DOCUMENT:Q66070  03-OCT-1999  [win95x]
TITLE   :Printing to LPTx.yyy or COMx.yyy From Windows 3.0
PRODUCT :Microsoft Windows 95.x Retail Product
PROD/VER:WINDOWS:3.0,3.0a
OPER/SYS:
KEYWORDS:

======================================================================
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The information in this article applies to:

 - Microsoft Windows versions 3.0, 3.0a 
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY
=======

When you print to LPTx.yyy, COMx.yyy (where "yyy" is any extension), or print to
a file and subsequently copy the file to a port, the print job may be
truncated.

This problem occurs primarily when you are printing graphics. To work around this
problem, you must either print to a port without an extension or copy the file
to the port with the /b (binary) parameter when you print to a file.

NOTE: This information does not apply to later versions of Windows.

MORE INFORMATION
================

When you print to a port with an extension, Windows writes the output to a file
called LPTx.yyy or COMx.yyy. Since LPT and COM are reserved words for Microsoft
MS-DOS, when Windows writes to a file called LPTx.yyy or COMx.yyy, MS-DOS
redirects the output to the LPTx or COMx port.

You can achieve the same functionality manually by printing to a file (that is, a
port called FILE) and then copying the file to LPTx or COMx.

The truncation problem occurs when one of the characters in the document
formatting code or a graphic contains the ^Z (CTRL+Z) character. Because this
character is the end-of-file marker for text files, the print job ends when the
^Z character is encountered.

You can workaround this problem by copying the file to the port with the /b
parameter as in the following example:

   COPY FILENAME.PRN LPT1: /b

The /b option lets the COPY command know the file is a binary file.

The LPTx.yyy port option in Windows does not invoke the /b parameter. Printing
graphics using this parameter may cause the print job to be truncated.

To print graphics when you have a hardware problem that Windows is detecting,
print to a file, then copy the file to the printer using MS-DOS with the /b
switch. The steps below outline this procedure.

1. In the Control Panel window, choose the Printers icon. Choose the
   Configuration button, and select FILE: as the printer port.

2. Choose the print option within the Windows application from which you are
   trying to print.

3. When you are prompted for a filename, name the file using standard MS-DOS
   conventions. The file is then placed in the current WINDOWS directory. You
   can also include a full path before the filename to save the file to a path
   of your choice.

4. Exit Windows or run choose the MS-DOS Prompt icon.

5. Change to the WINDOWS directory, or the path specified in step 3, and type
   the following:

   copy /b <filename> <portx>:

Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in Windows versions 3.0 and 3.0a.
This problem was corrected and does not occur in later versions.

Additional query words: msdos 3.00 3.00a win30

======================================================================
Keywords          :  
Technology        : kbWin3xSearch kbZNotKeyword3 kbWin300 kbWin300a
Version           : WINDOWS:3.0,3.0a

=============================================================================

THE INFORMATION PROVIDED IN THE MICROSOFT KNOWLEDGE BASE IS
PROVIDED "AS IS" WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND.  MICROSOFT DISCLAIMS
ALL WARRANTIES, EITHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING THE WARRANTIES
OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  IN NO
EVENT SHALL MICROSOFT CORPORATION OR ITS SUPPLIERS BE LIABLE FOR
ANY DAMAGES WHATSOEVER INCLUDING DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL,
CONSEQUENTIAL, LOSS OF BUSINESS PROFITS OR SPECIAL DAMAGES, EVEN IF
MICROSOFT CORPORATION OR ITS SUPPLIERS HAVE BEEN ADVISED OF THE
POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES.  SOME STATES DO NOT ALLOW THE EXCLUSION
OR LIMITATION OF LIABILITY FOR CONSEQUENTIAL OR INCIDENTAL DAMAGES
SO THE FOREGOING LIMITATION MAY NOT APPLY.

Copyright Microsoft Corporation 1999.