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I am having problem printing in Win 3.1 and Dos 6.2 [My Dell GX280 is partitioned 2GB Dos/Win 3.1 and 38 GB Win XP] and as a result have downloaded the package below... unzipped it but have no idea how or where it is to be installed in the Dos/Win 3.1 partition.
The instructions such as they are in the Readme.txt file is too vague for my understanding.
The software downloaded is:
ftp://ftp.malch.com/serial.zip (20Kb)
from the following site:
http://www.malch.com/comfaq.html#uart2
Any guidance would be appreciated.
Do you have a serial port printer or a parallel port printer. The files you downloaded are for a serial port.
What manufacturer/model is your printer?
Is this partition running Windows 3.1 or Windows for Workgroups 3.11?
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Thanks for your reply.
I have a HPlllP Laserjet printer.
I have Windows 3.1 installed.
Have done some investigation of the situation as there are no problems printing in the XP partition. However In the Dos partition I can print in Foxbase and also some files within the Windows Directory e.g. System.ini file using Wordstar 7.
However cannot print in WS7 or Win 3.1 in Wordstar 7 or Wordstar for Windows in my other files/Directories [Or Notepad or Write in Win 3.1]
Come to the conclusion that the port must be changed to COM1 and therefore this program was suggested in another forum as a possible solution [have been wrestling with the problem for some 6 weeks].
However I do not know/where or how it should be installed in the Dos partition and/or Win 3.1 as it is not clear [to myself] from the Readme.txt within the zip file.
Can post the unzipped file on the board if it will help.
I can then attempt printing in WS7 and WsWin...
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HP-IIIP is normally used as a parallel port printer. Under XP it prints because you have installed compatiple drivers. It works under DOS because the HP defaults to a line printer with exception of a few characters and control functions. To use special functions software drivers built into each application is used under DOS. Under Windows drivers are installed in the OS as other Window's versions. Some drivers are included with Win 3.x. Other's are at printer manufacturer site. However because of Microsoft rules of support of superceded software few sites have any software.
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Thanks for your comments fred.
As I said I have been 'struggling' with this problem for at least six weeks and have been 'over the houses' on another forum.
The frustration is that I can print in Dos using Foxbase and also print in WS7 within the Windows 3.1 directory a file like system.ini.
But CANNOT print in WS7 or WsWin at all. AND this is after I had been using the same system on a Compaq Pentium lll for 5+ years with NO PROBLEMS AT ALL... And this problem is now being displayed in BOTH computers!!!
If this has caught your interest you may care to 'study' it here:
http://www.computerhope.com/forum/i...
And perhaps care to make a 'contribution'...
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It appears that you can print correctly in DOS with FoxBase. I assume you are using FoxBase 2.x which usually outputs a pure DOS ASCII character stream. FoxBase can also configured to use many character and page formatting attributes by means of Escape character sequences for either HP Laserjet PCL or Epson ESC/2. In a Windows application printing of text formatted documents in WSx with the Generic Text driver should be no problem. Using a Doc formatted document would require a PCLx driver to get the special formatting. What driver is installed? What is printed when you do a test print? On the DOS6.2/Win3.1 computer we nornally use WP5.1. Lotus 123, and other DOS applications. For Windows we have Word and Excel. Unfortunately HP emulation is used only occasionally as the normal printing mode is Postscript.
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I have, in the course of this 'saga', downloaded [from memory] three drivers for the HPlllP.. and, as I have already informed you, done various things to try and get this sorted out on the site I have posted in this thread.
I have never been attracted to WPerfect and have found the DTP features in WsWin very useful in producing A5 pamphlets. [And having used these products for some 25 years have no inclination to change].
I was given a detailed explanation of how to proceed with 'installing' the Serial.zip file [ And started this thread as it did not appear to be forthcoming...].
However this has now been given but no joy.... :-(
If you say that "In a Windows application printing of text formatted documents in WSx with the Generic Text driver should be no problem..". I normally prepare a document in WS7 and thereafter import it into a WsWin file... So why am I having problems?
When I attempt to print a document in WsWin or a Notebook doc in Win 3.1 the printer 'siezes' and there is a message on the display 'Load MP A4 paper' [or similar]. Now I do NOT have a Multiple tray for the HPlllP..!!! [I then turn the machine off/on to reset].
When I attempt to print a document in WS7 I get a 'bleep' and thereafter a message on the screen "can't print file; pdf file or drivers not found"
Incidentally when I upgraded from the Compaq Deskpro to the Dell GX280 I was able to print documents intermittently in WS7 and WsWin for approx a week...!!!
Can you recommend any driver that I can download to solve my problem?
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First I would you to print the status page from the control panel.
"I normally prepare a document in WS7 and thereafter import it into a WsWin file." <== That may be the problem. WS7 is DOS and the document may have embedded printer commands. WSWin reads the document and may be passing those commands to the Windows page formater.
If the document is printed by WS7 what is output?
Can you enter and print a correct document in WSWin only?
Your previous statement that and ini file was OK, strengthens the argument that ascii text files can be printed but formatted documents from DOS apps cannot be imported by a Windows word processor and printed. Also the implementatiop of the internal commands between DOS and Windows versions are different. Thst is one of the reasons we stayed with WP rather than change to Word. Word's character sizes were larger than WP and Linotronic typesetter. The WP and Linotronic reproduced the same character sizes.
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Thanks for the reply fred.
I cannot print ANY file in Win 3.1. [WsWin or Notepad]
I can print SOME files in WS7. [Foxbase and .ini files in the Windows Directory]
However I HAVE printed ALL files in WS7 and Win 3.1 for 5+ years in the Compaq Deskpro...! And HAVE printed for approx a week in Dell GX280... And now have a problem in BOTH computers. [And prior to that had no problems printing for perhaps 10 years with an IBM 286].
