Print to File from OLD Software

[127.0.0.1]

I'm looking for freeware, shareware, or an app that will solve a problem
with a couple of apps I have from old software days (post-Dos but early Win
.... I first used on Win95). Closest I've found in my search with (limited
knowledge of this stuff) is an app that will cost me about $100, and I don't
even think it will do the job.

Here's the prob: I have several old (Win95? type) apps that were limited in
scope. When output is selected, the only option is to go to a printer, and
printer setup involves only to select the specific printer. When I print
from them now, I can access the config on my minolta laser for 2-side
printing, for example, but the app doesn't even recognize the settings and
overrides and prints single sided. Some of the 'reports' these apps run are
30+ pages, and not very efficiently laid out, so a certain waste! Also, some
of the data is old and I want to be able to tweak some of the info via rtf
or doc files also, if possible, as well as change the page margins and such.
Just changing line spacing and page margins would save about half of the
paper.

I have ghostscript and ghostview, but they didn't work on two particular
apps I tried because of the app limitations. Everything I've found so far
seems to address the later Win programs. I'm hesitant to load too many apps
on this limited system I'm using to run these particular apps (Win98, PII,
10gig drive) with what I already have.

I used to have a "print to file" type software where there was a virtual
printer that could be selected and the pages went to that program. To print,
you opened the printer and selected the settings for 2-up to 8-up, but you
couldn't modify the text. "Fine Print Driver" I can control pages that
print, but not tweak margins or deleted obsolete text.

The screen capture utilities 'work' but the process takes too long (from
capture to final output) because of the app again. These are really limited
apps, user specific, but useful to me on a daily basis. A couple I can
upgrade, but cost of upgrade would be more than if I could just solve the
print to file problem even with a retail purchase. Also, at least one
upgrade is so bloated with what I don't want its not worth the cost.

Any suggestions?

 

[Onno Tasler]

127.0.0.1 scribebat:

I used to have a "print to file" type software where there was a
virtual printer that could be selected

Adobe offers a printer driver called "General Postscript Printer
Driver". Download it and assign it to the "file" port. Now, all pages
you print with that printer will be saved as Postscript files, for which
there should be some converters.

bye,

Onno

 

[Chief Suspect]

Before it is gone forever, go download the file called Mediator.

http://www.pctip.ch/library/downloads/dl.asp?id=2816

This is Canon Mediator 5.05 .. a (no longer supported) freeware that does
what Adobe Acrobat does, and that is to *create* your own original .PDF
files. It had much more variations in print-out capabilities, and may just
help you out with some of your work at least. It is at least 18 Meg in
length,
so a broadband download capability would certainly help. Ask a broadband
friend
to download it if you reasonably cannot.
======================================================

Here's the prob: I have several old (Win95? type) apps that were limited in
scope. When output is selected, the only option is to go to a printer, and
printer setup involves only to select the specific printer. When I print
from them now, I can access the config on my minolta laser for 2-side
printing, for example, but the app doesn't even recognize the settings and
overrides and prints single sided. Some of the 'reports' these apps run are
30+ pages, and not very efficiently laid out, so a certain waste! Also, some
of the data is old and I want to be able to tweak some of the info via rtf
or doc files also, if possible, as well as change the page margins and such.
Just changing line spacing and page margins would save about half of the
paper.

I have ghostscript and ghostview, but they didn't work on two particular
apps I tried

[snipped for bevity]

 

[Jorge Alvarez]

I'm looking for freeware, shareware, or an app that will solve a problem

with a couple of apps I have from old software days (post-Dos but early Win
... I first used on Win95). Closest I've found in my search with (limited
knowledge of this stuff) is an app that will cost me about $100, and I don't
even think it will do the job.

Here's the prob: I have several old (Win95? type) apps that were limited in
scope. When output is selected, the only option is to go to a printer, and
printer setup involves only to select the specific printer. When I print
from them now, I can access the config on my minolta laser for 2-side
printing, for example, but the app doesn't even recognize the settings and
overrides and prints single sided. Some of the 'reports' these apps run are
30+ pages, and not very efficiently laid out, so a certain waste! Also, some
of the data is old and I want to be able to tweak some of the info via rtf
or doc files also, if possible, as well as change the page margins and such.
Just changing line spacing and page margins would save about half of the
paper.

I have ghostscript and ghostview, but they didn't work on two particular
apps I tried because of the app limitations. Everything I've found so far
seems to address the later Win programs. I'm hesitant to load too many apps
on this limited system I'm using to run these particular apps (Win98, PII,
10gig drive) with what I already have.

I used to have a "print to file" type software where there was a virtual
printer that could be selected and the pages went to that program. To print,
you opened the printer and selected the settings for 2-up to 8-up, but you
couldn't modify the text. "Fine Print Driver" I can control pages that
print, but not tweak margins or deleted obsolete text.

The screen capture utilities 'work' but the process takes too long (from
capture to final output) because of the app again. These are really limited
apps, user specific, but useful to me on a daily basis. A couple I can
upgrade, but cost of upgrade would be more than if I could just solve the
print to file problem even with a retail purchase. Also, at least one
upgrade is so bloated with what I don't want its not worth the cost.

Any suggestions?

http://www.acrosoftware.com/products/cutepdf/Printer.asp

Cheers,

-Jorge

 

[127.0.0.1]

Thanks everyone for the help. One of these should do it.

I'm looking for freeware, shareware, or an app that will solve a problem

<snip>