Printing in a DOS application

[frank]

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.win98.gen_discussion (More info?)

I have a user who still user Lotus release 3.4. It is a DOS version and
because of the complicated macros he has created, he cannot use any other
versions with errors. Everything runs fine except now-and-then he can't
print. When he goes to print from the application it just hangs and nothing
happens. I have tried reinstalling the printer itself and updating the
driver, but none of this seems to help. Is there something I should be
looking for specifically to correct this? It prints for the Windows based
programs, just has a problem with the DOS based one.

Thank you.

Frank

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.win98.gen_discussion (More info?)

I don't *think* anyone is going to be able to help you with this, other
than to suggest general things like either enabling or disabling "Spool
MS-DOS print jobs" somewhere in the printer settings, whichever it isn't
now. (It's associated with different problems on either setting.)

There are simply too many variables--the application and the printer
being two very large variables. Moreover, you say this is an occasional
error, not dependably repeatable, and you haven't apparently identified
any prerequisite conditions--what's different about the system when it
works compared to when it doesn't work.

The answer is to review both the application's documentation and that of
the printer. I've had similar problems to deal with in the
past--printing from DOS apps--but not enough that I can draw any general
rules to go by, none that I can remember, anyway. Each one involved
detailed and situation-specific analysis before coming to a solution.

--
Gary S. Terhune
MS MVP Shell/User
http://www.grystmill.com/articles/cleanboot.htm
http://www.grystmill.com/articles/security.htm

"Frank" <Frank@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:9AECEF29-625A-49B1-A726-9F0AEC41E97E@microsoft.com...
>I have a user who still user Lotus release 3.4. It is a DOS version
>and
> because of the complicated macros he has created, he cannot use any
> other
> versions with errors. Everything runs fine except now-and-then he
> can't
> print. When he goes to print from the application it just hangs and
> nothing
> happens. I have tried reinstalling the printer itself and updating
> the
> driver, but none of this seems to help. Is there something I should
> be
> looking for specifically to correct this? It prints for the Windows
> based
> programs, just has a problem with the DOS based one.
>
> Thank you.
>
> Frank
>

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.win98.gen_discussion (More info?)

> I have a user who still user Lotus release 3.4. It is a DOS version and
> because of the complicated macros he has created, he cannot use any other
> versions with errors. Everything runs fine except now-and-then he can't
> print. When he goes to print from the application it just hangs and
nothing
> happens. I have tried reinstalling the printer itself and updating the
> driver, but none of this seems to help. Is there something I should be
> looking for specifically to correct this? It prints for the Windows based
> programs, just has a problem with the DOS based one.

I dunno about DOS printing, but I do have a suggestion - Why doesn't he save
the file(s) and print them from a Windows program. Just a suggestion.

jkb

 

[frank]

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.win98.gen_discussion (More info?)

Not feasible. The app has macros specifically to run this application and is
an intense macro. Saving the output to a windows based app to print would
not be a possibility

"jkb" wrote:

> > I have a user who still user Lotus release 3.4. It is a DOS version and
> > because of the complicated macros he has created, he cannot use any other
> > versions with errors. Everything runs fine except now-and-then he can't
> > print. When he goes to print from the application it just hangs and
> nothing
> > happens. I have tried reinstalling the printer itself and updating the
> > driver, but none of this seems to help. Is there something I should be
> > looking for specifically to correct this? It prints for the Windows based
> > programs, just has a problem with the DOS based one.
>
> I dunno about DOS printing, but I do have a suggestion - Why doesn't he save
> the file(s) and print them from a Windows program. Just a suggestion.
>
> jkb
>
>
>

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.win98.gen_discussion (More info?)

> Not feasible. The app has macros specifically to run this application and
is
> an intense macro. Saving the output to a windows based app to print would
> not be a possibility

Can Lotus save the output?

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.win98.gen_discussion (More info?)

If the file were printed to a *.prn file, I am pretty sure you could then
send the file to a printer from a DOS command prompt:

In Lotus for DOS the print to a file command is:
/print/file/filename.prn/range,etc.

from DOS prompt:
print filename.prn>prn

Hope this works
"Frank" <Frank@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:9AECEF29-625A-49B1-A726-9F0AEC41E97E@microsoft.com...
>I have a user who still user Lotus release 3.4. It is a DOS version and
> because of the complicated macros he has created, he cannot use any other
> versions with errors. Everything runs fine except now-and-then he can't
> print. When he goes to print from the application it just hangs and
> nothing
> happens. I have tried reinstalling the printer itself and updating the
> driver, but none of this seems to help. Is there something I should be
> looking for specifically to correct this? It prints for the Windows based
> programs, just has a problem with the DOS based one.
>
> Thank you.
>
> Frank
>

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.win98.gen_discussion (More info?)

Inkjet printers and laser printers start printing if either a full page is
sent or a "form feed" command is sent.
Some old DOS based programs don't have the right information to send these
commands to a new printer.
However, some times you can fake the printer into starting to print from a
DOS print command by pressing the "form feed" key on the printer itself.
Give the print command a few minutes to put the data into the spool and then
press the form feed key on the printer. As worst, you get a blank page.

I know this works if you use the Print Screen key to capture a picture on
your BIOS settings using an ink jet printer.

"MedRxman" <medrxman@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:em%23oKqHmFHA.1948@TK2MSFTNGP12.phx.gbl...
> If the file were printed to a *.prn file, I am pretty sure you could then
> send the file to a printer from a DOS command prompt:
>
> In Lotus for DOS the print to a file command is:
> /print/file/filename.prn/range,etc.
>
> from DOS prompt:
> print filename.prn>prn
>
> Hope this works
> "Frank" <Frank@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
> news:9AECEF29-625A-49B1-A726-9F0AEC41E97E@microsoft.com...
>>I have a user who still user Lotus release 3.4. It is a DOS version and
>> because of the complicated macros he has created, he cannot use any other
>> versions with errors. Everything runs fine except now-and-then he can't
>> print. When he goes to print from the application it just hangs and
>> nothing
>> happens. I have tried reinstalling the printer itself and updating the
>> driver, but none of this seems to help. Is there something I should be
>> looking for specifically to correct this? It prints for the Windows
>> based
>> programs, just has a problem with the DOS based one.
>>
>> Thank you.
>>
>> Frank
>>
>
>