OT: Braindead printers with the old Q & A program...

[Nancy Palmquist]

Mike Schwartz wrote:
>      I was trying to find a “brain-dead” printer list on the ‘Net, but 
> the only lists I can find are pretty old.  Do any of you know if 
> somebody maintains a list or web site for the brain-dead anymore?  (A 
> list of non-brain-dead printers would probably be shorter nowdays…) 
> 
>  
> 
>      I’m searching for a printer that will attach to a laptop (USB or 
> parallel) and work with the old (circa 1988) Q & A database program.  
> This customer had been using an Epson (USB) printer that would print 
> from a DOS prompt by:
> 
>  
> 
> 1)      sharing it in Windows Network
> 
> 2)      In a DOS command window, type  “net use LPT1: //IBMLAP4/Epson4”
> 
> 3)      Then type:  dir > lpt1 
> 
>  
> 
>      The customer bought a new HP Deskjet D4260, and I can map it 
> following the instructions above, but when I try to send straight ascii 
> text to it, the print just jams up in the print queue, so I presume the 
> D4260 is “brain-dead”.
> 
>  
> 
>      HP recommend that I try the following models, but I think they did 
> that just because they have parallel ports:
> 
>  
> 
> HP Business Inkjet 1200d  ($199.00)
> 
>  
> 
> HP Officejet Pro K850 ($399.00)
> 
>  
> 
> HP Business Inkjet 2800 ($499.00)
> 
>  
> 
> HP LaserJet P3005  ($549.00)
> 
>  
> 
>      If you have one of these models, would you mind trying the 
> instructions above and letting me know how you make out?    
> 
>  
> 
> Thanks!
> 
>  
> 
> Mike Schwartz
> 
>  
> 
> 
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
> 
> _______________________________________________
> Filepro-list mailing list
> Filepro-list at lists.celestial.com
> http://mailman.celestial.com/mailman/listinfo/filepro-list

Mike,

I might suggest using filePro's PFPOSTPRINT function.  This will allow 
you to write the output to a file, then filePro will throw the file at 
the command set in PFPOSTPRINT.

For example, on a windows system:

PFPOSTPRINT="start wordpad.exe"
(I usually use nocodes for the printer type for the file printer to 
eliminate the print codes.)

If you have a windows application that has a /print option it would 
print without displaying on the screen.  That is how the RTF function on 
filePro works.  It uses atlantis (free text editor) as the application.

I use this for screen display printing.  But it comes in handy when you 
want to print to a "Brain Dead" printer that will only print from 
windows software.

Obviously, getting a more appropriate printer would save this step but 
for people that want output to interact with Windows without too much 
trouble it is great.

If you leave in the PCL codes when you write the file, and you can try 
this command to send the file to the printer:

copy /b c:\tmp\filename.pcl \\computer\windows_printername

We use this to send all kinds of documents to the printer.

Printwiz from Anzio can take filePro output and format it for a "brain 
dead" windows printer also.

Nancy



-- 
Nancy Palmquist 		MOS & filePro Training Available
Virtual Software Systems	Web Based Training and Consulting	
PHONE: (412) 835-9417		   Web site:  http://www.vss3.com