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Ver 8 w/ Laptop Parallel Printing

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    Ver 8 w/ Laptop Parallel Printing

    Cannot print to my old Laserjet 4p with my new Dell Inspiron. It doesn't have a Parallel Port so I have a Port Replicator. It works fine with any other Windows XP program, but Version 8 gives a message "can't find Winagent" and crashes.

    This is my first Laptop - Version 8 works fine with all our desktops - 6 on a network.

    #2
    RE: Ver 8 w/ Laptop Parallel Printing

    Tom

    Are you running a4.exe to start a4?
    Al Buchholz
    Bookwood Systems, LTD
    Weekly QReportBuilder Webinars Thursday 1 pm CST

    Occam's Razor - KISS
    Normalize till it hurts - De-normalize till it works.
    Advice offered and questions asked in the spirit of learning how to fish is better than someone giving you a fish.
    When we triage a problem it is much easier to read sample systems than to read a mind.
    "Make it as simple as possible, but not simpler."
    Albert Einstein

    http://www.iadn.com/images/media/iadn_member.png

    Comment


      #3
      RE: Ver 8 w/ Laptop Parallel Printing

      Mr. Bucholz:

      Yes - within "alphastart2.bat:

      a4v8.exe %1 %2 %3 %4 %5
      start winagent "command=quit"

      Thanks for your response

      Tom Drawert

      Comment


        #4
        RE: Ver 8 w/ Laptop Parallel Printing

        Tom

        That is close, but I asked if you are running a4.exe not a4v8.exe

        I've found that a4.exe will start winagent if it's not already running and then take you into the Alpha and your printing will work.

        Using the alpha_start1.bat and alpha_start2.bat was the first way that came out to start the winagent and alpha. A patch came out later that uses a small a4.exe and makes it much simplier.(actully the 7.1 patch, but alpha 4 v 8 follows the same pattern)

        Hope that helps....
        Al Buchholz
        Bookwood Systems, LTD
        Weekly QReportBuilder Webinars Thursday 1 pm CST

        Occam's Razor - KISS
        Normalize till it hurts - De-normalize till it works.
        Advice offered and questions asked in the spirit of learning how to fish is better than someone giving you a fish.
        When we triage a problem it is much easier to read sample systems than to read a mind.
        "Make it as simple as possible, but not simpler."
        Albert Einstein

        http://www.iadn.com/images/media/iadn_member.png

        Comment


          #5
          RE: Ver 8 w/ Laptop Parallel Printing

          I'll try it. Should I leave the Start Winagent "command=quit" syntax in the new batch file?

          Our printing works just fine on attached parallel printers to desktops using the syntax I gave you. It's just the laptop that's giving trouble. The docking station has a parallel port but it redirects to a USB virtual port. Only Windows items will print to that port so far.

          It will be a day or two before I can report back.

          Thank you so much for your rapid responses.

          Tom Drawert

          Comment


            #6
            RE: Ver 8 w/ Laptop Parallel Printing

            Tom

            The beauty of using a4.exe is that you no longer have to start and stop winagent....

            So yes, leave out the calls to winagent (for starting or stopping) in the bat files. You should have one simple bat file that runs a4.exe with the parameters that are desired....
            Al Buchholz
            Bookwood Systems, LTD
            Weekly QReportBuilder Webinars Thursday 1 pm CST

            Occam's Razor - KISS
            Normalize till it hurts - De-normalize till it works.
            Advice offered and questions asked in the spirit of learning how to fish is better than someone giving you a fish.
            When we triage a problem it is much easier to read sample systems than to read a mind.
            "Make it as simple as possible, but not simpler."
            Albert Einstein

            http://www.iadn.com/images/media/iadn_member.png

            Comment


              #7
              RE: Ver 8 w/ Laptop Parallel Printing

              Thanks. I'll report back after Hurricane Rita is over.

