# NET USE Command Confusion



## Tech ? (Sep 19, 2008)

I currently am trying to set up a net use command so that i can print to Acrobat distiller thru an MS-Dos program called realworld. I hope to be able to copy and paste the information into an excel spreadsheet eventually. it would also be handy to have a pdf to email instead of having to scan it after printing. We are able to successfully use the net use command to print to network printers.

So far i have tried the following command

net use lpt3 \\STATIONNAME\ACROD /persistant:yes

BTW: i am not a techie, just trying to see if i can make this work instead of having to manually enter 20+ years of information into a database.


----------



## ChuckE (Aug 30, 2004)

Install a faux printer that is really a PDF maker. Then when you print to that "printer" the PDF file is created for you.

Here are some free PDF creation "printer" tools.
doPDF, Free Easy PDF, PrimoPDF.

Good luck.


----------



## Squashman (Apr 4, 2003)

What program is it? 
I kind of do what ChuckE has suggested. I actually have text files that I turn into PDF's. I use a combination of PrintFile and PrimoPDF. PrintFile has command line capability so you might be able to script it. How do you currently print from the program?


----------



## Tech ? (Sep 19, 2008)

we print using a net use command to a network or local printer (depends on location of computer) Most workstations here have a network computer on each desk except for mine which has a dedicated printer that is exclusively local.


----------



## Squashman (Apr 4, 2003)

So your print to LPTx from within the DOS program, which is mapped to a network printer?

In theory you could share PrimoPDF as a network printer and use NET USE to map to that shared printer. I haven't played a whole lot with PrimoPDF but it normally prompts you for an output filename. I would have to look into it but you may be able to script that as well.


----------



## Tech ? (Sep 19, 2008)

we have adobe pagemaker, indesign, photoshop, illustrator. with one of these programs it installed a "printer" called acrobat distiller. I tried changing the name of it to a acrod so that it could be dos friendly. Unfortunately the problem with doing it this way is that it when i set it up for the net use command, it prints to the local printer. I can't get it to just print to a file.


----------

