Using SIMM/DIMM Signature Fonts & W2K

[jsams]

I orginally posted this in the 2.6 area, but received not responses. We are having the same problem in VFP 6.0 in test programs so I thought I would post over here also. We provide a upgrade version of our product 2.6 recompiled in VFP 6.0 and it exhibits the same problems:

We have a client using a signature font SIMM module installed in an HP8000 series printer for printing signatures on checks from our FPW 2.6 product. The operating system is Win98 (user had been running under Win95 with a LJ5si printer).

Had some problems initially with the signature font not printing due to the HP8000 printer drivers. Architext (SIMM supplier) suggested we try the LaserJet 5 Si printer drivers which fixed the problem (under Win98).

Currently trying to test our product using W2000 Professional and the SIMM fonts won’t print. Have noticed that W2000 does not allow any intervention when installing printer drivers. It looks like a printer driver problem again, but can’t seem to find a way to override the driver install once the network printer is selected.

We have been able to fire off the SIMM font by putting the signature font escape codes in a text file and using a copy command from DOS to print a test page, so we know the SIMM can be fired off from the W2000 environment. The same codes printed from the check report form in Fpw 2.6 just prints the escape codes on the check. We have created a test program in VFP 6.0 and the results are the same. This seems to narrow the problem back to the FoxPro/printer driver interface.

Anyone out there using SIMM/DIMM hardware fonts in a FPW 2.6 or VFP 6.0, W2000 workstation environment?

 

[ChrisCarroll]

1) Does

 Type <escapecodesfilename> to printer

do it?

2) The printer settings screen for the Windows printer does have a 'device settings' tab which includes details of installed font cartridges. Is it possible to do anything with that?
Unless the signature fonts print fine from other Windows applications - which you don't mention at all - I would be looking at the Windows printer setup rather than FoxPro.

 

[jsams]

Thanks for the reply Chris.

1. Yes, we can output a raw ESCAPE sequence to the printer with a COPY statement (in DOS) and the sig font will print.

2. Have not had any luck trying to encode the ESCAPE sequence in Word 97 or Word 2000 and get it to print. Even tried the test file into UltraEdit32 and it will not print the font. It just prints out the escape string characters.

I have tried working with the printer Device tab setting, but it does not report a hardware font installed. I'm pretty sure it a HP printer driver problem, but stumped as to how to overide W2K printer installation.

In the W95/W98 setups we were able to install older versions of HP LJ5Si drivers to get things working with the newer printers. The newer HP print drivers (HP4000/8000 series) have caused us all sorts of printing problems (other than signature font) with our FPW 2.6 application. Changing printer drivers was the first thing the SIMM supplier and HP suggested to try. Maybe I need to take this thread to a W2000 forum because I think your right, the problem is more with the Op Sys than the Foxpro.

 

[ChrisCarroll]

Hi,

What I was thinking with &quot;Type <escapecodes> ...&quot; was the FoxPro Type command, not the Dos one. If you can do that at the appropriate point in printing you might have something.

To change any settings on the printer device will of course require logging in as supervisor/administrator, and I guess has to be done at the time that the printer is installed on the network, rather than from the client's setup.

Otherwise, back to the simm manufacturer?

 

[jsams]

Chris,

I tried the 'TYPE' command from inside FoxPro and as I suspected, no luck. I think I need to pursue this more from the W2000 aspect.

Appreciate your responses.

 

[mikmela]

I am having a similar issue. Was there ever a resolution to this problem?

 

[jsams]

Mikmela,

No, we never got this to work in W2K or XP, using FPW2.6 or VFP 6, 7, 8 or 9. We initially ran into this problem several years back when trying to run our VFP product on a NT4 system. Our best thought was this is a NT/FoxPro printer interface problem.

We now utilize software TrueType Fonts packages (about the same price) to print signature and MICR fonts for check writing.

John