              Comment


                #8
                RE: Ver 8 w/ Laptop Parallel Printing

                Tom

                Stay dry and safe.....
                Al Buchholz
                Bookwood Systems, LTD
                Weekly QReportBuilder Webinars Thursday 1 pm CST

                Occam's Razor - KISS
                Normalize till it hurts - De-normalize till it works.
                Advice offered and questions asked in the spirit of learning how to fish is better than someone giving you a fish.
                When we triage a problem it is much easier to read sample systems than to read a mind.
                "Make it as simple as possible, but not simpler."
                Albert Einstein

                http://www.iadn.com/images/media/iadn_member.png

                Comment


                  #9
                  Laptop Parallel Printing

                  Mr. Bucholz:

                  Partial success.

                  I made a Windows Printer Definition within Alpha. It connects to the Laserjet 4P (copy2) which has a USB port definition. Then made a DOS printer definition pointing to Laserjet 4p copy2.

                  I can print my simple report. However it has no formatting and I can't put any formatting in the DOS definition that works on the output.

                  If I point the report to the previously defined DOS Laserjet 4 with LPT 1, Alpha crashes. Before I put a copy of Winagent.exe in the folder where the report resides, It said "Can't find Winagent".

                  Do you have any more suggestions?

                  Comment


                    #10
                    Solution to USB printing in AlphaFour

                    Using Windows 2000, AlphaFour V8, and loading a4.exe NOT a4v8.exe, I was able to print forms and letters using a brand new Dell 1700 printer connected via USB cable.

                    1. Properly install printer in Windows using USB connection.
                    2. Start AlphaFourV8 using a4.exe so Winagent must be running.
                    3. You may need to reselect the printer within each form and letter to be printed.

                    Contact me at [email protected] for more details.

                    Comment


                      #11
                      Thanks. I've got A4V8 installed as you suggest. The problem has do to with my existing printer(s) which are all parallel connected. No docking station or "USB to Parallel" connecter will allow these printers to work, and there is NO solution to be found.

                      The other issue not solved is that Typeset Mode doesn't work with any USB printer.

                      Appreciate your interest.

                      Comment


                        #12
                        Tom

                        1. Contact Linksys directly and ask them about a solution to network a parallel printer. I have a printer server device that they used to make that does that. I think they have a combination of 2 devices that can accomplish that now.

                        2. Typeset printing - per the A4 documentation - won't work over the windows printers using the a4.exe method.

                        I believe that you can configure a local printer and then direct it's output to another printer with the net use command. Open a cmd window and type net ? or net use ? or find other references on this board.
                        Al Buchholz
                        Bookwood Systems, LTD
                        Weekly QReportBuilder Webinars Thursday 1 pm CST

                        Occam's Razor - KISS
                        Normalize till it hurts - De-normalize till it works.
                        Advice offered and questions asked in the spirit of learning how to fish is better than someone giving you a fish.
                        When we triage a problem it is much easier to read sample systems than to read a mind.
                        "Make it as simple as possible, but not simpler."
                        Albert Einstein

                        http://www.iadn.com/images/media/iadn_member.png

                        Comment


                          #13
                          Printing with USB printer and a laptop in A4V8

                          Tom / Al,

                          I am unclear if Tom has an issue with USB printing. As I read his last post, it appears to be an issue with a laptop and a parallel connected printer, but he is trying to use typeset mode. Is this correct?

                          For clarification, I am using a Toshiba Tecra 8200, Windows 2000, and printing forms, reports and letters from an AlphaFourV8 application without issue from a Dell 1700 printer connected via a USB cable.

                          If I can be of any assistance to Tom or anyone else, please post a reply.

                          Regards,

                          Steve

                          Comment


                            #14
                            Mr. Bucholz:

                            Not sure what networking or redirecting from one printer to another will do for me. The fundamental difficulty is with any USB printer and A4V8 reports using Typeset mode. I have learned to make fundamental reports with limited layouts on a USB printer, but that won't replace the countless hours in creating Typset forms.

                            Paralellel printers, at least of the LJ4-6 family, will run Typeset reports in Version 8, just as in Version 4 when Typseset appeared.

                            Tom

                            Comment


                              #15
                              Sharshbe:

                              When you refer to forms, reports, and letters, you don't mean in Alpha's Typeset Mode, do you? See Al's previous response - Typeset just doesn't work with USB printers.

                              I'd be interested what fonts and layouts are available to you as native Alpha only configures older printer, allowing PCL command changes for alteration from Courier fonts.

                              Tom

                              Comment

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