How To Connect Network Printers in Different Windows Platforms

• Microsoft Visual FoxPro for Windows, versions 3.0, 5.0

SUMMARY

The Visual FoxPro printer interface was designed to work smoothly across all Windows platforms. However, differences among the printing architectures of the three operating systems result in a few interface differences.

MORE INFORMATION

To establish network printer connections, use the Windows Print Manager under Windows version 3.1x or Windows NT, or use the Printers icon under Windows 95. The Printers icon is the only way to establish network printer connections when running Visual FoxPro under Windows 95. However, the Printer Setup dialog box in Visual FoxPro under the Windows 3.1x and Windows NT platforms also allows you to establish network printer connections.

Running Visual FoxPro under Windows NT gives developers additional control over network printer connections. A Windows NT network printer address of the form: "[\\machine name\printer name]" can be substituted for the "[WindowsPrinterName]" in the "SET PRINTER TO NAME [WindowsPrinterName]" syntax. If the user is not currently connected to the specified network printer, a connection will be established and, if necessary, Windows NT will automatically download the appropriate printer driver to the user's workstation. Note that this works only for correctly configured Windows NT printer servers working in conjunction with Windows NT clients.

NOTE: The syntax "SET PRINTER TO NAME [WindowsPrinterName]", which is supported under all three Windows platforms, allows you to set the current Visual FoxPro printer from the list of currently installed printers in the registry or Win.ini file.

NOTE: The online and printed documentation describing how to connect to a network printer under Windows NT is incorrect. It is missing the "NAME" clause. It reads SET PRINTER TO [\\machine name\printer name] when it should read: SET PRINTER TO NAME [\\machine name\printer name].