[karlmoll]

I have an accounting program (DOS but Windows capable) that only prints to an LPT port. Now that printers only have USB ports I can no longer print. Is there a program that will redirect my LPT1 output to the USB printer? Help please.

[loserOlimbs]

You might get give us the name of this program so we can try to help a little more.

[karlmoll]

"Bottom Line Accounting", although I'm sure you never heard of it. Its pretty obscure. Unfortunately I've used it for years and dread having to enter all the data into a new program.

[StumpedTechy]

Try this trick out - you install the USB printer and then capture the LPT port in the command prompt effectively making your USB printer into a dual USB and LPT printer.

http://www.decompile.com/dataflex/tips/usb_printer.htm

[karlmoll]

Sounds great but how do I "capture the LPT port in the command prompt" thanks.

[StumpedTechy]

Did you read the link I provided? It has the entire set of steps, if your stuck on one step in there let me know.

[karlmoll]

I can also ship it to a COM port

[GCDude]

another suggestion to add to stumpedtechies, is to have a google for "redmon". i looked at this a while back and im sure u can use this (or a related util) to redirect print jobs from lpt1 to a file or another port.

[karlmoll]

Well, I used the method described in

http://www.decompile.com/dataflex/tips/usb_printer.htm

and it worked great. Thanks so much StumpedTechy.

Now a related issue. While the program now sends all my LPT2 output to the USB printer port (which is great as it is), my escape codes for controlling text size, orientation and formatting are printing at the top of the page rather than being interpreted as printer commands ( for example \027E\027&160F). Any ideas?

[StumpedTechy]

Sorry this is where you have me stumped. If you leave it standard formatting does it print just fine or does this also have symbols at the top of the page?

[karlmoll]

The program provides a place where PCL5 codes can be entered to set up the printing the way the user wishes. I can strip out the PCL5 commands and they no longer print. So yes, if I use standard formatting there are no symbols printed.

But, I want the codes interpreted by the printer as escape sequences and used to adjust the printing parameters.

[StumpedTechy]

Strange PCL5 should be PCL5 regardless of if its USB or parallel.... I;ll have to look into it.

[karlmoll]

I'd really appreciate it if you could. Thanks.