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Manually installing a printer driver?

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    Manually installing a printer driver?

    Our app reguires that the built in Windows 98
    Generic/Text Only printer driver be installed. We then have our customers go into the printer properties, go to the Device Options tab, and then manually add some commands that we supply in the Begin print job and End print job option boxes that end up kicking a cash drawer and add a couple of line feeds. This is very difficult for some new computer users to accomplish. What I would like to do is set up the printer driver on my system and then be able to install it, ready to go during our applictaion installation. The problem is I can't find the file or files necessary in my system to put into our installation. Anyone know what files are needed to get the driver as it stands in my system into the next guys? I'm using Install Shield so I do have the option to write lines to the reg, autoexec.bat and config.sys.
    Thanks,
    Jeff

    #2
    RE: Manually installing a printer driver?

    PMFJI, but I've often wondered where any driver is installed on the system. For example, where are modem drivers kept, video drivers, printer drivers, etc. I can never find them.

    Comment


      #3
      RE: Manually installing a printer driver?

      Jeff:

      open My Computer icon. Select Printers. Add a printer.
      Select generic.

      this should create the Generic/Text printer on the pc.

      good luck

      bob adler

      Comment


        #4
        RE: Manually installing a printer driver?

        You might want to find one of the utilities that tracks ALL changes to the registry and and tracks any changes in file locations, then run that while you install the generic text only print driver and configure it the way you want. Then read back the information generated and figure out a way to automate the process.

        Comment


          #5
          RE: Manually installing a printer driver?

          Bob, I'm trying to install the driver with modifcations I have made to it during my app installation so the customer does not have to do it.
          Jeff

          Comment


            #6
            RE: Manually installing a printer driver?

            Hi Jeff,

            This is off of your original subject, but I understand that you have developed an app that prints bar code labels and reads them. How can I learn from you what is involved to add this capability to my product inventory applicatation?

            Thank you for reading,
            Ed Schulz,
            Edwards Consulting

            Comment


              #7
              RE: Manually installing a printer driver?

              Jeff:
              Just select the printer for the report before the save. It should then be aprt of the system. I am not aware of any ability to change printers on the fly.

              bob adler

              Comment


                #8
                RE: Manually installing a printer driver?

                Jeff,

                I just checked my system . My computer is set up for hp4000, and hp710. I went to explorer and went to windows folder and it appears the drivers for printers are in this folder. you may have to play around to get all the driver files and then on your clients computers install the printer and then over write the files with your copied files. This would enable the registry to be set for the computer while installing your specific code.
                I don't know why but many drivers are found in c:windowssystem32drivers while the printer drivers appear to be in just the windows folder.
                Good luck and please let me know if I am way off base. I am Irish and ever since we had the recipe for good beer stolen from us nothing much hurts our feelings

                Bob Sullivan

                Comment


                  #9
                  RE: Manually installing a printer driver?

                  Hi all,

                  I have a small fact to add.

                  One of the techs here at the College ran one of those programs which track registry changes while they installed a printer driver. The log showed many, many changes to the registry. It is apparent that wherever the driver files are, there is much going on elsewhere.

                  Is it not possible that an install program could take control of the OS and make these changes?

                  Bill
                  Bill Hanigsberg

                  Comment


                    #10
                    RE: Manually installing a printer driver?

                    Another approach might be to use one of the many macro recorders sold (or free) for windows. If you can record a macro to an .exe or .bat you could include it as part of your install routine and have the macro make the changes to the existing printer drivers.

                    Russ

                    Comment


                      #11
                      RE: Manually installing a printer driver?

                      Hi Bill, Yes, I can make any changes needed if I knew what they were. Do you by any chance have a log of the changes made during the installation?
                      Jeff

                      Comment


                        #12
                        RE: Manually installing a printer driver?

                        Hi Russ, This also sounds do-able. Can you recommend a recorder that might fit the bill?
                        Jeff

                        Comment


                          #13
                          RE: Manually installing a printer driver?

                          The guy who performed the trick left for Europe a couple of days ago. I'll ask him in 3 weeks when he returns.

                          I fear the changes may be driver specific.

                          Bill
                          Bill Hanigsberg

                          Comment


                            #14
                            RE: Manually installing a printer driver?

                            Jeff,
                            Check out a p[rogram called Visual Dialog Script. It's king of like a powereful batch file program for WIN-9X. I don't know if it will do what you want, but you can downlaod a working copy at:

                            http://www.dialogscript.com/

                            Peter
                            Peter
                            AlphaBase Solutions, LLC

                            [email protected]
                            https://www.alphabasesolutions.com


                            Comment


                              #15
                              RE: Manually installing a printer driver?

                              that's "kind", not "king"...
                              Peter
                              AlphaBase Solutions, LLC

                              [email protected]
                              https://www.alphabasesolutions.com


                              Comment

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