Microsoft KB Archive/49250

No Printout on Non-Networked PostScript Printer

PSS ID Number: Q49250 Article last modified on 11-02-1994

4.00 5.00 5.50 6.00

MS-DOS

= SUMMARY =

If you are unable to receive output from a PostScript printer with Microsoft Word for MS-DOS version 4.0, 5.0, or 5.5 on a non-networked system, use the following procedure to troubleshoot the problem:

  Always use the MS-DOS MODE command before loading Word. For a serial (COMx) connection, the MODE command is as follows: MODE COMx:9600,n,8,1,p For a parallel (LPTx) connection, the MODE command is as follows: MODE LPTx:,,p For both of these statements, “x” refers to the number of the port to which the printer is connected.   Make sure the connection test works. The simplest available connection test is to copy the PostScript command “showpage” to the printer. (This command must be in lowercase letters because PostScript is case sensitive.) This procedure should cause a blank page to be printed if everything is working correctly. The syntax for this command is as follows: COPY CON {port}, press ENTER showpage, press ENTER Press CTRL+Z This command causes the message “1 file copied” to be returned from MS-DOS, and prints a blank page on the printer. If the connection test does not work correctly, a communication problem exists between the printer and the computer. This may be as simple as a loose connection (has this printer worked in the past?) or it may be the configuration of the cable itself (has this printer ever worked with this application?). If the connection test doesn’t work correctly, Word will be unable to print.   At the MS-DOS prompt, copy the .INI file, followed by a print file. First, create a print file from Word using the Print File command, and enter a filename. For this example, assume the print filename is C:.PRN. Once the print file is created, use the MS-DOS COPY command (either through Library Run or after exiting Word) to send the POSTSCRP.INI file to the printer. If the printer is connected to COM1, use the following command: COPY POSTSCRP.INI COM1: After the .INI file is sent to the printer, send the print file with the following command: COPY C:.PRN COM1:   If you are using a NEC LC890, set the printer to PostScript interactive mode with the Software Interface menu option that is provided on the front panel. The printer must be turned off and then on again after this change is made. Sometimes this interactive mode prints more successfully. For more details on this method, query on the following words in the Microsoft Knowledge Base: NEC LC890 and prints and slow and first In some cases, instead of printing slow, no output is received.   If you are having time-out problems with the NEC LC890 and you have used the MS-DOS MODE command, set the time-out on the printer for 30 seconds or infinite through the front panel menus.   Try turning the printer off and then on again to ensure the stack is empty, then append the INI file to the print file. From MS-DOS, the syntax for this command is as follows: COPY POSTSCRP.INI+C:.PRN NEWTEST.PRN Then send this combined file to the printer: COPY NEWTEST COM1:   A better connection test may be necessary. A more thorough connection test consists of copying the following to the printer: 100 100 moveto 300 300 lineto stroke showpage This should cause a line to print at a 45-degree angle from the lower-left corner on an otherwise blank page. 

KBCategory: kbprint kbnetwork KBSubcategory: Additional reference words: 4.00 5.00 5.50 tshoot ============================================================================= Copyright Microsoft Corporation 1994.