PB-DOS in Win XP? Not for me.\!

Discussion:

(too old to reply)

m***@hotmail.com.CUT

2006-07-24 19:43:26 UTC

I have a new Acer TravelMate 8100 laptop
which came with Win XP-Pro installed --- no
copies of loaded software were provided.
I also have PB-DOS 3.2 which has been installed
on an Win ME desktop computer. There I developed
a program which runs well from the editor-F9 --
and the compiled executable runs as well.
I installed PB-DODS 3.2 on the new laptop.
I can open the editor, open, write and edit
programs there. But, an attempt to run( using F9)
or compile a program results in a blank DOD
window with no subsequent action.
Furthermore, the compiled executable program
won't run on the Win XP machine either.
HELP! I know others claim PB-DOS works in
Win XP-Pro but it sure doesn't for me.
Any ideas??? Thanks.

earthing

2006-07-25 03:17:35 UTC

Permalink

Post by m***@hotmail.com.CUT
I have a new Acer TravelMate 8100 laptop
which came with Win XP-Pro installed --- no
copies of loaded software were provided.
I also have PB-DOS 3.2 which has been installed
on an Win ME desktop computer. There I developed
a program which runs well from the editor-F9 --
and the compiled executable runs as well.
I installed PB-DODS 3.2 on the new laptop.
I can open the editor, open, write and edit
programs there. But, an attempt to run( using F9)
or compile a program results in a blank DOD
window with no subsequent action.
Furthermore, the compiled executable program
won't run on the Win XP machine either.
HELP! I know others claim PB-DOS works in
Win XP-Pro but it sure doesn't for me.
Any ideas??? Thanks.

have you done a windows update, maybe one of the updates
addresses this issue?

m***@hotmail.com.CUT

2006-07-25 14:07:44 UTC

Permalink

Post by earthing

have you done a windows update, maybe one of the updates
addresses this issue?

I have auto updates and frequently get iupdates and install them

Bob Coleman/PDX OR

2006-07-25 05:55:30 UTC

Permalink

Try this:
http://www.microsoft.com/windows/virtualpc/default.mspx

Microsoft has released VirtualPC 2004 for free. You should be able to run
older programs there.

-Bob Coleman/PDX OR

Dominic Sexton

2006-07-25 14:53:47 UTC

Permalink

Are you logged in as a user with administrative privileges? That may
help.

It sounds like something has locked down or interfered with the
capabilities on the DOS sessions if you can't even change directory in
DOS as indicated in your other post. I very much doubt that this has
anything to do with PB - sort the DOS problems out and I expect PB will
work fine.

--
Dominic Sexton

m***@hotmail.com.CUT

2006-07-26 14:09:54 UTC

Permalink

On Tue, 25 Jul 2006 15:53:47 +0100, Dominic Sexton

Post by Dominic Sexton
Are you logged in as a user with administrative privileges? That may
help.
It sounds like something has locked down or interfered with the
capabilities on the DOS sessions if you can't even change directory in
DOS as indicated in your other post. I very much doubt that this has
anything to do with PB - sort the DOS problems out and I expect PB will
work fine.

I'm the only user and yes I'm the administrator.
It IS an XP/DOS problem --- the program is question runs on
others' XP machines and on my Win ME machine.
I've also tried calling COMMAND first and treating it like a DOS
machine --but the program still refses to run. But at least I could
change directories, run DIR, etc.
Is there a way to get Microsoft assistance???

L***@its.invalid

2006-07-26 15:01:14 UTC

Permalink

Post by m***@hotmail.com.CUT
On Tue, 25 Jul 2006 15:53:47 +0100, Dominic Sexton

Not really but there are msdos groups.

Lou

TimG

2006-07-28 03:05:52 UTC

Permalink

Have you looked in the event monitor and see if there are any error
messages?

Post by m***@hotmail.com.CUT
On Tue, 25 Jul 2006 15:53:47 +0100, Dominic Sexton

Martin@no_email

2006-08-03 13:05:58 UTC

Permalink

Below is the text from "Get Info" under the Compile menu option. This
is PB 3.50 running on Win XP Pro SP2 with 1GB main memory. NONAME.BAS
is "print "Hello World!"" (exciting, eh?).

Assuming version 3.2 has this option, how does your display compare?

Compile Information

Source file: C:\PB35\NONAME.BAS --> MEM

Lines: 1 Time: 00:00.1

Stmts: 3 1800 stmts/minute

Code: 304 IDE memory available: 194240
Data: 2864 IDE required to exec: 50448
Stack: 2048 EXE file size: ---
EXE memory image: ---
Main: 128k
Ems: 0k Total compiler memory: 1040k
Xms: 912k Free compiler memory: 1024k

Segments(1): 1k

m***@hotmail.com.CUT

2006-08-03 14:07:53 UTC

Permalink

On 3 Aug 2006 06:05:58 -0700, "***@no_email" <***@kc.rr.com>
wrote:

I have XP Pro with 1 GB Ram. BUT, it's a laptop with no parallel
port so, as I've found out, with no help here, that PB Dos 3.2
has no capability to print to a USB printer --LPRINT command
prints only to LPT port requiring a parallel port rinter.
I've heard that Ver. 3.5 has added a USB print command in
addition to the LPRINT command.

