows XPP systems where I wanted to test printing to
lpt1 from a command prompt by using the dir > lpt1 command. This command no
longer works. The result I get is the message "The system cannot find the
file specified."
"Dir > c:\filename.txt" works but Dir > LPTx (or PRN) does not.

Though I rarely need to, I occasionally need to test "DOS" printing (I have
several clients still using DOS applications) to troubleshoot problems and
this command has always been a quick easy test.

Anybody know why it no longer works? Is there a fix to get this
functionality back?

Or is there another easy way to test "DOS" printing.

"Dave G." <Dave G.@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:013CA577-40EC-495C-B285-(E-Mail Removed)...
> Within the last few weeks I have had a couple of occasions at different
> locations on different Windows XPP systems where I wanted to test printing
> to
> lpt1 from a command prompt by using the dir > lpt1 command. This command
> no
> longer works. The result I get is the message "The system cannot find the
> file specified."
> "Dir > c:\filename.txt" works but Dir > LPTx (or PRN) does not.
>
> Though I rarely need to, I occasionally need to test "DOS" printing (I
> have
> several clients still using DOS applications) to troubleshoot problems and
> this command has always been a quick easy test.
>
> Anybody know why it no longer works? Is there a fix to get this
> functionality back?
>
> Or is there another easy way to test "DOS" printing.

Create a printer share, then link it to LPT1: like so:

net use LPT1: \\%ComputerName%\PrinterShareName

"Dave G." <Dave G.@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:013CA577-40EC-495C-B285-(E-Mail Removed)...
> Within the last few weeks I have had a couple of occasions at different
> locations on different Windows XPP systems where I wanted to test printing
> to
> lpt1 from a command prompt by using the dir > lpt1 command. This command
> no
> longer works. The result I get is the message "The system cannot find the
> file specified."
> "Dir > c:\filename.txt" works but Dir > LPTx (or PRN) does not.
>
> Though I rarely need to, I occasionally need to test "DOS" printing (I
> have
> several clients still using DOS applications) to troubleshoot problems and
> this command has always been a quick easy test.
>
> Anybody know why it no longer works? Is there a fix to get this
> functionality back?
>
> Or is there another easy way to test "DOS" printing.

If it's actually a USB printer, you might need to verify that the printer
actually is on an LPT port. You may need to use a DOS to USB utility - or
put the USB printer on another system, share it, then use the NET USE
command to redirect the local LPT port to the network printer.

I have a client running a Paradox/DOS sales system, now on XP Pro systems.
Using XP gives the Paradox app access to all the network shares, as long as
they are configured with NET USE (and aren't local resources). However,
if you accidentally map the local printer to a network share, it stops
working. So, the command files for NET USE have to be slightly different
on each system.

HTH
-pk

On 7/20/2007 2:00 PM On a whim, Dave G. pounded out on the keyboard

> Within the last few weeks I have had a couple of occasions at different
> locations on different Windows XPP systems where I wanted to test printing to
> lpt1 from a command prompt by using the dir > lpt1 command. This command no
> longer works. The result I get is the message "The system cannot find the
> file specified."
> "Dir > c:\filename.txt" works but Dir > LPTx (or PRN) does not.
>
> Though I rarely need to, I occasionally need to test "DOS" printing (I have
> several clients still using DOS applications) to troubleshoot problems and
> this command has always been a quick easy test.
>
> Anybody know why it no longer works? Is there a fix to get this
> functionality back?
>
> Or is there another easy way to test "DOS" printing.

Hi Dave,

Do you use the PRINT command? print c:\file.txt /c /d:lpt1
or COPY command? copy c:\windows\mouse.txt lpt1 /b


--
Terry R.

***Reply Note***
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Delete NOSPAM from the email address after clicking Reply.

Thanks Terry, I'll try those commands.

As to the other responses:
Pegasus - I've frequntly use the net use but that redirects anything sent
to lpt1 to a shared printer. You still have to direct the print output to
LPT1 and that is what fails in this specific situation.
Patrick - I am dealing stricly with a parallel printer, physically
connected to LPT1.

Anybody know why or when the simple "dir > lpt1" command stopped working?

"Terry R." wrote:

> On 7/20/2007 2:00 PM On a whim, Dave G. pounded out on the keyboard
>
> > Within the last few weeks I have had a couple of occasions at different
> > locations on different Windows XPP systems where I wanted to test printing to
> > lpt1 from a command prompt by using the dir > lpt1 command. This command no
> > longer works. The result I get is the message "The system cannot find the
> > file specified."
> > "Dir > c:\filename.txt" works but Dir > LPTx (or PRN) does not.
> >
> > Though I rarely need to, I occasionally need to test "DOS" printing (I have
> > several clients still using DOS applications) to troubleshoot problems and
> > this command has always been a quick easy test.
> >
> > Anybody know why it no longer works? Is there a fix to get this
> > functionality back?
> >
> > Or is there another easy way to test "DOS" printing.
>
> Hi Dave,
>
> Do you use the PRINT command? print c:\file.txt /c /d:lpt1
> or COPY command? copy c:\windows\mouse.txt lpt1 /b
>
>
> --
> Terry R.
>
> ***Reply Note***
> Anti-spam measures are included in my email address.
> Delete NOSPAM from the email address after clicking Reply.
>

On 7/20/2007 4:08 PM On a whim, Dave G. pounded out on the keyboard

> Thanks Terry, I'll try those commands.
>
> As to the other responses:
> Pegasus - I've frequntly use the net use but that redirects anything sent
> to lpt1 to a shared printer. You still have to direct the print output to
> LPT1 and that is what fails in this specific situation.
> Patrick - I am dealing stricly with a parallel printer, physically
> connected to LPT1.
>
> Anybody know why or when the simple "dir > lpt1" command stopped working?
>
> "Terry R." wrote:
>
>> On 7/20/2007 2:00 PM On a whim, Dave G. pounded out on the keyboard
>>
>>> Within the last few weeks I have had a couple of occasions at different
>>> locations on different Windows XPP systems where I wanted to test printing to
>>> lpt1 from a command prompt by using the dir > lpt1 command. This command no
>>> longer works. The result I get is the message "The system cannot find the
>>> file specified."
>>> "Dir > c:\filename.txt" works but Dir > LPTx (or PRN) does not.
>>>
>>> Though I rarely need to, I occasionally need to test "DOS" printing (I have
>>> several clients still using DOS applications) to troubleshoot problems and
>>> this command has always been a quick easy test.
>>>
>>> Anybody know why it no longer works? Is there a fix to get this
>>> functionality back?
>>>
>>> Or is there another easy way to test "DOS" printing.
>> Hi Dave,
>>
>> Do you use the PRINT command? print c:\file.txt /c /d:lpt1
>> or COPY command? copy c:\windows\mouse.txt lpt1 /b
>>
>>

Maybe this will help shed some light on it:
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/314085

--
Terry R.

***Reply Note***
Anti-spam measures are included in my email address.
Delete NOSPAM from the email address after clicking Reply.