anyone know how to check LPTx port status? (AREV Specific)
At 03 APR 2003 12:08:29PM H Vance wrote:
We have a Microsoft VPN that frequently crashes on our Terminal Server, and this creates problems when it comes time for remote Arev users to save records and to generate hard copies at the remote printers. While Microsoft is working on our case, they haven't been able to determine why the VPN crashes and why it won't self-heal.
Does anyone know how to check the status of an LPTx printer port? I'd love to be able to determine whether a port was alive or dead. When a critical process gets interrupted by an Quit/Retry message, it creates a mess in our system, and I have to manually edit records to clean it up. If anyone knows of a printer status utility that I can run from within Arev, I'd be very grateful for the tip. Thank you!
PS. I'm thinking about running net use commands with screen output redirected to a file, but I'd prefer not to have to suspend Arev.
At 03 APR 2003 03:28PM [url=http://www.sprezzatura.com]The Sprezzatura Group[/url] wrote:
Are these network print queues (\\servername\device) or local devices (lptx)?
Steve
World Leaders in all things RevSoft
At 03 APR 2003 03:58PM H Vance wrote:
When the WAN is working (meaning the VPN is actually running), we redirect LPTx to remote Windows 2000 printer queues. When it isn't, we redirect LPTx to the Terminal Server's local NetWare queues, so that the jobs can be converted from PCL to PDF and then emailed to the users. Either way, I would like to be able to test the system to see if the LPT port is alive or dead and without regard to whether we are using a WAN printer, LAN printer or local device.
I really wish that Arev could be programmed to automatically switch printer output to a NUL device when LPTx goes dead. That way, it wouldn't matter if LPTx was alive or dead, and our processes could run to completion rather than leave a job partially finished.
At 03 APR 2003 04:57PM [url=http://www.sprezzatura.com]The Sprezzatura Group[/url] wrote:
AREV *does* perform an int 17h check on the printer port. If the port goes dead mid-job, the error would still throw. So even having a checking object to call pre-report would be of limited use. Still, better than nothing…
You might consider using a routine like $PRNSTAT from AREV 3.1 or AREV 3.12 in this context.
Steve
World Leaders in all things RevSoft
At 03 APR 2003 05:13PM H Vance wrote:
Steve, thanks for the tip. Will give it a look.
At 04 APR 2003 11:09AM Warren wrote:
This topic has been discussed at length before. Do a search for previous threads and various solutions.