Is there a way to capture an LPT port to a USB Printer? I have a client who purchased a new printer that only has USB. The problem is that they need to print from a DOS program. Does anyone know of a way to accomplish this?
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Is there a way to capture an LPT port to a USB Printer? I have a client who purchased a new printer that only has USB. The problem is that they need to print from a DOS program. Does anyone know of a way to accomplish this?
I've never done it personally, but I'm assuming it's a process that would resemble associating a network printer to a local printer port (LPT).
Depending on your OS, there should be a "Capture printer port" button in your printer properties you can use to do so. It's under the Details tab in Win98.
Don't forget to select that captured port in the "Print to the following port" drop down list afterwards. ;)
I already tried that and it only lets you capture to a network printer. I tried sharing the printer and connecting to it that way, but you cannot map to a locally shared printer.
I think you might find it hard as DOS doesnt really support/load USB drivers by nature so will almost certainly be unable to communicate with the device,an alternative maybe to print to file.
I will check out the print to file option. The user is on a Win98 box, but uses a DOS based accounting application.
Perhaps an old dot matrix printer might be a short term solution till they dug in their pockets for an upto date accounting package?
The program can print just fine to laser and inkjet printers. I just need to be able to capture the USB printer to an LPT port. Right now they are printing to a networked HP4050 that is captured to an LPT port, but this printer is on a different floor than the user.
The dude at the end of this link suggested something, I don't know if it is going to work. It sounds like something you already tried. http://www.computing.net/dos/wwwboard/forum/11170.html As well, if you use DHCP to get an IP, I think this is going to be more headache than it is worth.
I spent the last 20 minutes looking for a USB to 25 pin parallel adapter, like the one you would need. It seems that if they make it, noone is advertising it. There are plenty of adapters that will convert a parallel printer to USB, but not the other way around. Perhaps give this printer to someone else, and get them a printer with parallel as an option, so this won't be a problem in the future.
I'd have to agree with Ya_know! sounds like this is going to be more trouble than it is worth. Be warned though some parallel printers won't print from dos either!
Ya_know I went down that road before, I don't believe there is a cable to go from parallel to usb....If someone ever finds one let us all know...
I also looked for a cable like that, but could only find one like you mentioned. I havent tried capturing it to an ip address, but I did try capturing it to the computer name. I really doubt that using the IP address would make a difference, but it is worth a try.
Thanks for everyones input, it looks like they will need a different printer.
I believe belkin makes a USB to Parrallel cable, I had a client that purchased a new gateway a year or so ago one of those only has usb ports jobies. Anyway, she had a canon printer that was of course parralel only, anyway, she had purchased this converter cable (I remember it being somewhat expensive) but it did the trick. I believe it was a belkin, but I could be wrong.
I've shared a printer then mapped back to it. It was a bit different.Quote:
Originally posted by gpint
I already tried that and it only lets you capture to a network printer. I tried sharing the printer and connecting to it that way, but you cannot map to a locally shared printer.
I installed a TCP/IP printer, shared it. Then installed it again as a second printer to the mapped UNC path thru Win XP.
You should be able to type in dos "net use lpt1: \\computer\printersharename /persistent:yes"
edit: You may have to install 2 different drivers to get it to show up as 2 different printers under Win XP.
try keeping the share name under 8 characters and give everyone full control of the printer :confused:
Here is one thing you can try...it suggests downloading a prog... The instructions are for WordPerfect for DOS, but any good tech;) should be able to figure out how to make it work.
One link to try...
Parrallel to usb converter cable
or cheaper Another parrallel to usb converter
Why not just 'print to file' as suggested earlier, any dos app should be capable, if not redirect the ouput to a file yourself, by entering 'lpt1 > dump.txt' , before the proggie starts at the command prompt.....
But....even if a suitable cable is installed w`ont dos sill have problems communicating with USB drivers as they are not nativly supported?
I pressume that the wiring takes care of that & you can only print uni-directionally....which would be normal in a dos environment... so no I don't think you need any 'extra' drivers...Quote:
Originally posted by Archer
But....even if a suitable cable is installed w`ont dos sill have problems communicating with USB drivers as they are not nativly supported?
If it is sending its data to the parallel port, then it doesn't need to know how to print to a usb device, it recognizes only a parallel deviceQuote:
Originally posted by Archer
But....even if a suitable cable is installed w`ont dos sill have problems communicating with USB drivers as they are not nativly supported?
All of the cables that I have seen for this purpose convert a parallel printer to use a usb port..not a usb printer to use a parallel port, which is what he is asking for
Should be able too:Quote:
Originally posted by gpint
Is there a way to capture an LPT port to a USB Printer? I have a client who purchased a new printer that only has USB. The problem is that they need to print from a DOS program. Does anyone know of a way to accomplish this?
Run "Add new printer".
Select Local Printer and de-select the plug & play option.
On the next page, select "use the following port" and then go down the list and hilight the USB printer.
Finish up the installation from there as you normally would.
TL
except then wouldn't you need to have the usb printer attached to a usb port?..has anyone found a parallel cable to usb printer adapter?
OK, I just fixed a similar problem today...with a comp that had only a network printer to print to, i made it print from dos.Quote:
Originally posted by geoscomp
except then wouldn't you need to have the usb printer attached to a usb port?..has anyone found a parallel cable to usb printer adapter?
set up the printer as usual, then create a batch file using this script:
@echo off
net use lpt1 \\computername\printername /persistent:yes
it should return: The command completed successfully.
Otherwise it would be: A system error 852 has occurred.
The command could not be completed.
If this is the case, something else is using your printer port.
Place the batch in your startup folder, and it will execute every time you log on (put it in all users if everyone will need it)
If it is only needed when you are using that one program, let me know and I will give you a script to use.
Good luck.
You might try sharing the printer, then map it with the net use command to LPT1. I haven't tried this myself so let me know if it works.