DOS printing to USB device

[BillPedersen]

Well, the newer systems do not have parallel ports. So have installed a USB to parallel converter...

Only problem now is how to connect from a DOS VMware machine using Workstation 7 to the HOST USB printer.

Virtual Printer - no VMware Tools for DOS

Parallel goes to file or PHYSICAL parallel port.

Serial goes to file or PHYSICAL serial port

Any suggestions are welcome. One obvious one is to add a parallel port...Well, IF it is the ONLY solution...

Thanks,

Bill.

[continuum]

does DOS allow to use network printers ? - if yes - thats what I would try

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VMX-parameters- VMware-liveCD - VM-Sickbay

[BillPedersen]

The Novell server is not set up with any printers so I can not CAPTURE a printer. Also there is no LANMAN support in the environment so I can not do a NET USE lpt1 sort of command.

Have tried a couple utilities which are SUPPOSED to take over LPT1 or similar and redirect the output to USB printers... Well, no luck here either - not enough testing I suspect and so what worked on or two places on "real" PCs does not seem to like the VMware Virtural USB environment.

Oh, well, if nothing else I will order PCI to Parallel adapters... THAT SHOULD WORK!

[continuum]

PCI to Parallel adapters do NOT work in my experience

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VMX-parameters- VMware-liveCD - VM-Sickbay

[BillPedersen]

Well, if the PCI/Parallel port interface cards do not solve the problem them I am pretty much SOL.

It surprises me that no one has created an application to take the output from a named pipe and redirect it to a printer. I have seen this problem discused in many different forums about VMware and well as MS Virtual PC. Both have the ability to direct the output to a named pipe but neither offered the solution that many need.

Oh, well...

[BillPedersen]

Ok, I have installed a PCI/Parallel port interface. It comes up as LPT1 under VISTA.

When I try to connect to it from VMware 7 it comes up with

"Cannot open VMparport driver for LPT1: The operation completed successfully

Virtual device parallel0 will start disconnected."

I did a repair of my install of VMware after installing the parallel port as I had found that suggestion earlier.

The VMware.log is attached.

[BillPedersen]

Well, on yet another tack... I got this software to work, at least from the command line...

ok, that got me moving forward. I can print using a comand like TYPE AUTOEXEC.BAT > LPT1:.

Now I see to be having a problem with the application running. When I try to print from the application then I get "Printer not available" with Cancel, Retry, Ignore... If I cancel it tells me the status was "9".

It appears that the application is printing to PRN and I do not have MODE to allow redirection... They stripped the DOS on this environment so I will see what I can do to find a solution...

Of course if someone can come up with a solution using the PCI/Parallel interfaces - like pointing to a way to get the connection.... Then that would work.

Thanks,

Bill.

[BillPedersen]

Well, not really through NET with DOS but NET with Vista we are getting closer.

If I share the USB printer on the host so it is
host\usbprn and then using the VMware Parallel Port adapter but direct the output to the printer as a FILE then it will print.

I am still left with a problem in that this only works if the printer is SPOOLED. Direct printing is not supported.

Then I am left with the issue of a print buffer not being flushed from the file until there is either a FORM FEED or the virtual machine is powered off.

Any suggestions to get these last issues resolved would be appreciated.

Thanks,

Bill.

[continuum]

sorry this printing issues are over my head ...

but I see you have

parallel0.bidirectional = FALSE

in the vmx-file. Is this good for a printer ?

Did you try with "true" ?

Also I believe you must be administrator and use "run as administrator" on Vista to use a parallel port for a VM

before starting the VM open a cmd and try

net start vmparport

what does it say ?

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VMX-parameters- VMware-liveCD - VM-Sickbay

[BillPedersen]

Ok, which configuration? I am assuming with the PCI/Parallel interface. I can see about set this but. As I have moved forward with implementation of the new application with minimal support for the old application on the new systems. They can query and run the appl but no printing.

IF I can find a solution to the printing issue then all will be more more comfortable. But other than that there is no really issue here.

Thanks for the suggestion. Once I find some time I will see about getting this tested a bit more.

Bill.

[fducloux]

hi Bill,

I kinda find myself in with the same problem you are. I've tested different hardware, and direct printing Parallel or Serial ports works fine, but now i need to use the Virtual Printer driver for USB printers, and as you stated before there's no VMware tools for DOS..

I was wondering if you find a solution for this problem?

Thanks