[Ham-Computers] DOS Ap Printing to Network Printer (was USBCable Length

[WA5CAB at cs.com]

Aaron,

Thanks for your comments.  Using the IP address instead of the server name 
is a good trick, not mentioned in the Microsoft printer troubleshooting 
files.  

But about the time that you were writing your screed, I was discovering 
that the problem was operator head space (excessive head space can really ruin 
your day).  I had confirmed that DiR > LPT1 from a DOS prompt did in fact 
print.  So I finally knew that I had the syntax correct.  It finally dawned 
upon me that the problem was in the batch file being called.  I have two of 
them, one does a redirect to print to file and the other by default prints to 
printers.  The XP laptop had never had any but the latter as I have never 
had a printer for it (other than the LAN printer when it's here at home).  
When both 2000 machines suddenly quit running 16-bit programs but the XP laptop 
did not, I started using the laptop in order to stay in business and keep 
my bills paid.  After Microsoft's fix failed after four days, and I decided 
to shift over to the laptop until I had time to put XP on the other machines, 
I copied the shortcut on the XP machine to the one named for local (with 
printers) useage.  And bought the USB to Centronics cables.  But I completely 
forgot to rename the batch file it calls from the one that redirects printer 
output to file to the one that does not.  So all afternoon, it has been 
happily writing what I was trying to print to the redirected printers but to 
the default file.  Which I never looked at.  Which is why it seemed happy.  It 
was.  I was just slow in figuring out why.

Anyway, problem solved.  And on the plus side, the whole excercise finally 
prompted me to figure out how to print from the accounting program to the 
little WC5638 LAN printer.  The old HP (bought in 2001 to replace an older one 
that did not survive a direct lightening strike) has been a good printer, 
but every few months, although I never use color, it stops and insists that I 
install a new color ink cartridge.

In a message dated 4/25/2009 9:01:12 PM Central Daylight Time, 
nn6o.lists at pacbell.net writes: 
> Using local network printer redirection requires you to make sure any
> firewalls are configured properly.  Even though you're technically 
> connecting
> to your own computer, it's still using the network ports to make the
> connection and the ports are controlled by your firewall (if any).
> 
> If you're using the Windows firewall, then go to the Exceptions tab and 
> check
> the "File and Printer Sharing" box to configure the firewall to allow file 
> and
> print sharing (sorry, AFAIK, can't just have print sharing without also 
> file
> sharing).  If you're using a 3rd party firewall, there's usually an option 
> to
> allow Windows file/print sharing without having to manually configure the
> ports. If you do need to manually configure the ports, you'll want to open 
> UDP
> ports 137 &138, and TCP ports 139 and 445.  More info can be found here:
> 
> http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc787076.aspx
> 
> 
> Also, rather than using your computer's "computer name" (DNS or WINS name) 
> for
> the share, it's easier to just use "127.0.0.1" which *always* points back 
> to
> your own computer.  It also ensures that if you change the name of your
> computer for some reason, the redirection will still work.  So, for 
> example,
> if you wanted an "LPT2:" to print to, you could use:
> 
>   net use LPT2: \\127.0.0.1\PrinterShareName
> 
> This will allow local programs to print to LPT2 and Windows will handle 
> the
> network redirection via file and print sharing.
> 
> And, last but not least, the "net use" command has "permanance" switch.  
> By
> default, Windows will "remember" all "net use" shares you create, so the 
> next
> time you power-up the computer, the "mappings" will return.  If you don't 
> want
> the permanence (aka "persistence"), then use the following command:
> 
>   net use /persistent:no
> 
> 
> To check your persistence setting and view the current mappings, use:
> 
>   net use
> 
> and it will show the persistence at the top with the mappings below.  If 
> you
> want persistence on, then substitute "no" with "yes".
> 
> 
> And, if you wish to delete a mapping or resource:
> 
>   net use ResourceName /d
> or
>   net use * /d     (to delete all mappings/resources)
> 
> 
> This might be a bit more info than you wanted, but just being thorough -
> sometimes it helps to know the additional options for a particular 
> command,
> especially if you accidentally created a mapping and now want to delete 
> it.
> 
> 73,
> 
>   - Aaron, NN6O
> 

Robert & Susan Downs - Houston
wa5cab dot com (Web Store)
MVPA 9480