Re: printing

[Frantisek Hanzlik <franta@hanzlici.cz>]

Vedran Vucic wrote:
> Hello,
> 
> I want to share firstly a brief history of my problem that lasts at
> least  three years in different ways in different versions of dosemu.
> 
> First of all I used older version that i used in RedHat 8.0.
> Everything worked well.
> After that I upgraded dosemu and I used lpd printing and that
> "upgraded" version of dosemu with the same DOS application and the
> same printer did not print well but in /var/spool/lpd sent file that
> was actually ASCII and I imported it in my Openoffice and ptinted it
> out. Clumys, but it worked.
> At the time I have had on this mailing list discussion with person
> called Claudia or so.
> When I installed Vector Linux KDE Classic v 6.0 (vectorlinux.com) and
> installed dosemu package compatible with Vector Linux and Slackware
> 12.1 (Vector Linux is Slackware based distro)  my DOS application is
> workin well , using CUPS and it does not print nor it creates in
> /var/spool/cups anything that can be used to do workaround.
> Even more strange is that CUPS reports that print job is accepted and
> successfuly done.
> Indeed, I print normally using that printer from OpenOffice etc.
> If you need more technical information on HP1020 and its driver please
> check this site:
> 
> http://foo2zjs.rkkda.com/
> 
> Please note what developer of driver says for the printer:
> *****************
> These printers are often erroneously referred to as winprinters or GDI
> printers. However, Microsoft GDI only mandates the API between an
> application and the printer driver, not the protocol on the wire
> between the printer driver and the printer. In fact, ZjStream printers
> are raster printers which happen to use a very efficient wire protocol
> which was developed by Zenographics and licensed by most major printer
> manufacturers for at least some of their product lines. ZjStream is
> just one of many wire protocols that are in use today, such as
> Postscript, PCL, Epson, etc.
> **********
> 
> Please pay attention to the components of driver and their
> functionality  on the same page.
> 
> Thanks,
> 
> vedran
> 
> 
> On Fri, Nov 26, 2010 at 2:15 AM, Andrew Joakimsen <joakimsen@gmail.com> wrote:
>> On Tuesday, November 23, 2010, Vedran Vucic <vedran.vucic@gmail.com> wrote:
>>> Hello,
>>>
>>> When I clean /var/spool/cups and do print from my DOS app to printer I
>>> get the queue file like one I sent already but it does not come out to
>>> the printer.
>>> When I get to/var/log/cups/access_log
>>> then I see that last message is that Print Job is successful-ok.
>>> But,nothing comes out of the printer nor printer blinks as a reaction
>>> to receiving data.
>>> When I Go to http://localhost:631 and print test page everything isOK
>>> whichmeans that printer and connection with printer is OK.
>>> Strange, isn't it?
>>> If you want I can again put my dosemu.conf on pastebin.
>>>
>>> Thanks,
>>>
>>> Vedran
>>>
>>> On Tue, Nov 23, 2010 at 8:58 PM, Mike McCarty
>>> <Mike.McCarty@sbcglobal.net> wrote:
>>>> Vedran Vucic wrote:
>>>>>
>>>>> Hello,
>>>>
>>>> [...]
>>>>
>>>>> When I use option in my DOS application to print on screen it creates .prn
>>>>> file.
>>>>> is it possible to print that .prn file from dosemu?
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> Hmm. MSDOS uses PRN as a special device. I wonder if your program
>>>> is trying to use that, and it's not getting to the printer. You
>>>> know, like CON:
>>>>
>>>> BTW, did you check the queue to see if it's stalled?
>>>>
>>>> Mike
>>>> --
>>>> p="p=%c%s%c;main(){printf(p,34,p,34);}";main(){printf(p,34,p,34);}
>>>> Oppose globalization and One World Governments like the UN.
>>>> This message made from 100% recycled bits.
>>>> You have found the bank of Larn.
>>>> I speak only for myself, and I am unanimous in that!
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>>
>> Which, again, goes back to what i said originally:
>>
>> Your DOS program expects to be running on a real computer, attached to
>> a real printer. You have what I belive to be a winprinter meaning it
>> does not work with PCL5 or PostScript languages. Therefore configure
>> your DOS program to print to a PostScript driver and CUPS should
>> handle the translation.
>>
>> If my assumptions about your printer are correct, setting your printer
>> to use HP LaserJet III driver in CUPS will not work, and I never saw a
>> PostScript printer that didnt support PCL5.
>>
>> --
>> Med Vennlig Hilsen,
>>
>> A. Helge Joakimsen

Hi Vedran, here Andrew and others tried help You and it seem for me as
You ignore them. Things are probably simple:

- You can print to any printer either:
 1) application is capable sent output in printer language
 2) or there is PPD Linux driver and app is capable sent output in
postscript
 3) or there is PPD Linux driver and you can convert application output
to postscript

You must be clear which above method is possible, and thus you need
know which output format your application can produce - until now I
nowhere in your post saw this information.

- your Laserjet 1020 printer isn't postscript printer, but is supported
in Linux - that means Linux print driver is able convert input
postscript job to printer language.

- is very few DOS apps, which can output in postscript, and probably
none of them know ZjStream protocol. But usually they can print to PCL
printer. Then for me seems best way (and maybe just one) for you:

1)- configure your app to print to PCL printer
2) configure Linux printer with right Linux driver (foo2zjs, you likely
already have it, when you can print from Linux apps)
3) configure DOSEMU printing for convert PCL to PS, as wrote Andrew
before, or as (simple way, without e-mailing):
$_lpt1='pcl6 -sDEVICE=pdfwrite -dNOPAUSE -sPAPERSIZE=a4
-sOutputFile="|lpr -P YourPrinter1" -'
$_lpt2='pcl6 -sDEVICE=pdfwrite -dNOPAUSE -sPAPERSIZE=a4 -sOutputFile=-
-|lpr -P YourPrinter2'

"pcl6" command is from GhostPCL package, which is available at:
http://www.artifex.com/downloads/

When You will wish examine your app output, you can configure its output
to file:
$_lpt1 = "cat >/tmp/MyAppOutput"

Regards, Franta Hanzlik
(Sorry for my English)