<If the document is printed by WS7 what is output?>
????
<First I would you to print the status page from the control panel.>
Do you mean a 'test' page? And then do you want me to send it as an attachment? [Does this site have a facility for attaching documents? If yes... where / how?]
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From the printer panel you can print at least 2 types of printout. The font list and the printer setup which gives the current selected defaults. I don't know if an early laser jet has as much detail as the current models. I am interested in interface and emulation settings only.
I'm interested if any other DOS application especially word processing work with special effects. Apparently you use WS7 to print DOS ASCII files. What print driver is installed?
I can't immediately check what print driver is used as the DOS/Win3 computer is at the office.
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From the printer panel I have printed a font list of some 4 A4 pages.
I have not seen a way to print the printer Set-Up. However I can, from the manual for the HP lllP see the current factory default settings for the printer.
Would prefer to send them as an attachment to this message... if there is way of so doing...???
I have also printed a Printer Test Page via Win XP:
from which:Driver name: UNIDRV.DLL
Data file: HPLJ3P.GPD
Config file: UNIDRVUI.DLL
Help file: UNIDRV.HLP
Driver version: 6.00
Environment: Windows NT x86Additional files used by this driver:
E:\WINDOWS\System32\spool\DRIVERS\W32x86\3\PCL5ERES.DLL (6.0.5479.0 (vbl_wcp_d2_drivers.060616_1619))E:WINDOWS\System32\spool\DRIVERS\W32x86\3\UNIRES.DLL (6.0.6001.22116(vistasp1_ldr.080215-1730))
E:\WINDOWS\System32\spool\DRIVERS\W32x86\3\STDNAMES.GPD
****************************************************
I do not print only in ascii in WS7... there is a facility within the print program in WS7 to convert the file to an ascii file when e.g. I would like to print in MS Word and then upload an ascii file via the 3.5" diskette into the XP partition and vice versa.
I don't know whether you have sufficient information of the drivers installed... I expect that you have got the drivers used in XP for the HP lllP.
According to a book I have 'Wordstar for DOS made Easy'
Wordstar built-in print drivers, ASC256 | ASCII | DRAFT | FAX | WS4 plus 2 installed drivers NEC 9 | HP - lll
So before posting this I thought I would go into WS7 and check... and I found only ONE printer in the print menu screen:
HPLLLP !!!
So where have the other drivers gone or been hiding? I have seen them before and not bothered to check. I have the original installation diskettes and could re-install them.... I suppose. Or are they lurking some place ...
21:58 GMT
Went into 'wschange' and reset the WS7 to original settings... and it works!!! Saw all the built-in printers/drivers in the print screen menu and was able to print a document in WS7 in HPLLLP.
However was not able to print a document in WsWin.. so there is a problem left in Win 3.1...
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To recap what has been determined so far.
The printer works in Win XP.
Printer now works from WS7 in DOS.The print driver for Win 3.1 is unknown and does not function properly.
Not tried printing from Dos Window in Win 3.1.You do not print from any DOS application besides WS7.
You have not tried printing from DOS prompt.By the way it appears we are half way around the world. I am at GMT -10
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a) The printer works in XP
b) The printer works in Dos and WS7 and Foxbase.
I have printed from the Dos prompt before the 'dir c:\>prn' and this has printed quite satisfactorily. However this morning when I gave the same command at the C: the printer lights went on as if it were about to print but nothing happened. I then had to turn off the lights and print the Directory by turning the printer 'offline' and pressing the 'form feed/continue' button.
I had the same result/problem when printing from the MS-Dos prompt in Win 3.1.
I was not able to print a document in Notepad in Win 3.1.. got the same result.. display in HP lllP showing 'MP Load letter'.
However I had success in printing a test page in WsWin.. But NOT when I attempted to print a document that had been created in WS7 and imported into WsWin... got the message on the printer display 'MP Load letter'
btw: I have downloaded and installed a driver [LJ125en] for Win 3.1 from the HP site:
http://h20000.www2.hp.com/bizsuppor...
Yep... most of the forums are across the Atlantic.. the New World. :-)
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I have a hardware question. What is the speed of the cpu? The was a problem with Win 95 with AMD cpus over 500 MHz and
DOS over 300 MHz with software timing loops. I am looking for my copy of Win3.11 CD.
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Dell Optiplex GX280
Intel Pentium 4 CPU 2.8 GHz 504MB Ram
Just a bit of additional information in case it has not been made clear in my previous posts.
I am able to print FRESHLY created documents made in WS7 and imported into WsWin.. But NOT those documents that have been created in the past and imported into WsWin.
So there must be a 'corruption' at some point in the 'old' documents in WsWin....
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PROGRESS REPORT
Read the HP Printer Manual where it stated that in oder to override messages in the Display panel one holds down the Alt key and depress the Continue button.
THIS WORKS.... but this must be done for each fresh printout whether in Notepad or WSWin [old] files.
The Manual also states that the Computer software overrides any software in the Printer.
So I conclude that there is a problem with Win 3.1
Any suggestions? Solutions?
Thanks.
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PROBLEM SOLVED
Found that when I printed an old document and the panel display showed 'MP Load Letter' that the settings for the doucment in the computer were at 8 x 11 1/2 [or some such from memory] just changed them to A4.. and Voila! printed.
Now why the settings in my old files have changed to 8 x 11 1/2 is a mystery as I have ALWAYS used the A4 settings in my documents.
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