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View Full Version : Printing in dos mode


Bill1956
Dec 17, 2006, 01:44 PM
We are running mic. Soft 2003 server. We have a shared dot matix printer. The problem is I can print from a dos base program on my computer, but no one else in the company can from their computers. Could you give me some idea's on how to work this out.
Thanks
Bill

ScottGem
Dec 17, 2006, 01:49 PM
Under DOS, printer drivers weere up to the program. They had to be installed for the program itself. Which means on the PC running the program.

tpeters
Dec 20, 2006, 11:36 AM
Yo Bill,
Did you share this printer? Under Windows 2k3, I think you should get "Auto DotmatrixPrinter" appearing on the other machines in the network, but not on a machine running DOS only, only on Windows 2000 and up. Maybe only WinXp and up.

On the machine the printer is plugged directly into, right-click the printer (Start-->Settings-->Printers&Faxes-->Right click) and select "Sharing"

From there, make sure "Share this printer" is selected. For maximum compatibility with other platforms, share it out as a simple name with no spaces, like OKI280 or something meaningful to you. On the Security tab, I'd consider giving the group "Everyone" the permissions "Print" and "Manage Documents"

Now, if this machine that runs a dos program is really only a DOS machine (as opposed to one running a dos program under Windows) you're going to have problems getting it to work.

You might be able to get it to go by using the old LanMan stuff as a redirector. Can your DOS program print to LPT2: ? Try this:

Say your server, with the printer, is called MAX, and you shared the printer as the name DOTTER.

Commands similar to this might make it work:
NET USE LPT2: \\MAX\DOTTER

tpeters
Dec 20, 2006, 11:40 AM
Continuing my prior post: You might have to try one of these too:
NET USE LPT2: "\\MAX"\DOTTER
NET USE LPT2: "\\MAX\DOTTER"

If any of these work, you should have a mythical LPT2 device that redirects to the other machine's printer.

One of the problems is that win95 and 98 have problems if the login name is different from the name on the server. On later versions of Windows, you can use /USER:username and a start to be prompted for a password.

NeedKarma
Dec 20, 2006, 11:43 AM
We use to do this per client computer by using the DOS printer capture command, example:
net use lpt2 "uncname" /persistent:yes