Here's the story… It's an HP Laserjet 2100 Series printer. There are two PC's connected to it via Linksys Pro Connect Smart Switch Box. So it's really a local printer to both computers. One computer has no problems.

The second computer will send the job to the printer, but the printer will not print. It gets passed the print queue in Windows 98 and then just sits in the printer. If you send multiple jobs from that computer, the printer will print the majority of the document, but not all of it.

This makes me think that the printer is not getting and EOT from the LPT port, but if the buffer fills up, it automatically starts the job.

After reading some of the other posts, it seems like AREV does not send an EOT when you print, it just sends a stream of data. Why this was coded like this is beyond me, but really not relevant.

Since AREV is a 16 bit application, it will use ini settings from windows to print with. So how and which ini file do I need to modify on this paticular machine to force the document to print? If it's not an ini file, but rather native code to AREV, what can I do to modify this?

I don't want to have to hit F5 and change the printer selection every time.

Thanks for the help.

chriss@bernards.org

908.804.3010

Chris

DOS applications are not 16 bit and know nothing of Windows ini files although AREV does have it's own ini file for hardware settings. You need to send an FF (Char(12)) to the printer.

Most programmers do this after they have completed a print job.

If you are using the printer definitions supplied with AREV 3.12 (see menu hardware/printers) page 3 has a "Force form feed at end of print job" prompt"

The Sprezzatura Group

World Leaders in all things RevSoft

I've tried this. I doesn't do anything. In addition, I've tried sending and EOT character, and that doesn't do anything either.

Here's something else interesting, if I network the printer using an HP Jet Direct Print Server, it will work, but it's very very slow. After doing some research, I found that the Jet Direct PS will reformat that data stream for the printer with the correct control characters…

Is there a way I can directly append the characters I need to the information from AREV? If so, what's the syntax I need to use?

What is different on the machine that works?

HAve you capute LPT1 on the mahine that doesn't work (so Windows ques are used, not detecting end of job) and not captured on the machine that does work (so DOS is in control) ?

Is the job sitting in the que or in memory on the printer?

If in the printer then hitting fom feed key will make it spit out (hence the suggention to append ff to print stream).

HP PCL also includes a Flush all pages command Esc&r1F

If que is not recognizing the end of job – more likely this is your problem then try SUSPEND EXIT or PDISK PRN, see if the que recognizes the end of job.

Bob Carten

WinWin Solutions, Inc.

The other machine is almost identical. It's got some other 3rd party programs on there, but they are all Windows based.

The printer is local to both PC's via a smart switch box. So neither PC captures the port. The job never appears in the Windows print queue on either PC, just goes directly to the printer. The one that doesn't work will send all the info to the printer, but the printer doesn't print it.

I've tried appending the FF character, but that didn't do anything. Maybe I'm missing something. How do you append the characters (flush all or FF or even EOT)?

Thanks for the help.

If you hit form feed on printer does it print?

Still think there is a difference in the windows printer settings between the tow machines.

To send printer strings

set up your printer:

1. RUNMENU APPMAIN

2. Choose utilities\configure\workstation\printer\environment

F2 to choose printer you want (laserjet as printer 1 ) on LPT1

3. Choose utilities\configure\workstation\printer\environment

F2,choose the printer you want to use (HPLASERJET)

Edit the End of Job section

Add ascii codes that correspond to the HP PCL codes

4. Choose utilities\configure\workstation\printer\Select

Printer 1

After this, TCL reports should send the printer strings you entered

TO get Rbasic reports to use these settings, try something like

$INSERT SYSINCLUDE, PRINT_CONSTANTS

*

CALL DRIVER_CONTROL(1)

*—

* call the system popup

*—

CALL SET_ACTIVE_PRINTER(2,PRINTER,STATUS)

*—

* if a printer wasn't chosen, terminate

*—

IF UNASSIGNED(PRINTER) THEN GOTO TERMINATE

*—

* print out the initialize, compress, landscape, etc.

*—

*PERFORM 'SET-LPTR XXX,YY'

PRINTER ON

PRINT @(PRNINIT$) ;* initialize

…. do my report ….

PRINT @(ENDOFJOB$) ;* finalize

Hope this helps

Bob

I have had similar experiences. One thing that will speed up print jobs from a DOS app in WFW and Win9x OS's is to do the following:

Edit the SYSTEM.INI file, then add the following entry's after the complete 386Enh block of entries-

ifsmgr

PrintBufTime=1

network

PrintBufTime=1

These two configuration switches tend to speed the time that a DOS print job spends in the WFW and Win9x print Spoolers. This may solve your problem. Give it a shot.

Karlyn

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