Printing - Port Capture of LPT1

[Donald Campbell]

Need to run an old MS/DOS program that prints directly to LPT1 port

Trying to upgrade an old Windows2000 system and I have an issue with an
old MS/DOS application that writes direct to the LPT1 or LPT2 device.

Win98 and Win2000 had "port capture" that would intercept the direct
printing and allow you to push it to a network printer on another PC.

Is there a way of doing this in XP Pro ?

Thanks


BR
Don C

[Bob I]

See NET USE in Help.

NET USE LPT1 \\servername\printername

Post by Donald Campbell
Need to run an old MS/DOS program that prints directly to LPT1 port
Trying to upgrade an old Windows2000 system and I have an issue with an
old MS/DOS application that writes direct to the LPT1 or LPT2 device.
Win98 and Win2000 had "port capture" that would intercept the direct
printing and allow you to push it to a network printer on another PC.
Is there a way of doing this in XP Pro ?
Thanks
BR
Don C

[HeyBub]

Post by Donald Campbell
Need to run an old MS/DOS program that prints directly to LPT1 port
Trying to upgrade an old Windows2000 system and I have an issue with
an old MS/DOS application that writes direct to the LPT1 or LPT2
device.
Win98 and Win2000 had "port capture" that would intercept the direct
printing and allow you to push it to a network printer on another PC.
Is there a way of doing this in XP Pro ?
Thanks

Yes. Two ways that I know of.

1. Get the program RPV - Report Program Viewer (or similar). This requires
that your old DOS programs be converted to send all their printing to a file
in a directory you specify. Meanwhile RPV is looping looking for any file in
that same folder. When RPV finds a file, it does a file-to-print dance using
any printer you desire.

2. Visit
http://members.shaw.ca/bsanders/printfromdos.htm

This technique maps the local printer to a network printer (which happens to
be on the same machine). Essentially:
1. Open printer's PROPERTY page
2. Select SHARING tab
3. Select SHARE THIS PRINTER
4. Supply a name for this printer (short, no spaces). This is the
printersharename below
5. Select OK
6. From a command prompt, enter

net use lpt1: \\computername\printersharename /persistent:yes

Hope this helps.

2.

[Donald Campbell]

Post by HeyBub

Post by Donald Campbell
Need to run an old MS/DOS program that prints directly to LPT1 port
Trying to upgrade an old Windows2000 system and I have an issue with
an old MS/DOS application that writes direct to the LPT1 or LPT2
device.
Win98 and Win2000 had "port capture" that would intercept the direct
printing and allow you to push it to a network printer on another PC.
Is there a way of doing this in XP Pro ?
Thanks

Yes. Two ways that I know of.
1. Get the program RPV - Report Program Viewer (or similar). This requires
that your old DOS programs be converted to send all their printing to a file
in a directory you specify. Meanwhile RPV is looping looking for any file in
that same folder. When RPV finds a file, it does a file-to-print dance using
any printer you desire.
2. Visit
http://members.shaw.ca/bsanders/printfromdos.htm
This technique maps the local printer to a network printer (which happens to
1. Open printer's PROPERTY page
2. Select SHARING tab
3. Select SHARE THIS PRINTER
4. Supply a name for this printer (short, no spaces). This is the
printersharename below
5. Select OK
6. From a command prompt, enter
net use lpt1: \\computername\printersharename /persistent:yes
Hope this helps.
2.

Thanks for that. The net use seems to do the trick.

BR
Don C

[Sinbad The Sailor]

Good answer.

Post by HeyBub

Post by Donald Campbell
Need to run an old MS/DOS program that prints directly to LPT1 port
Trying to upgrade an old Windows2000 system and I have an issue with
an old MS/DOS application that writes direct to the LPT1 or LPT2
device.
Win98 and Win2000 had "port capture" that would intercept the direct
printing and allow you to push it to a network printer on another PC.
Is there a way of doing this in XP Pro ?
Thanks

Yes. Two ways that I know of.
1. Get the program RPV - Report Program Viewer (or similar). This requires
that your old DOS programs be converted to send all their printing to a file
in a directory you specify. Meanwhile RPV is looping looking for any file in
that same folder. When RPV finds a file, it does a file-to-print dance using
any printer you desire.
2. Visit
http://members.shaw.ca/bsanders/printfromdos.htm
This technique maps the local printer to a network printer (which happens to
1. Open printer's PROPERTY page
2. Select SHARING tab
3. Select SHARE THIS PRINTER
4. Supply a name for this printer (short, no spaces). This is the
printersharename below
5. Select OK
6. From a command prompt, enter
net use lpt1: \\computername\printersharename /persistent:yes
Hope this helps.
2.

[Bruce Chambers]

Post by Donald Campbell
Need to run an old MS/DOS program that prints directly to LPT1 port
Trying to upgrade an old Windows2000 system and I have an issue with an
old MS/DOS application that writes direct to the LPT1 or LPT2 device.
Win98 and Win2000 had "port capture" that would intercept the direct
printing and allow you to push it to a network printer on another PC.
Is there a way of doing this in XP Pro ?
Thanks
BR
Don C

Create a network share for the printer (This can be done even if
your PC is the only member of its workgroup), and then use the Net Use
command to redirect the DOS output. For example:

NET USE LPT1 \\ComputerName\PrinterShareName /PERSISTENT:YES
--
Bruce Chambers

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