question about printing

[Bob Rasmussen]

On Tue, 10 May 2005, Butch Ammon wrote:

> ...
> Take regular serial printer cable off Unix dot matrix printer and plug into the
> back of the Datamax label machine.
>
> 1) Request Output to Unix printer (now Datamax labeler): Nothing. Nada. Zilch.
> 2) Sit there at a record in filePro and hit "H" for hardcopy: Again, nothing.
> 3) But yet, using ICE-TCP, click "Print Screen": It worked - sort of. It printed
> the data/screen all over a label on the Datamax!  Curiosity question: WHY?!?

It sounds like this is a "Windows-only" ("brain-dead") printer. ICE-TCP is
succeeding because it's using the Windows printer driver. But pumping
characters directly to the printer does not. If I am right, then you will
not be able to use the printer directly from Unix.

Here's a way to test. Download Anzio Lite to a Windows PC. Connect to
something, so you get something on the screen. Then try printing the
screen to this printer, using various settings for Print Level:

High - this uses the Windows printer driver, and Anzio sets the font and
size.

Low - skip this one.

Spooler - this writes directly to the spooler, bypassing the printer
driver. this has the effect of sending bytes directly to the printer. If
Anzio complains, or you get no output, that reinforces my theory.

Raw - this writes directly to the port. BUT, in Windows NT/2000/XP/2003,
any printer driver assigned to that port will get involved, so it is hard
to use this for a good test.

Finally, note that you should be able to use Print Wizard on a Windows PC
as a printer server in order to feed this printer.

Regards,
....Bob Rasmussen,   President,   Rasmussen Software, Inc.

personal e-mail: ras at anzio.com
 company e-mail: rsi at anzio.com
          voice: (US) 503-624-0360 (9:00-6:00 Pacific Time)
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