#bridgeboard vs. printer
13 messages in this thread
We are having a problem with our printer when we change to MS-DOS using the
bridgeboard in our Amiga 2000. We are able to print on the Epson FX
printer hard-wired to the parallel port in the Amiga-DOS, so we know the
configuration is correct.
To print a disk directory, we simply enter "dir > par:".
And then the disk directory prints out on the printer. But when we
select the PC Icon and then the PCColor Icon and the MS-DOS loads, we are
unable to then print any text on our printer. Is this because the
config.sys file needs the command "device=c:\dos\printer.sys"?
If so, when we tried this command, we got an error message that our
syntax was incorrect. Soooooo, what did we do wrong? If anybody knows?
Do we need to redirect the parallel port before changing to MS-DOS?
When we checked the LPT1 Icon, it gave the message "Parallel port allocated
to Emulator LPT1 V1.3." If we need to redirect, HOW? <g>
Thanks for any assist.
–Bob–
Bob,
You _should_ type "dir > prt:"
Vic–
Thanks alot for jumping in to help us!
We've tried your suggestion – but only succeed in sending the disk
directory to a file named "prt". We get no action from the printer.
Any other suggestions! Thanks!
–Earl-
Earl, the ':' is VERY important. if typeing "dir >prt:" creates a file
called prt, there is something VERY VERY wrong with your machine.
Vic…
"prt:" is AmigaDOS. In MS-DOS it's "prn:"
dir >prn:
Marion
CROSSINGS
Newsletter for the Bridgeboard, etc.
Marion,
I think that there might be some confusion as to the nature of problem,
and that the point of my original suggestion was lost. To set the record
straight:
1. A message was posted saying that the LPT1 emulation did not seem to be
working, although the title bar was running. It was further stated that
it was known that the printer worked, because the following AmigaDOS
command, DIR >PAR:, would produce output at the printer.
2. My suggestion was to do an AmigaDOS command, DIR >PRT:, because I
suspected that there was no Preferences printer driver specified, or some
other problem in the Preferences printer setup. If DIR >PRT: didn't work,
and DIR >PAR: did work, it would indicate a problem on the AmigaDOS side
that wasn't in any way concerned with the LPT1 emulator, nor any MS-DOS
software.
I apologize for the confusion it my original suggestion wasn't clear, but
in context, the suggestion was correct. The AmigaDOS command DIR >PRT:
should be the next step in the troubleshooting process.
David
David…
Yes, I see what you mean. My experience has been, however, that when people
say the printer emulator doesn't work, it's usually because they don't know
they have to set individual program printer drivers up in MS-DOS. If the
problem is in Preferences, they are more likely to say "the printer doesn't
work" than "the emulator doesn't work."
Marion
CROSSINGS
Newsletter for the Bridgeboard, etc.
Marion,
Thank you, I was aware of that. When I read that he successfully had
tried "copy file par:" I erroneously inferred he was trying to run on
the Amiga side.
Err, try typing dir >prn:
NOT
prt:
John G. Ata
Sterling, VA
Earl
In MS-DOS, it's
dir >prn:
In Amiga-DOS it's
dir >prt:
In MS-DOS, you could also use:
dir >lpt1:
to specify the first parallel port.
Marion
CROSSINGS
Newsletter for the Bridgeboard, etc.
Bob,
The LPT1 redirection program that you're running on the Amiga side should
be all that's necessary, and it sounds like you're getting that running
ok. You don't need the MS-DOS printer.sys driver. (I double-checked my
config.sys file. I don't have anything out of the ordinary there, and the
printer redirection works fine for me.)
The thing that bothers me is that you're redirecting your printer to PAR:.
Try doing a "dir >PRT:" command. If that doesn't print, check into what
printer driver that you've selected for use. (You need to have at least
the "Generic" printer driver selected.) I'd be looking into the AmigaDOS
side at this point, because I suspect that your problem is there.
Hope this helps, 8)
David