Problem printing in dos 6.2

[BC_Programmer]

try unchecking fast printing direct to port.



Also we should stop following this silly train of thought... if the printer is plugged into your Printer port then we don't need to involve the COM ports. (of course if it IS plugged into a COM port... well that's a different story)

The COM ports are for serial devices- period. Nothing else.

Try unchecking the fast printing... checkbox, see what effect that has. also make sure the port is set to LPT1.

[kahawn]

BP

Have unchecked fast print to port and confirmed printer set to LPT1.

No joy either printing from Notepad or in WSWin archive document... get the same message on HPlllP display 'MP Load Letter' [calling for letter size rather than A4 in the tray  - not PAPER as previously stated].

[BC_Programmer]

Control Panel->Printers

select the laserjet. click Setup.

Change the paper source and paper size.

[kahawn]

BC

Did what you suggested: Removed the HP Laserjet lllP and selected HP Laserjet.

Was asked to insert disk #6 of the Win 3.1 pack... got a message that the UNIDRV [or somesuch] installed in the computer was more recent than the one on th diskette... Did I want to overwrite it? Said No.

There is nothing to do with regard to Changing paper source.. the alternative is 'manual' and the paper size for the printer is A4... always has been for YEARS!

However after all this got the SAME RESULT with attempting to print in Notebook or WSWin archived files. 

So I re-installed the HP Laserjet lllP.... and ticked the 'fast printing' box.

[BC_Programmer]

I meant check the settings for the laserjet 3; I wasn't suggesting to remove anything at all, although I can see how it was interpreted that way.

There is a "setup" button on the resulting dialog, after clicking printers in control panel.



Select the printer from there, and click that setup button.


The laserjet III and it's driver can detect when the selected tray is empty, and prompt for more paper. In this case it might be that a paper source is selected that has no paper.

There is nothing to do with regard to Changing paper source.. the alternative is 'manual' and the paper size for the printer is A4... always has been for YEARS!

The paper size,paper source, and other settings are stored on the PC. reinstalling the driver has the effect of clearing these settings, regardless of how many "years" it has been set; and you've tinkered with a large number of drivers.

[kahawn]

BC

I have re-installed the HP LaserJet lllP and have therefore gone through the panels that you have shown.

There is only an Upper Tray [no other] to select and likewise the paper size is  8 1/2 x 11.

And the PRINTER informs one when the tray is empty or not quite properly inserted in the tray..

And [as  layman] cannot quite see why the printer/program is SELECTIVELY printing files in WSWin.... Of course as an expert you are in a better position to suggest probabilties... whereas my focus may lie in long usage...

Ken

[macdad-]

Thanks BC,

And sorry Kahawn, kinda doing this blindy.

[kahawn]

Thanks BC,

And sorry Kahawn, kinda doing this blindy.

As one who is blind in both eyes... 

Am now looking to see if there are any more 'contributors' who will dip their toes and perhaps take the thread to 100!

Has been suggested elsewhere that it is a problem with 'handshaking'... whatever that implies/means... perhaps that is what you [and BC] are driving at?

[kahawn]

PROGRESS REPORT

Read the HP Printer Manual where it said that to override the Display messages hold down the Alt key and depress the Continue button.

IT WORKS... When the Display shows 'MP Load Letter' it will print the Notepad document as well as the WSWin 'archive' file.

However this must be done for every printout.  [unless one is printing multiple pages in that document... not checked this as yet].

The Manual also states that the computer software will override any software in the Printer.

So I conclude there is some message in Win 3.1 that brings up the 'MP Load Letter' in the Printer Display.

So are there any experts in Win 3.1 that can identify the problem?

Thanks

[kahawn]

PROBLEM SOLVED...

Found that when the printer display showed 'MP Load Paper' I looked at the Page Setup for the document in the Computer and found that they were 8 x 11 1/4... changed them to A4 and Voila! the document printed.

Now why  the settings in the documents changed to Letter is a mystery as I have always been using A4 for preparing my files.

In any case I would like to thank macdad and BC for their support and for introducing me to new facets in Dos and Win 3.1.

Ken

[BC_Programmer]

It would have changed when you fiddled about with the drivers, or perhaps tweaked something else; the printer page, or more precisely, what shows up on the printer page, is controlled by the driver but that data is stored in... Win.ini, I believe.

Now, if that printer had a more descriptive error message, you might have avoided all this tedium!

[kahawn]

BC

Thanks for your comment BC

However I feel that the Printer Display is a very small area and the 'message' fills it.. If I were a computer buff [and perhaps 25 years younger] I would have worked it out quicker... with hindsight it cannot have been clearer : MP Load Letter [sized] Paper! No pressure to solve the problem in retirement.

All this 'tedium' [as you put it] has been solved with two simple procedures: re-setting WSWin to its original settings in Wswchange ws [to find the 'drivers'] and looking at the Page Setup before printing.

Reflect on the time when I was a Manager/Accountant in a small firm and did not have the patience to wait for the engineer to visit the office and would tackle any problems with the photocopier myself....

[BC_Programmer]

oh yes, I keep forgetting the display is on the printer, not the screen, not a lot of real estate there.