# Printing in DOS



## DudleyDoRite (Dec 13, 2000)

I have a Canon pixma ip4000. I"m running an accounting program called New Views(NV). NV is a DOS program. Could anyone help me to be able to print from this program? My puter is running XP professional. The ip4000 has a paralell port so I can run it on LPT1, not sure if that helps to run in DOS. Was thinking of running DOS 6.22 on a floppy, but the ip4000 does not come with DOS drivers. Someone mentioned DOS emulation? Not sure what that means or if its relavent.


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## DaveBurnett (Nov 11, 2002)

The sneaky way to do it is to set that printer up as a Network printer under Windows and to use the network printer from the DOS program.


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## DudleyDoRite (Dec 13, 2000)

Thanks for the reply. So from what I understand, if DOS program prints to network printer, then it doesnt' need a DOS printer driver? Is that true? I know how to set it up as a network printer, will have to look in the DOS program to find out how to print to network printer I guess.


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## DaveBurnett (Nov 11, 2002)

If it is running from a Window I don't think it does. Dos based programs usually only use a Generic Line Printer driver(or Proprinter emulation), and that is available in all Windows versions and AFAIK all printers support them.


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## ganesh (Aug 17, 2003)

how to print a text file which is output of windows


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## steigrafx (Sep 27, 2005)

I print from a number of DOS programs under Windows, although I use an HP laser printer (my DOS apps have laser printer drivers). I don't know what will happen with your printer, though, since you may not have drivers for that printer. But, here's how I do it.

Attach the printer using a parallel cable and install the driver (if Windows doesn't do it automatically). Go to Printers and Faxes and right click the printer. Select Sharing and give the printer a share name (remember it, you'll need it later).

From a command prompt type the following command, substituting your computer name and shared printer name:

net use lpt1: \\computername\sharedprintername /persistent:yes

The persistent switch will make the net use command load automatically everytime Windows starts.

If for some reason you need to "kill" the net use command, at a command prompt enter:

net use lpt1: /delete

What will happen is when your DOS program prints to LPT1, the print job will be captured and sent, by Windows, to your printer on LPT1.

It's also possible that your DOS app is capable of printing to a file, in which case you can then send the saved file to LPT1 from a command prompt with:

copy c:\folder\filename.txt lpt1

Good luck.


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