Printing from a DOS program to a Windows printer

Jerry Bank · External Since: Aug 24, 2005 Posts: 4

I have been using prn2file to print from my old DOS bookkeepping program
to a file so I could then print it out on my laser printer. I recently
upgraded my computer, but retained Win98.

Now prn2file no longer works. When I invoke it I get
PRN2FILE 1.0 (c) 1987 Ziff Communications Co.
LPT1 Redirected to: f:\wpdocs\ngl\ngl.txt

However, the printer is not redirected.

Any suggestions?

--
Jerry Bank
Trenton, New Jersey
Music is the language of the gods.

Jeff Richards · External Since: Mar 14, 2004 Posts: 1333

Perhaps your accounting program has been changed to print to LPT2.

What happens if you use some other DOS application to print to LPT1, or if
you just copy a text file to LPT1?
--
Jeff Richards
MS MVP (Windows - Shell/User)
"Jerry Bank" <bankcello.RemoveThis@peoplepc.com> wrote in message
news:MPG.200af3b561da12cb989688@msnews.microsoft.com...
>I have been using prn2file to print from my old DOS bookkeepping program
> to a file so I could then print it out on my laser printer. I recently
> upgraded my computer, but retained Win98.
>
> Now prn2file no longer works. When I invoke it I get
> PRN2FILE 1.0 (c) 1987 Ziff Communications Co.
> LPT1 Redirected to: f:\wpdocs\ngl\ngl.txt
>
>
> However, the printer is not redirected.
>
> Any suggestions?
>
> --
> Jerry Bank
> Trenton, New Jersey
> Music is the language of the gods.

Jerry Bank · External Since: Aug 24, 2005 Posts: 4

In article <e75i#IwMHHA.1276@TK2MSFTNGP04.phx.gbl>, JRichards.TakeThisOut@msn.com.au
says...
> Perhaps your accounting program has been changed to print to LPT2.
>
> What happens if you use some other DOS application to print to LPT1, or if
> you just copy a text file to LPT1?
>
I did the redirection and copied a file and it just printed. Do you have
a suggestion for another program that might help. Preferably a free one.

--
Jerry Bank
Trenton, New Jersey
Music is the language of the gods.

Davide Guolo · External Since: Jul 05, 2004 Posts: 8

Dear Mr.Bank,

> I did the redirection and copied a file and it just printed. Do you have
> a suggestion for another program that might help. Preferably a free one.

you may want to have a look at Printfil. It's not free, but you can download
a free trial version at http://www.printfil.com

Kind regards,
Davide Guolo
aSwIt s.r.l.
--------------------------------------------------------------
Printfil - Windows Printing System for Applications
http://www.printfil.com
Odbc4All - Connection to ODBC Data Sources for any Application
http://www.aswit.com/odbc4all
@Kill - Batch Close Windows Applications - Freeware
http://www.aswit.com/akill
--------------------------------------------------------------

alonroz · Joined: Apr 22, 2009 Posts: 1

You can also try using a program called ExDOS Lite. Most DOS printing solutions support only the most basic codepages, this one supports them all. Should help.
Again, it's not free, but I use it with my accounting and backoffice DOS programs and it works great.

This is their website:
http://www.taocs.co.il