Post by ***@no_email

Post by m***@hotmail.com.CUT
I installed PB-DODS 3.2 on the new laptop.
I can open the editor, open, write and edit
programs there. But, an attempt to run( using F9)
or compile a program results in a blank DOD
window with no subsequent action.
Any ideas??? Thanks.

Below is the text from "Get Info" under the Compile menu option. This
is PB 3.50 running on Win XP Pro SP2 with 1GB main memory. NONAME.BAS
is "print "Hello World!"" (exciting, eh?).
Assuming version 3.2 has this option, how does your display compare?
Compile Information
Source file: C:\PB35\NONAME.BAS --> MEM
Lines: 1 Time: 00:00.1
Stmts: 3 1800 stmts/minute
Code: 304 IDE memory available: 194240
Data: 2864 IDE required to exec: 50448
Stack: 2048 EXE file size: ---
EXE memory image: ---
Main: 128k
Ems: 0k Total compiler memory: 1040k
Xms: 912k Free compiler memory: 1024k
Segments(1): 1k

Martin@no_email

2006-08-03 14:51:53 UTC

Permalink

Post by m***@hotmail.com.CUT
I have XP Pro with 1 GB Ram. BUT, it's a laptop with no parallel
port so, as I've found out, with no help here, that PB Dos 3.2
has no capability to print to a USB printer --LPRINT command
prints only to LPT port requiring a parallel port rinter.
I've heard that Ver. 3.5 has added a USB print command in
addition to the LPRINT command.

How did LPRINT enter the picture??

Is your memory config similar to what I posted?? Anything
significantly different??

Martin

m***@hotmail.com.CUT

2006-08-04 14:24:45 UTC

Permalink

Post by ***@no_email

How did LPRINT enter the picture??

My original problem!
Becsuse NO PB DOs program with LPRINT command would run on
my XP Pro (1GB RAM) machine. They lock up the computer.

Post by ***@no_email
Is your memory config similar to what I posted?? Anything
significantly different??
Martin

James Beck

2006-08-03 15:39:24 UTC

Permalink

If you want to redirect an LPT (real or virtual) to a USB printer you
have to use a round about method.
1) Make sure you have the XP networking configured
If you can connect to the net you are probably good to go
2) Make sure printer is connected and working.
3) Share that printer using an easy to remember name like "lprinter"
4) In your command prompt window BEFORE you start your PB-DOS program
type in the following (or better yet add it to a startup batch file):

(This is suppose to be one line)
net use LPT1: \\<your computers net name>\<printer shared name>
/persistent:yes

where <your computers net name> is the name found under my
computer/computer name

<printer shared name> is the easy to remember name you shared the USB
printer with

That will cause the network layer of XP to translate between a virtual
LPT1 and a real USB printer.

Belal lehwany

2006-08-09 10:24:00 UTC

Permalink

See www.lpt2usb.com
Belal Lehwany

Post by James Beck

If you want to redirect an LPT (real or virtual) to a USB printer you
have to use a round about method.
1) Make sure you have the XP networking configured
If you can connect to the net you are probably good to go
2) Make sure printer is connected and working.
3) Share that printer using an easy to remember name like "lprinter"
4) In your command prompt window BEFORE you start your PB-DOS program
(This is suppose to be one line)
net use LPT1: \\<your computers net name>\<printer shared name>
/persistent:yes
where <your computers net name> is the name found under my
computer/computer name
<printer shared name> is the easy to remember name you shared the USB
printer with
That will cause the network layer of XP to translate between a virtual
LPT1 and a real USB printer.

James Beck

2006-08-09 14:48:09 UTC

Permalink

Post by Belal lehwany
See www.lpt2usb.com
Belal Lehwany

Yeah, I've looked at some of those half baked products and most of them
only redirect LPT1 (not good if you ATCTUALLY use LPT1 for something) if
they work at all. Just add the NET USE to the beginning of your DOS
program startup batch file and it works. No weird shareware from India
or Russia and so on.

Jim

Post by Belal lehwany

Post by James Beck

If you want to redirect an LPT (real or virtual) to a USB printer you
have to use a round about method.
1) Make sure you have the XP networking configured
If you can connect to the net you are probably good to go
2) Make sure printer is connected and working.
3) Share that printer using an easy to remember name like "lprinter"
4) In your command prompt window BEFORE you start your PB-DOS program
(This is suppose to be one line)
net use LPT1: \\<your computers net name>\<printer shared name>
/persistent:yes
where <your computers net name> is the name found under my
computer/computer name
<printer shared name> is the easy to remember name you shared the USB
printer with
That will cause the network layer of XP to translate between a virtual
LPT1 and a real USB printer.

Tom Lake

2006-08-10 00:23:29 UTC

Permalink

Post by James Beck

Post by Belal lehwany
See www.lpt2usb.com
Belal Lehwany

I still can't get that technique to work with a Winprinter.

