[TKitty]

I am trying to print to a dot matrix printer on the network with a custom page size. The software I am using is trying to send the job directly to the LPT1 port of the computer that has the printer installed but I keep getting a permissions error. I have the Guest accounts enabled on both XP computers. If I sit at the computer where the printer is installed, it works fine. It is just trying to print across the network directly to the LPT1 port where I get an Error Code 5. Advice??

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I'm a little fuzzy here.

What kind of program is this? Does the printer use a windows driver, ro does it use a specific program driver to access teh printer? Is the printer shared? What kind of printer?

What kind of network?

[gerryf]

I'm a little fuzzy here.

What kind of program is this? Does the printer use a windows driver, ro does it use a specific program driver to access teh printer? Is the printer shared? What kind of printer?

What kind of network?

[TKitty]

The program is an industry specific database management software. The software is trying to print directly to the LPT1 port of the another PC. It is a simple peer-to-peer under XP Professional sp2. The program uses Windows print drivers and R & R Report Writer. Since it is a custom page size and an impact printer, I need it to go directly to the printer. As long as I am sending the print job from the workstation where the printer is physically attached, I am fine. It is only when I try from another workstation. The printer is shared. It is an Epson LX-300+

[gerryf]

you need to redirect your printer port to the network share

Start > run
cmd
<enter>

NET USE LPT1 \\servername\sharedprinter

where servername is the computer the dot matrix printer is connected to and sharedprinter is the shared name given to that printer

So if the printer is connected to the pc DAISY, and the printer is shared as DOTTY, your command would be

NET USE LPT1 \\DAISY\DOTTY

try that

[TKitty]

Thanks for the netuse tip. Let me ask, however, am I going to need to do a command line entry every time I want to print to that printer? Or just at the beginning of the day? Sorry to be so thick on the subject.

[gerryf]

No, just once.

net use is persistant, meaning if you run it today, it will stay in place until you remove it.

A net use connection MAY disappear on you sometimes, though...for example if you run a net use again and set the state to temporary, it might take out older connections....or if you try to print to the device (opr copy to it) and it is not there, Windows may ask you if you want to remove it and sometimes users hit YES without thinking.

Now...one caveat to the above solution...you must still install the driver after making the net use connection.

So, net use the dot matrix printer, then install a LOCAL printer using the driver for the REMOVE pc/printer

If you have frequent issues with disconnects to the printer, you could also write a batch command and put it in your startup folder so that it reconnects at each reboot.