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A4V3 on new XP laptop: Reports not printing - required settings?

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    #1

    A4V3 on new XP laptop: Reports not printing - required settings?

    Hello!

    Problem:
    I have just migrated my very old version of A4V3, from a Windows 98 PC, to a new Windows XP ('downgraded from Vista') laptop, but can't seem to get my pre-existing reports to print (they did print successfully from the PC).

    Future:
    As I have installed the A4V3 package on the new laptop, I WILL be doing the Alpha upgrade (to a much newer version of Alpha), but I am trying to save my data/reports along the way (through other forum topics, I believe I will have to rebuild the reports but this will take some time and effort and will not happen in the short term). In the meantime, if I can get A4V3 to print, from XP to my HP printer (details below), this buys me some extra time.

    Details:
    I installed (from original diskette) the A4V3 package, onto the laptop, taking all the same 'install' defaults I did when I installed A4V3 on the PC (way back when). The install went fine and I renamed the C:\ALPHA4V3 directory, to 'get it out of the way.'
    I copied the C:\ALPHA4V3 directory from the PC (with all my data), to the laptop, and placed it back into C: .
    A4V3 ran perfectly (on the laptop), with all my data there. I added new records and all was fine. The reports will run, going to 'Screen' mode but when I tried to send the reports to the 'printer,' though, the reports would not print.

    I am using my older HP LaserJet 4P (that was originally being used with the PC - A4V3 was using the 'parallel' port). We have connected the 4P to the laptop, found the required drivers for XP, and successfully printed XL spreadsheets, Word docs, e-mail messages, etc. from the laptop. We believe the printer 'talks' to the laptop OK (on the 'parallel' port).

    In A4V3, to check the printer configuration:
    Alpha Four Main Menu
    Other
    Configuration
    Printer configuration
    Create/Edit Printer Configuration

    A..HP LASERJET III/IV
    The printer configuration that was copied from the PC had the 'Printer port' set to LPT1: (there are 5 choices LPT1, LPT2, LPT3, COM1 COM2)

    Tests:
    With 'Printer port' set to LPT1:, when I tried to print, I got the error:

    Error writing to the printer.
    Check your printer and the printer driver.

    With 'Printer port' set to LPT2:, the report got further: you could see the 'status' of the report
    Records Pre-processed:
    Records Printed:
    but it would not come out on the printer.

    With 'Printer port' set to LPT3: , same results as with LPT2: records were being processed but nothing came out on the printer.

    With 'Printer port' set to COM1: , A4V3 asks for the 'Serial Port Setup' details. I tried Baud Rate, Parity, Data Bits, Stop Bits (that all it asked for) as 9600,None,8,1.

    When I ran the report, I got the error:

    Error writing to the printer.
    Check your printer and the printer driver.

    With 'Printer port' set to COM2: , A4V3 asks for the 'Serial Port Setup' details. I tried Baud Rate, Parity, Data Bits, Stop Bits (that's all it asked for) as 9600,None,8,1.

    When I ran the report, I got the error:

    Error writing to the printer.
    Check your printer and the printer driver.

    With 'Printer port' set to COM2: , A4V3 asks for the 'Serial Port Setup' details. I tried Baud Rate, Parity, Data Bits, Stop Bits (that's all it asked for) as 9600,Even,7,1.

    When I ran the report, I got the error:

    Error writing to the printer.
    Check your printer and the printer driver.

    The HP LaserJet 4 also has a Serial Port so I bought a USB to 9-pin serial cable (had to load new drivers for the "Prolific USB-to-Serial Bridge") and tried all the same tests. Same results.

    When I loaded the drivers for the HP LaserJet 4P (from XP to the serial port), an entry was created in the hardware device manger, of Windows XP, under the 'Ports' area (entry was named 'Prolific USB-to-Serial Bridge (COM5)). I tried changing the COM5 to COM1 or COM2 but nothing seemed to help (re-ran the tests).

    In all of these tests, I am not 100% sure I had all the combinations correct as I am not too much of a PC techie (IBM mid-range systems is my background). I truly believe, though, that I should be able to get A4V3 talking to the HP LaserJet 4P, from the XP on the laptop.

    Any ideas? I thank you, in advance, for any help you can provide. I know I am really far behind in what Alpha provides but I will catch up eventually. If I can just get over this last 'printing' hump.

    Today is Sunday, July 19. I will be out of the office from tomorrow (July 20), returning Friday, August 7th. If there are any replies to this topic in that time, I will not be able to respond until August 7th or later.

    Thanks and have a great day!

    Dan.
    Tags: None
    #2
    Re: A4V3 on new XP laptop: Reports not printing - required settings?

    Dan,
    First, I do not have any Alpha4 versions....but have read that Alpha 4 would have to be run in compatibility mode if at all as Alpha4 v8 I believe is the first to be XP compatible....which is still available BTW as an upgrade if wanted.

    Do a search on Compatibility Alpha4 and similar and it should steer you right.
    Mike
    __________________________________________
    It is only when we forget all our learning that we begin to know.
    It's not what you look at that matters, it's what you see.
    Henry David Thoreau
    __________________________________________



    Comment

      #3
      Re: A4V3 on new XP laptop: Reports not printing - required settings?

      Mike, howdy!

      Thanks for your quick response and your insights.

      We do have the 'Run this program in compatability mode for:' set to 'Windows 98 / Windows ME,' for the A4V3 package. We can run the A4V3 package no problem but just can't get the reports to spit out. Seems to be a trick in finding the right combinations of ports, etc., for XP to talk to the printer, through A4V3.

      I have googled 'Compatibility Alpha4' (and similar topics) and most of the info coming back is from the Alpha forum (some pretty good answers). I will continue searching. I am hoping there is someone out there who has done the exact same swap over, with A4V3ish to XP and tried to print on older HP hardware.

      Thanks, Mike - have a great day!

      Dan.

      Comment

        #4
        Re: A4V3 on new XP laptop: Reports not printing - required settings?

        Dan, I would backup often and keep several versions. v3 is not supported on XP and it will appear to work but corruption is only a mater of time and I do not believe setting in compatibility mode will save you.

        As for printing there are several threads in the forums. This one applies to v8 but will work for v3 as well.
        Dave

        Comment

          #5
          Re: A4V3 on new XP laptop: Reports not printing - required settings?

          Dave, howdy!

          Thanks for the reply - sorry for taking so long getting back to you (away on holidays for the last couple of weeks).

          I think, based on your response (and lots of others saying the same thing), that I will 'rebuild' all my reports, etc., using a new version of the software, and then just import the old data. That way, I can use all the new stuff (software, drivers, printers, etc.).

          Have a great day, Dave!

          Dan.

          Comment

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