In DOS I print to a file, and use the windows PRINT command to send the contents to the printer. No driver involved.
In a batch file: PRINT /D:device filename i.e. PRINT /D:LPT1 filename PRINT /D:\\qmiprint\HPLas1 filename I have no idea how you would direct output from RBDOS to a printer driver. I've been operating this way for years with no trouble. Dennis McGrath ________________________________________ From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of Emmitt Dove Sent: Tuesday, November 30, 2010 2:40 PM To: RBASE-L Mailing List Subject: [RBASE-L] - Re: Printing to an Okidata printer Dennis, I've found that if I want to send the escape sequences to the printer from R:BASE for DOS and not have the Windows spooler get in the way I need to use a GENERIC TEXT Windows printer driver. That way, Windows leaves the data stream alone and the proper results are obtained. Otherwise Windows will start stripping off all those escape sequences that do not make sense in a Windows environment. This has also proven to be true when sending Datamax code to a label printer. Emmitt Dove Converting Systems Architect Evergreen Packaging, Inc. [email protected] (203) 214-5683 m (203) 643-8022 o (203) 643-8086 f [email protected] From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of Dennis McGrath Sent: Tuesday, November 30, 2010 14:55 To: RBASE-L Mailing List Subject: [RBASE-L] - Re: Printing to an Okidata printer RBASE for DOS does not use any driver. The PRD file just defines escape sequences to tell the printer what to do. Everything is a text stream going to the printer. The DOS program has to know how to talk to the printer in the dialect it is expecting. Windows printing, on the other hand, relies on the printer driver to know how to talk to the printer. Usually it is not a text stream that is going to the printer, it is binary data. RBASE for windows does not use the PRD file. You have to read the instructions that come with the printer driver, or guess based on options presented. See if there is an emulation setting in the driver (printer properties/preferences) and if so, make the emulation in the drive match the emulation the printer is using. It may just be a whole lot easier and cheaper to buy a separate printer for windows printing. Dennis McGrath ________________________________________ From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of Emmitt Dove Sent: Tuesday, November 30, 2010 12:59 PM To: RBASE-L Mailing List Subject: [RBASE-L] - Re: Printing to an Okidata printer No, the Windows driver doesn't change settings on the printer. It just occurred to me that using an Okidata driver with Proprinter emulation may be a problem. The one place we used an Okidata until recently we used a Generic Text driver and only printed from R:BASE for DOS with the printer set in Proprinter emulation and the IBM.PRD. Emmitt Dove Converting Systems Architect Evergreen Packaging, Inc. [email protected] (203) 214-5683 m (203) 643-8022 o (203) 643-8086 f [email protected] From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of [email protected] Sent: Tuesday, November 30, 2010 13:53 To: RBASE-L Mailing List Subject: [RBASE-L] - Re: Printing to an Okidata printer Now, if I update the windows driver for this printer, it won't change anything in the printer such as its emulation, will it? The printer will still be used by other RBase DOS printing programs until we get them all converted, so I don't want to mess around with whatever emulation might be already defaulted. BTW: the client (a knowledgeable guy), claims that he "just installed a new driver", tried to print a test page and got garbage and form feeds. Karen Also determine whether the Okidata is set to operate in IBM Proprinter emulation. With that, Okidata drivers for Windows and the IBM.PRD you should be fine.
