Need to find an application that will convert LPT1 output into a USB printer drive

On Mon, 13 Sep 2010 08:51:03 -0400, "Angelo Campanella"
wrote:


So what I need is a software item that will intercept the LPT1 data internal
to my PC (a T43 ThinkPad, now headed for obsolescence) and morph it into a
conventional USB printer output suited to the HP6122 or any other printer I
must buy in the future. The T43 has a parallel port output, but that feature
is headed for obsolescence too, I'm certain. I would think that Windows XYZ
should be able to do that in its sleep, but Microsoft has not thought of
that yet, I guess.


Several methods at the WordPerfect DOS FAQ:
http://www.columbia.edu/~em36/wpdos/winprint.html
http://www.columbia.edu/~em36/wpdos/usbprint.html

And if you have a GDI printer (i.e., needs a proprietary Windows
driver), see also
http://www.columbia.edu/~em36/wpdos/...nyprinter.html

"Alan" wrote in message
...
On Mon, 13 Sep 2010 08:51:03 -0400, "Angelo Campanella"
wrote:


So what I need is a software item that will intercept the LPT1 data
internal
to my PC (a T43 ThinkPad, now headed for obsolescence) and morph it into a
conventional USB printer output suited to the HP6122 or any other printer
I
must buy in the future. The T43 has a parallel port output, but that
feature
is headed for obsolescence too, I'm certain. I would think that Windows
XYZ
should be able to do that in its sleep, but Microsoft has not thought of
that yet, I guess.


Several methods at the WordPerfect DOS FAQ:
http://www.columbia.edu/~em36/wpdos/winprint.html
http://www.columbia.edu/~em36/wpdos/usbprint.html

And if you have a GDI printer (i.e., needs a proprietary Windows
driver), see also
http://www.columbia.edu/~em36/wpdos/...nyprinter.html



OK... Looked at it.. It barely solves the problems I may face:

Semantics:

I have four different circumstances:

1- Laptop to new USB printer. Unit should convert parallel printer plug
output to USB.

2- New USB only laptop to old parallel printer. Unit should convert USB to
printer plug parallel. (Though, the HP DJ6122 also has a USB input whose
cable I do not have)

3- Old DOS-based scientific instruments producing only a parallel output.
Unit needs to receive 25-pin parallel stream and properly convert it to USB
(maintaining formatting).

4- New Laptop running old DOS based programs that emit an LPT1 printed
output. Software is needed to convert the internal LPT1 data into a USB
stream.

Those are he problems I need to solve.. this year, I think.

At the moment, the T43 and the DJ6122 are working at par (I having learned
to live with minimized quirks).

I'm just trying to get ready for the next failure, laptop or printer.

Ange

Angelo Campanella wrote:

3- Old DOS-based scientific instruments producing only a parallel output.
Unit needs to receive 25-pin parallel stream and properly convert it to USB
(maintaining formatting).


Use a parallel to serial converter and another computer connected to the
serial. The computer captures serial input and can convert formatting
before printing or saving to a file. Of course, you may have to do some
programming, and it'll depend on your operating system.

ISTR some commercial hardware parallel-USB converters, the opposite of
the common USB to parallel printer adapters. They're expensive and
rare, and being a hardware unit probably won't be able to reformat the
output. There have been a few homebuilt versions on the net, but it
would require building the hardware and having a microcontroller
programming environment to program the firmware.

4- New Laptop running old DOS based programs that emit an LPT1 printed
output. Software is needed to convert the internal LPT1 data into a USB
stream.

Most people would run DOS now under another operating system, or maybe
as a virtual machine. Those should provide options to re-route parallel
port printing. If you really have to have a real DOS, there's
http://www.georgpotthast.de/usb/ (which I haven't tried).

Found this: http://www.printfil.com/english.htm

But it's $75 U.S.

--meander

On 24/10/2010 11:59 AM, Meander The Net wrote:
Found this: http://www.printfil.com/english.htm

But it's $75 U.S.

--meander


Not sure what you want to do. What hardware do you have.

there are adaptors

http://www.usbgear.com/1x-LPT-USB.html

r

Rob wrote:
On 24/10/2010 11:59 AM, Meander The Net wrote:
Found this: http://www.printfil.com/english.htm

But it's $75 U.S.

--meander


Not sure what you want to do. What hardware do you have.

there are adaptors

http://www.usbgear.com/1x-LPT-USB.html

Those connect a standard parallel printer to a USB port.

Going the other way, accepting output from a parallel port and
converting it to USB, is a lot more unusual. There's this:

http://www.lpt2usb.net/

Untried by me, but seems like it should work. As to why you'd want to
do that in hardwa sometimes the source device isn't a computer, or is
a computer with an operating system that can't be modified. There are
lab instruments with parallel outputs, and industrial machinery with
embedded computers.

On 27/10/2010 12:53 PM, Warren Block wrote:
wrote:
On 24/10/2010 11:59 AM, Meander The Net wrote:
Found this: http://www.printfil.com/english.htm

But it's $75 U.S.

--meander


Not sure what you want to do. What hardware do you have.

there are adaptors

http://www.usbgear.com/1x-LPT-USB.html

Those connect a standard parallel printer to a USB port.

Going the other way, accepting output from a parallel port and
converting it to USB, is a lot more unusual. There's this:

http://www.lpt2usb.net/

Untried by me, but seems like it should work. As to why you'd want to
do that in hardwa sometimes the source device isn't a computer, or is
a computer with an operating system that can't be modified. There are
lab instruments with parallel outputs, and industrial machinery with
embedded computers.



That's sort of why I asked so a solution could be found without trying
to guess.

Rob wrote:
On 27/10/2010 12:53 PM, Warren Block wrote:

Not sure what you want to do. What hardware do you have.

there are adaptors

http://www.usbgear.com/1x-LPT-USB.html

Those connect a standard parallel printer to a USB port.

Going the other way, accepting output from a parallel port and
converting it to USB, is a lot more unusual. There's this:

http://www.lpt2usb.net/

Untried by me, but seems like it should work. As to why you'd want to
do that in hardwa sometimes the source device isn't a computer, or is
a computer with an operating system that can't be modified. There are
lab instruments with parallel outputs, and industrial machinery with
embedded computers.

That's sort of why I asked so a solution could be found without trying
to guess.

Go back to the first message in the thread, September 13.

On 28/10/2010 10:49 AM, Warren Block wrote:
wrote:
On 27/10/2010 12:53 PM, Warren Block wrote:

Not sure what you want to do. What hardware do you have.

there are adaptors

http://www.usbgear.com/1x-LPT-USB.html

Those connect a standard parallel printer to a USB port.

Going the other way, accepting output from a parallel port and
converting it to USB, is a lot more unusual. There's this:

http://www.lpt2usb.net/

Untried by me, but seems like it should work. As to why you'd want to
do that in hardwa sometimes the source device isn't a computer, or is
a computer with an operating system that can't be modified. There are
lab instruments with parallel outputs, and industrial machinery with
embedded computers.

That's sort of why I asked so a solution could be found without trying
to guess.

Go back to the first message in the thread, September 13.

Yep now up to speed.

I know someone else who is in this situation and keeps a PC with DOS 6.1
or something like that on that machine and he prints out to a HP laser
printer. The old dos programmes written and managed with Boland dBase
for DOS these will not work under windows W98 Me or XP. Sort of worked
under windows 3.1.