Old DOS-Based App & Parallel Printer

Qui-Gon John · Post by **Qui-Gon John** » Fri Jan 18, 2008 10:24 am

I have been helping someone who uses an old DOS-based Calendar program, which runs in a DOS Window, his OS is W2000. The program is called CALENDAR and is setup to print to LPT1, connected using the parallel cable to an HP Laserjet II. The printer has been acting up and he'd like to change the program to be able to print to a different printer. But I looked at the printer settings in the program, and the only choices are LPT1, LPT2 or LPT3 or you can also specify "Device or File". But I could not get it to print to his default printer in Windows, a USB connected Brother.

Anyone know how this could be done, to get it to print to the default printer that Windows recognizes?

He has used this program for years and is very reluctant to switch to something newer.

Thanks!!!

greEd · Post by **greEd** » Fri Jan 18, 2008 2:33 pm

You could try sharing the USB printer then using the old command:

Code: Select all

 net use LPT1: \\computer\sharename /persistent:yes

Gawd that command brings back some chilling memories .....

Qui-Gon John · Post by **Qui-Gon John** » Fri Jan 18, 2008 9:32 pm

Thanks, hadn't thought about that angle. And the printer is already shared, so that makes it even easier.

Would I have to do anything to the real LPT1 or would that command supersede any prior setting to the actual parallel port?

Shinobi · Post by **Shinobi** » Sat Jan 19, 2008 1:09 am

greEd wrote:You could try sharing the USB printer then using the old command:
Code: Select all
 net use LPT1: \\computer\sharename /persistent:yes
Gawd that command brings back some chilling memories .....

You can still have a MS Dos Server running

It will show up as a "MS Dos - Peer Network" in Windows 2000

It's good to see you still around greEd

CableDude · Post by **CableDude** » Sat Jan 19, 2008 8:42 am

Paging Norm

Post by **YeOldeStonecat** » Sat Jan 19, 2008 9:40 am

Qui-Gon John wrote:Thanks, hadn't thought about that angle. And the printer is already shared, so that makes it even easier.

Would I have to do anything to the real LPT1 or would that command supersede any prior setting to the actual parallel port?

The "net use LTP1" command will load last..and over ride the local physical port.

To kill it if you decide to switch to local....type command again..but instead of the persistant arguement..use /del or /delete or /d (I think all 3x worked in 2K)...net use ltp1: /delete

greEd · Post by **greEd** » Sat Jan 19, 2008 9:59 am

Shinobi wrote:You can still have a MS Dos Server running
It will show up as a "MS Dos - Peer Network" in Windows 2000

It's good to see you still around greEd

Hey Shinobi

I still lurk around here in my spare time. Work, new baby and the wife occupy everything else. Stay "Happy"

Qui-Gon John · Post by **Qui-Gon John** » Fri Jan 25, 2008 10:58 am

This worked!!!

Although only for 1 shared printer. He has a Brother and an HP as USB Shared Printers. I used the command for the Brother and the print went there but was blank, (I imagine because the old DOS App's HP2's drivers were too different).

Then I tried it to the HP Shared Printer (a Photo-Smart) and it worked fine.

Thanks!!!

YARDofSTUF · Post by **YARDofSTUF** » Fri Jan 25, 2008 12:45 pm

At some point dosbox may do printing as well.

Qui-Gon John · Post by **Qui-Gon John** » Mon Jun 11, 2012 4:09 pm

Hi all, another problem now regarding this same Old DOS-Based Calendar program. This guy apparently lost any old copies of the data file and his data file got corrupted. I have saved the corrupted file, in the meantime we created a new data file, but he's begging to get the old file repaired. He says he has a lot of info in there he can't duplicate elsewise. I've been telling him for years to switch to using Outlook's calendar, (I successfully moved him to Outlook from IncrediMail a few years ago and have been trying to convince him his life would be much easier to just use Outlook's calendar, since he's already familiar with Outlook from working with email. But so far no luck. Then when his file got corrupted I really tried to tell him, it's time now to switch. But he still wanted me to see if I can find any way to repair the old data file. So if anyone has any idea, please let me know.

Post by **YeOldeStonecat** » Mon Jun 11, 2012 6:35 pm

What was that data file hosted on? Just the local hard drive? Which OS?
Certain database software will have their own native "utility" to repair/optimize" the database...even though this DOS app is ancient, is the software company still around to reach out to their support?

Qui-Gon John · Post by **Qui-Gon John** » Sat Jun 16, 2012 9:04 am

Thanks for the reply. I personally think he's out of luck. I looked around in the program and cannot even find a company name to see if they are still around. But when you run it, it makes (if not already there) a file called calendar.fil. In that is all the data, as well as user settings such as colors, printer selected, etc. His original one got corrupt and only one little piece of data showed within the calendar. I copied that file to a safe location, re-opened the program and a new file was created, and he could do everything, of course none of his data was in there.

Shinobi · Post by **Shinobi** » Sat Jun 16, 2012 4:50 pm

Qui-Gon John wrote:Thanks for the reply. I personally think he's out of luck. I looked around in the program and cannot even find a company name to see if they are still around. But when you run it, it makes (if not already there) a file called calendar.fil. In that is all the data, as well as user settings such as colors, printer selected, etc. His original one got corrupt and only one little piece of data showed within the calendar. I copied that file to a safe location, re-opened the program and a new file was created, and he could do everything, of course none of his data was in there.

Hey Hi.. its me again Shinobi your guide in the realm of DOS Dungeons and Dragons

Try this... make a 2nd copy of the for editing. Change that file as a .txt file, open it up. See if you salvage any contact data from the file. May be possible to get something. OR... copy all of the data and paste it into another .txt file. Save it as a .txt file, then rename the .txt file as what ever the old dos calendar software file extension again.