Printing nightmare

[GCC Consulting]

> -----Original Message-----
> From: filepro-list-bounces at lists.celestial.com 
> [mailto:filepro-list-bounces at lists.celestial.com] On Behalf 
> Of Harwyn Berens
> Sent: Tuesday, January 18, 2005 4:14 PM
> To: filePro
> Subject: Printing nightmare
> 
> Hello all:
> I'm running fP 4.05 with 3 users and until recently was using 
> a Oki Data 1200 attached to my computer running  Windows XP 
> Professional.  The Oki puked and I installed a Brother 1440.  
> Things went pretty well until I 
> tried to hardcopy an inquiry screen with <H>.  Things went 
> bad quickly.   I 
> lost the ability to print anything. Nothing.  Absolutely 
> nothing.  Couldn't even open "Printers and Faxes" under settings.
> 
> Got on the internet and went to the Brother site and 
> downloaded a driver specifically addressed to my problem (as 
> I interpreted it).  Things went ok for a couple of days.  I 
> just tried to hardcopy several screens because I've got to 
> change them for a user.  Things went bad quickly.  Same 
> thing.  I can't open "Printers and Faxes" and I can't print 
> squat.  Nothing.  If I try to go through the "Printing 
> Problem Resolver" or whatever in Windows I get the message 
> that Print spooler service isn't 
> running.   Somebody help.  I don't mind reloading the drivers 
> again but 
> what's going on.
> 
> I called fP and asked for support and when I told her I'm 
> running 4.05 I thought I heard a snicker.  Probably not, I'm 
> imagining a lot of things.  She said the way to get support 
> is to spring for $600 plus and 30 
> days free support for an upgrade.   I don't think I need an 
> upgrade, I just 
> need to know what the installation of the Brother 1440 did to 
> fP and my Windows XP stuff.
> 
> Any ideas.  Any help is greatly appreciated.
> 
> Harwyn Berens
> 616 396 6000
> 616 396 6161 FAX
> hlb at wmis.net

Do you mean 4.0.05 or 4.5 filePro?

Not to repeat Charles Day's posting.  Fp 5.0 has so many new tools to work with
and much better integration with Windows that it just doesn't make sense to
upgrade.

One problem that you may eventually run into is the lose of the parallel printer
port.  Many printers are now coming with USB ports only.  You will not be able
to connect to those printers.

Also, it is possible that the next Windows release will further break with DOS
causing you even more problems.  The upgrade from 4.X to 5.0 is relatively
painless.  

I know the many feel that "if it ain't broke, don't mess with it".  

You will be wasting time on drivers when you can be adding functionality to you
current app or at least make it run smoother in the Windows environment.

Richard Kreiss
GCC Consulting 

PS: All of my clients run filePro native.