Is it true that Microsoft has stopped allowing Dos program printing to be re-directed via the "Net Use LPTx" command?

While Dos programs will print to LPT1 directly - I do need to redirect output from a favorite Dos program

Any help very appreciated -

No that is not true.  16bit applications are not supported on 64bit platforms but you can still print to redirected lpt ports.  A couple gotchas for non admin users. 

How to print to a network printer from an MS-DOS-based program in Windows XP   http://support.microsoft.com/kb/314499

Non-administrators cannot remap an LPT port to a network printer   http://support.microsoft.com/kb/313644

The redirector team did not remove the code that has supported this since NT3.1

 

 

Thank you for your reply - glad to hear redirection has not been eleminated from Win Server Enterprise 2008.

One of the Roles for this server is Terminal Services

Have used "net use lptx \\computer\sharename" on NT4, win 2000 server (TS) and now trying on Win 2008 server (TS) with no luck.

Again, the dos program will print directly to LPT1 - the program has the ability to print to LPT2 - I have tried to redirect both LPT1 & 2 (the command completes and using net use in a command prompt window - I find the redirection has completed successfully) but the Dos Label program hangs - as though the printer has been 'deselected' as if it were hard wired to LPT1.

Other dos programs exibit the same problem

It must be some type of security feature that I need to toggle in Win 2008

More help will be appreciated - Wayne

I should also mention that my win 2008 server Ent is 32 bit

does the copy command work?

copy FILENAME lptx

Did you adjust any of the WOW settings?

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;102059

Yes the copy FILENAME lptx worked correctly.

I have not adjusted any of the WOW settings nor anyother registry settings

Knowledge Base # 102059 suggested changing the bat file extension to cmd but that did not help the problem.

This is a new installation of Win 2008 service pack 2 - I have had it running now for about a month - and finally got around to trying dos programs that I want to use under Terminal Service as I have many times with Win 2000 server - I have installed some other windows programs using the terminal service install utility and all find shared printers just fine from all of the work stations (HP T5300).

I wouldn't change, except Explorer is not upgradable in win 2000 - but the "Banks" are starting to require the update

Will the application print when not TSed to the machine?  I'd make sure that there is no printers installed to LPT ports on the Server just to keep the spooler out of this. 

If the application works without TS then you may find additional information in the Terminal Services forum.

Make sure the application is running in the same user context as the net use command.  I have no idea if TS does anything with mapped resources.

I got the same problem Can you help me?

I don't know what the problem is.  It's not spooler related.  The redirector handles any mapping to remote print shares.  The NTVDM layer handles getting the data from the 16bit application to the 32 bit spooler service.  Terminal Services may be involved somehow since there is printer redirection and special print related functions from Terminal Services.

Seems like I've got the same problem as you. One of our customers have a dos-based application and is trying to print to a cue on a print server (server 2008). The application an error message like "Unable to open file: \\printserver\printcue" wich is the same message we get when trying to print to a text file with no permission.

copy C:\test.txt \\printserver\printcue works

print to a cue on server 2000/2003 works

 

Sems like the problem is the OS on the printserver. Any ideas?

Under Windows Seven/2008 64bit you can run DOS programs in the DOSBOX emulator. "DOSBox Mega Build 6" release with bugfixes (http://home.arcor.de/h-a-l-9000/) supports direct printing and redirecting reports from DOS application. You can download it directly from
http://www.dosprn.com/special/DOSBox_Megabuild6-win32-installer.exe

I have the same problem and I can not use DOSBOX software as my DOS session has to "inherit" database connectivity (pervasive) from the server via a config.sys command.

I have the same problem as the persons here: I can not print directly to the redirected LPT1 port from my application while the copy filename lpt1 command works perfectly.

Was this issue ever resolved?