PRB: "Lpt1 Already Exists, Overwrite It?" Copying File to LPT

ID: Q107408

The information in this article applies to:

Microsoft FoxPro for Windows, versions 2.5, 2.5a, and 2.5b
Microsoft FoxPro for MS-DOS, versions 1.02, 2.0, 2.5, 2.5a, and 2.5b

SYMPTOMS

When you are using the COPY FILE command to copy a file to a printer port, the following message is generated when SAFETY is set ON:

   <path name>lpt1 already exists, overwrite it?

CAUSE

When a command similar to the following is issued

   COPY FILE test.txt TO lpt1

FoxPro is actually copying the TEST.TXT file to a file called LPT1. However, MS-DOS interprets the request to open the file LPT1 as a request to send data to the printer port.

Because FoxPro is copying to a file, the SET SAFETY command recognizes that the "file" LPT1 already exists (as an MS-DOS device), and verifies that the user wants to overwrite it.

RESOLUTION

To prevent this message, issue code similar to the following to set SAFETY OFF before copying the file to the port, then set SAFETY ON again immediately:

   SET SAFETY OFF
   COPY FILE <filename> TO <printer port name>
   SET SAFETY ON

NOTE: This error might not occur when you are copying a file to a network printer port.

Additional reference words: FoxDos FoxWin 1.02 2.00 2.50 2.50a 2.50b lpt2 lpt3 com1 com2 com3 com3 lpt1.dos lpt2.dos lpt3.dos com1.dos com2.dos com3.dos com4.dos errmsg err msg KBCategory: kbprg kberrmsg kbprb KBSubcategory: FxnetworkGeneral

Last Reviewed: June 27, 1995