Hi all.. I'm new here and I've got a problem with my printer and the software that we use. I need to buy a new printer for my work place and it has to be compatible with the software that we use. The software is base on dos system and not compatible with printer with the USB connection, we need printer with paralel port connection. I've got 1 printer which has USB connection and paralel port connection (HP laserjet 1320) but I have to make sure that it will work properly with the software. The problem is I have to make sure that the printer has a Dos Emulator. Does anyone know that The HP Laserjet 1320 has a dos emulator? and does the Dos system will regognize the new printer? Because when I tried to connect with the printer with USB connection, just program with windows based system recognized it not the software with Dos system base. Thanx for your help.

I don't know of any way to be sure without trying it. But I would think that the odds are pretty good if you use the parallel port. Maybe you can talk a local shop into trying it with the option of bringing it back if it doesn't work. But get it in writing. Sorry, I do not check for private messages

DOS legacy applications do not connect to USB ports as they can direct output to parallel LPT ports (and sometime to COM and files). More, DOS applications own their drivers as under DOS drivers are not part of the operating system and are proprietary of each specific product. Under Win XP/2K there are workaround to connect to a USB printer using tne net use command, but there is another issue to take into account. The printer must not be a Win Printer, i.e. a printer operated directly by Windows, that MUST recognize your appllication driver control commands, e.g. ESC for Epson, PCL for HP and so on. To solve the last issue you need to buy a software emulator for your legacy driver. The following cheap and easy to use product saved me when I replaced my Epson Stylus with a Win Printer http://www.dosprn.com/ It solves the USB issue problem too, enabling you to mantain inalterate your legacy DOS application, whatever drivers it use.

From what I read about HP LaserJet 1320, I suspect it is a Win Printer, so to use it with your legacy DOS application you need to run a software emulator (if my opinion is right). Pay attention however the emulator I proposed you in my previous post is efficient and performs fine, but it has limitations, i.e. it does not emulate the whole command set for ESC or PCL; it is well suited for text based applications, not for graphics ones. The documents I print under emulation are business reports and formatted tables. For these jobs that works like a charm.

Though these links are for Word Perfect the basics are the same: http://www.columbia.edu/~em36/wpdos/anyprinter.html There is also DOSPRN http://www.dosprn.com/ http://www.softplatz.com/Soft/Utilities/Printers/DOSPRN.html

You advise the o/s is W98se, but then say you require a dos driver. You need to identify exactly which driver(s) you require. Dos applications, each came with their own drivers, sometimes many, to cover all the printers that were available then. Also this was before lasers and inkjets, so some old applications never supported these. Back then, there were 'standard' printers (e.g. IBM Graphics or Proprinter, Epson MX80). Other printers tended to offer an emulation of these, although might be faster or with extra features. I use a OKI Microline 192 Elite, emulating an IBM Graphics, thus there is no problem using it with W98 or W2000. It is a 9 pin dot matrix with a parallel port, although it could be serial if required. If the old printer is being used by W98, you should be able to identify what it is. However you may not be able to find a USB driver and may have to use another program to convert. Check out DOSPRN for example. Good Luck - Keep us posted.