old COBOL dos program using LPT1 cannot print under XP?

[Crox]

Hi,

I build a program in CA-REALIA COBOL 4.2 that is directly printing to an Inktjet printer, using all kinds of code. The lady that is using that program - it is doing numerology calculations - has a new computer that runs with Windows XP. Now she says that printing does not work. She is not living very nearby and also I don't have a XP machine available.

Any clues?

Regards,

Crox

 

[Dimandja]

She may need to download an XP compatible driver for the printer.

Dimandja

 

[Crox]

Hi Dimandja,

The printer does work fine with XP, only not with this CA-REALIA COBOL DOS program.

Somebody told me that LPT1 was not longer available under XP and also that DOS doesn't work anymore....

I don't have XP so I cannot experiment with it.

Regards,

Crox

 

[Dimandja]

Hi Crox,

I just installed an XP but can't get to it until later today.

However, I am using Windows 2000, and I think that the following steps could be valid for an XP.

The premise here is that XP has changed the default way that LPT1 is monitored, affecting legacy applications.

Microsoft says there is a way to change the port monitor by enabling the 'legacy Plug and Play detection' setting (which, I hope, may help the CA-REALIA COBOL DOS program):

Right-click the My Computer icon on your desktop, and then click Properties .

Click the Hardware tab, and then click Device Manager .

Click to expand Ports , right-click Printer Port (LPT1) , and then click Properties .

Click the Port Settings tab, click Enable legacy Plug and Play detection , and then click OK .

Restart your computer when you are prompted to do so.

I hope this helps.

Dimandja

 

[Crox]

Thanks! I'll send this to my customer!

 

[Dimandja]

Hi Crox,

Let me know how this is working out.
Thanks.

Dimandja

 

[Tromba]

Hi Crox

I had the same problem using an application developed with Acucobol and the result was the same as yours.

I don't remember exactly what i have been doing to resolve the troubles, but it seems the Xp doesn't have a total compatibily with old dos application.
Now it runs.

Gianni

 

[SteveMillman]

Hi,

I am not sure (as I don't have a printer hooked up to our test box that we are testing DOS COBOL under XP with) but
when I tell it to "print" a file, it seems happy enough, and says that it is printing.

This is much nicer than Windows 98 and on when Print command was abandoned and you had to copy with a /b option.

Good Luck,

Steve