Our current arev system uses lpt ports 1-3 very nicely. We are upgrading to arev 3.12 and the current supervisor wants to run 5 different arev reporting applications on one server. Each application must print to a different printer. Hence I can do 3 but am missing 2.

I found a discussion about extending the printers by expanding the printer selection window and even was able to add lpt port definitions

but I am missing some critical information but it doesn't print beyond the lpt3 port definition. Does anybody know what I am missing?

What operating system are you using…

What we use is

On a Novell system, we have printer definintions in a

 user/application table, and do the capture command within a batch 

 file automatically.

On a Windows Server, we do the same thing but use the

net use 

command within the batch file...

You can control it via user or application or form, and we use this

for both network printers and directly attached printers.

There's a reason for this inherent madness… once upon a time DOS had to keep open the first five file handles (out of 20 or so) for NUL,CON,PRN,LPT1 and AUX. These were effectively reserved at a cost in available RAM under 640k, so three devices was determined to be a fair tradeoff between RAM expended and maximum number of devices.

lpt1-3 are standard port addresses in the BIOS (3f8h and 278h and 2e8h or similar addresses for the buffers - memory fails at present).

lpt4+ depend on the hardware, and would require a device driver to be hardwired with the physical device port addresses, in order to operate (to reserve the RAM for the port memory buffers).

:delete any existing lpt1 queue assignment

net use lpt1: /d

:assigns lpt1 queue to nominated \\SERVER\PRINTERNAME device

net use lpt1: "\\myserver\HP Laserjet" /PERSISTENT:YES

Execute the above lines as MYPRINT.BAT ahead of AREV based reports from a batch file - in BASIC:

PERFORM "SUSPEND EXIT MYPRINT.BAT"

I painted Arev's printer window and made the multivalue larger to accomondate 10 printers, and shell out to perform capture or net use. I required the 10 printers in arev, so the correct escape codes are used in the printer definition. I also named the printers to contain the queue name therefore I could shell out without needing more information.

Thank-you for all the information. What is happening is multiple databases are being installed on one server. Our remote labs are going to connect into one box and run their application from one machine. Of course they all want to print to their respective printers. I only have 3 lpts to define. The ntvdm appears to run one window for all not separate instances. So, my problem…..how to make everyone happy…

Ellen

Is there a reason why each session couldn't just start their own BAT file and NET USE a specific printer at LPT1 (assuming you've moved off Novell)?

Regards

support@sprezzatura.com

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PS Hi!

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