Tom Lake

m***@hotmail.com.CUT

2006-08-10 14:00:13 UTC

Permalink

Post by Tom Lake

Post by James Beck

Post by Belal lehwany
See www.lpt2usb.com
Belal Lehwany

I still can't get that technique to work with a Winprinter.
Tom Lake

I've had two or three suggestions that supposedly redirected
LPT request to the windoows only printer ---but so far none have
workes for me!

James Beck

2006-08-10 14:53:07 UTC

Permalink

Post by m***@hotmail.com.CUT

Post by Tom Lake

Post by James Beck

Post by Belal lehwany
See www.lpt2usb.com
Belal Lehwany

I still can't get that technique to work with a Winprinter.
Tom Lake

I've had two or three suggestions that supposedly redirected
LPT request to the windoows only printer ---but so far none have
workes for me!

What did you try?

James Beck

2006-08-10 14:52:06 UTC

Permalink

Post by Tom Lake

Post by James Beck

Post by Belal lehwany
See www.lpt2usb.com
Belal Lehwany

I still can't get that technique to work with a Winprinter.
Tom Lake

What is a Winprinter?

I have used that technique on several different USB laser and inkjet
printers with complete success. In fact I just used that very method to
get an old DOS plotter emulator to work with my USB HP LaserJet 1320tn
AND just for grins I redirected LPT2 to a shared printer on another
computer on the local net and it still works just fine. Maybe this
Winprinter can't print generic ASCII or maybe you are not getting the
syntax of the command right. Show me EXACTLY what you are doing and
maybe I can help.

Jim

Husky

2006-09-16 03:37:09 UTC

Permalink

Post by Belal lehwany
See www.lpt2usb.com
Belal Lehwany

Post by James Beck

If you want to redirect an LPT (real or virtual) to a USB printer you
have to use a round about method.
1) Make sure you have the XP networking configured
If you can connect to the net you are probably good to go
2) Make sure printer is connected and working.
3) Share that printer using an easy to remember name like "lprinter"
4) In your command prompt window BEFORE you start your PB-DOS program
(This is suppose to be one line)
net use LPT1: \\<your computers net name>\<printer shared name>
/persistent:yes
where <your computers net name> is the name found under my
computer/computer name
<printer shared name> is the easy to remember name you shared the USB
printer with
That will cause the network layer of XP to translate between a virtual
LPT1 and a real USB printer.

That assumes your USB printer has its own raster processor. Many USB
printers use the Windoze driver to process the text / truetype to bitmap
and send only the raster bitmap to the printer as a data stream. Since
Windoze is already doing the raster for the WYSIWYG on the display, and
most use TrueType / OpenType / TypeI fonts, this isn't that much
overhead, and saves the printer manufacturer a bundle of money.

Most DOS programs send ASCII text and control codes, usually using the
Epson ESC-P control sequence. Without that driver in the "DOS" layer,
the USB printer sent ASCII will print garbage if anything at all.

James Beck

2006-09-18 14:41:29 UTC

Permalink

In article <FjKOg.733$***@news02.roc.ny>, ***@frontiernet.net
says...

Post by Husky
That assumes your USB printer has its own raster processor. Many USB
printers use the Windoze driver to process the text / truetype to bitmap
and send only the raster bitmap to the printer as a data stream. Since
Windoze is already doing the raster for the WYSIWYG on the display, and
most use TrueType / OpenType / TypeI fonts, this isn't that much
overhead, and saves the printer manufacturer a bundle of money.
Most DOS programs send ASCII text and control codes, usually using the
Epson ESC-P control sequence. Without that driver in the "DOS" layer,
the USB printer sent ASCII will print garbage if anything at all.

What the original poster was trying to do was send LPRINT data out to a
USB printer. If you go back to the beginning and read the entire post
the OP was just trying to print generic ASCII strings, nothing fancy.
So, while your info may be valid, it is not applicable.

Jim

Husky

2006-11-27 03:49:20 UTC

Permalink

Post by James Beck
says...

Been away a while, so this is old, BUT:

Sending ASCII to a printer that doesn't have a raster processor, will
produce garbage. Generic ASCII strings sent to a USB, parallel, serial,
or SCSI printer are still just meaningless data unless the printer can
convert them to something. Most USB printers convert ASCII to individual
dots, not characters. So sending ASCII to a USB printer is like sending
PCL to an Epson FX80. It will just waste paper.

And the original question was about redirecting an LPT: output from LPT1
to USB on a laptop with no available LPT ports. So the above information
still stands. A USB printer may not be able to function with LPRINT
period. See below...

Post by James Beck

Post by Husky
I have XP Pro with 1 GB Ram. BUT, it's a laptop with no parallel
port so, as I've found out, with no help here, that PB Dos 3.2
has no capability to print to a USB printer --LPRINT command
prints only to LPT port requiring a parallel port printer.
I've heard that Ver. 3.5 has added a USB print command in
addition to the LPRINT command.