USB Printers

[Guest]

I have a company running a DOS application that prints only to LPT1 and LPT2.
They want to switch over to laserjet printers. I have tried to add the
laserjet printers to the computers, and the printers use USB, so I share the
printer, then use the net use command to map LPT1 to the share name. This
only seems to work with higher end laserjet printers. I've used Dell
printers and Brother printers. The net use command I'm using is "net use
lpt1: \\computer name\share /persistent:yes". Any ideas as to why this
doesn't work with the lower end printers?

 

[Davide Guolo]

Dear jeffk,

The net use command I'm using is "net use
lpt1: \\computer name\share /persistent:yes". Any ideas as to why this
doesn't work with the lower end printers?

more and more printers nowadays are GDI (also known as Windows-Only). This
means they simply cannot understand a simple ascii data flow as input, but
needs an input generated by the Windows printer driver (that's why the NET
USE command doesn't work for them, as well as for virtual printers like
faxmodems and PDF drivers)

You may want to have a look at Printfil to print from DOS even to GDI and
virtual printers installed on your Windows machine.

More info and a free fully functional trial version is available for
download at http://www.printfil.com

Kind regards,
Davide Guolo
aSwIt s.r.l.
--------------------------------------------------------------
Printfil - Windows Printing System for Applications
http://www.printfil.com
Odbc4All - Connection to ODBC Data Sources for any Application
http://www.aswit.com/odbc4all
@Kill - Batch Close Windows Applications - Freeware
http://www.aswit.com/akill
--------------------------------------------------------------

 

[Guest]

Besides the printfil application, is there anything else that can be done,
and is there a list of printers that still work with the net use command?

 

[Davide Guolo]

jeffk,

Besides the printfil application, is there anything else that can be done,

not for GDI printers.

and is there a list of printers that still work with the net use command?

Look at the printer's specifications. If DOS or Linux is mentioned, then the
printer is not Windows-Only and you have good chances it supports an
emulation compatible with your DOS application (PCL for example).
You'll probably find only high-end printers still supporting DOS. GDI
printers are cheaper because the hardware is simpler (no hardware
emulations, the Windows printer driver does the job)

Regards,
Davide
aSwIt s.r.l.
--------------------------------------------------------------
Printfil - Windows Printing System for Applications
http://www.printfil.com
Odbc4All - Connection to ODBC Data Sources for any Application
http://www.aswit.com/odbc4all
@Kill - Batch Close Windows Applications - Freeware
http://www.aswit.com/akill
--------------------------------------------------------------