XL: "Cannot Print to LPT1" Running Lotus Print Macro

ID: Q138623

The information in this article applies to:

SYMPTOMS

In Microsoft Excel, if you run a Lotus 1-2-3 macro that performs a print command across a Novell network, you receive the following error messages 

   Macro error at cell: <cell address>
where <cell address> is the address of the macro's print statement followed by the error: 

   Error printing to LPT1

CAUSE

In order to print to a Novell Netware print queue, the LPT port must be redirected (captured) to the appropriate server and print queue. Lotus 1-2- 3 requires the printer port be captured. Microsoft Windows, by default, does not capture LPT ports. This capture must be done either at the MS-DOS level or through your Novell login script.

For additional information on this error under Microsoft Windows 95, please see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base: 

   ARTICLE-ID: Q152217
   TITLE     : XL: Error Printing to LPT1 with 1-2-3 Print Macro in Windows

WORKAROUND

To work around this problem, use either of the following methods.

Method 1

Use the Novell Capture command at the MS-DOS prompt before you enter Microsoft Windows to redirect or capture a printer port to a network server.

For example, the following capture statement redirects LPT1 to the server named SERVER1 and the printer queue named QUEUE1. It also turns off form-feed, banners, and disables time-outs. 

   capture L=1 s=SERVER1 q=QUEUE1 nff nt nb ti=0
After you have restarted Windows, go to the Printers dialog box in Control Panel and connect your default printer to the port used in the capture statement.

Method 2: In Place of the Lotus 1-2-3 Print Macro, Use the XLCALL Function

Example:

The following Lotus macro prints the selected range: 

   /ppr~agq
Use the following in place of the above macro statement. The following runs a Microsoft Excel macro called Print_Macro to print the selected range. 

   {XLCALL Print_Macro}
Microsoft provides programming examples for illustration only, without warranty either expressed or implied, including, but not limited to, the implied warranties of merchantability and/or fitness for a particular purpose. This article assumes that you are familiar with the programming language being demonstrated and the tools used to create and debug procedures. Microsoft support professionals can help explain the functionality of a particular procedure, but they will not modify these examples to provide added functionality or construct procedures to meet your specific needs. If you have limited programming experience, you may want to contact the Microsoft fee-based consulting line at (800) 936-5200. For more information about the support options available from Microsoft, please see the following page on the World Wide Web: 

   http://www.microsoft.com/support/supportnet/refguide/
Microsoft Excel Visual Basic Macro Example: 

   Sub Print_Macro
      Selection.PrintOut Copies:=1
   End Sub

MORE INFORMATION

The Novell Netware Capture command redirects workstation printer output to a network print queue or file. The Capture command uses the following syntax 

   capture L=x s=sss q=qqq nff nt nb ti=tt
where: 

   L refers to the LPT port
   x = LPT port number (1, 2, or 3)
   s refers to the server
   sss = server name
   q refers to the server print queue
   qqq = printer queue name
   nff = no formfeed
   nt = no tab
   nb = no banner page
   ti refers to the retry Timeouts
   tt = time value (default is 10, 0 disables timeouts)
Additional query words: 5.00 5.00c 
Keywords          : xlprint xlwin 
Version           : WINDOWS:5.0,5.0c
Platform          : WINDOWS

Last Reviewed: May 17, 1999