XP won't print, WIN9X will

We have an old bespoke program which I believe was written in C++. This
program prints out sales receipts to a Panasonic Dot Matrix Printer. The
printer is connected to the network via a Jet Direct 170X which has a fixed
IP address.

The Sales Dept are the only people who use this program and currently most
of the PC's are running Windows 98.

We had to recently upgrade one PC and it came with XP Pro. This PC cannot
print via this bespoke program. We can print however to this printer from
any other program on this Windows XP PC.

When installing this printer on a Windows 98 PC we install a local TCP/IP
port. We then load a generic driver and rename it "AIA Raw Printer". Any
other name will not work. We can then print. When following the exact
procedure on the Windows XP Pro PC it doesn't work.

We have tried many things, even trying to run the program in Windows 98
compatibility mode but to no avail. It seems that even though we have
renamed the printer to the correct name, windows and the program do not see
it the same way.

We could downgrade the operating system to Win 98 but it would be great if
we can get windows XP to work.

Anybody got an idea on how to solve this one.

Thanks

See if this has any application to your situation:
http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=282842

Tom
MSMVP-DTS
"boders67" wrote in message
...
: We have an old bespoke program which I believe was written in C++.
This
: program prints out sales receipts to a Panasonic Dot Matrix Printer.
The
: printer is connected to the network via a Jet Direct 170X which has a
fixed
: IP address.
:
: The Sales Dept are the only people who use this program and currently
most
: of the PC's are running Windows 98.
:
: We had to recently upgrade one PC and it came with XP Pro. This PC
cannot
: print via this bespoke program. We can print however to this printer
from
: any other program on this Windows XP PC.
:
: When installing this printer on a Windows 98 PC we install a local
TCP/IP
: port. We then load a generic driver and rename it "AIA Raw Printer".
Any
: other name will not work. We can then print. When following the
exact
: procedure on the Windows XP Pro PC it doesn't work.
:
: We have tried many things, even trying to run the program in Windows
98
: compatibility mode but to no avail. It seems that even though we have
: renamed the printer to the correct name, windows and the program do
not see
: it the same way.
:
: We could downgrade the operating system to Win 98 but it would be
great if
: we can get windows XP to work.
:
: Anybody got an idea on how to solve this one.
:
: Thanks
:
:

Thanks for replying.

Printing, generally, is not the problem as I can get the windows XP PC to
print to the printer, just not through our bespoke program which is looking
for a printer called "AIA PRINTER". On windows 9x we set up the printer
exactly the same as we do on the windows XP but it works. What is the
difference between XP and Windows 9x when it comes to naming printers or
renaming them?

Thanks again

"Thomas Ferguson" wrote in message
...
See if this has any application to your situation:
http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=282842

Tom
MSMVP-DTS
"boders67" wrote in message
...
: We have an old bespoke program which I believe was written in C++.
This
: program prints out sales receipts to a Panasonic Dot Matrix Printer.
The
: printer is connected to the network via a Jet Direct 170X which has a
fixed
: IP address.
:
: The Sales Dept are the only people who use this program and currently
most
: of the PC's are running Windows 98.
:
: We had to recently upgrade one PC and it came with XP Pro. This PC
cannot
: print via this bespoke program. We can print however to this printer
from
: any other program on this Windows XP PC.
:
: When installing this printer on a Windows 98 PC we install a local
TCP/IP
: port. We then load a generic driver and rename it "AIA Raw Printer".
Any
: other name will not work. We can then print. When following the
exact
: procedure on the Windows XP Pro PC it doesn't work.
:
: We have tried many things, even trying to run the program in Windows
98
: compatibility mode but to no avail. It seems that even though we have
: renamed the printer to the correct name, windows and the program do
not see
: it the same way.
:
: We could downgrade the operating system to Win 98 but it would be
great if
: we can get windows XP to work.
:
: Anybody got an idea on how to solve this one.
:
: Thanks
:
:

You can name (rename) a Local Printer, but you can not rename a Network
Printer.

If the printer is associated with a Standard TCP/IP port on the local
computer, it is a Local Printer.

In Printers and Faxes, Network Printers always have a name like "printer on
server".

If you have a Local Printer with the name that the program expects, but it
doesn't work, I suggest contacting the vendor of the program for help.

--
Bruce Sanderson MVP

It is perfectly useless to know the right answer to the wrong question.


"boders67" wrote in message
...
Thanks for replying.

Printing, generally, is not the problem as I can get the windows XP PC to
print to the printer, just not through our bespoke program which is
looking for a printer called "AIA PRINTER". On windows 9x we set up the
printer exactly the same as we do on the windows XP but it works. What is
the difference between XP and Windows 9x when it comes to naming printers
or renaming them?

Thanks again

"Thomas Ferguson" wrote in message
...
See if this has any application to your situation:
http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=282842

Tom
MSMVP-DTS
"boders67" wrote in message
...
: We have an old bespoke program which I believe was written in C++.
This
: program prints out sales receipts to a Panasonic Dot Matrix Printer.
The
: printer is connected to the network via a Jet Direct 170X which has a
fixed
: IP address.
:
: The Sales Dept are the only people who use this program and currently
most
: of the PC's are running Windows 98.
:
: We had to recently upgrade one PC and it came with XP Pro. This PC
cannot
: print via this bespoke program. We can print however to this printer
from
: any other program on this Windows XP PC.
:
: When installing this printer on a Windows 98 PC we install a local
TCP/IP
: port. We then load a generic driver and rename it "AIA Raw Printer".
Any
: other name will not work. We can then print. When following the
exact
: procedure on the Windows XP Pro PC it doesn't work.
:
: We have tried many things, even trying to run the program in Windows
98
: compatibility mode but to no avail. It seems that even though we have
: renamed the printer to the correct name, windows and the program do
not see
: it the same way.
:
: We could downgrade the operating system to Win 98 but it would be
great if
: we can get windows XP to work.
:
: Anybody got an idea on how to solve this one.
:
: Thanks
:
:

You can rename the printer in the registry.

HKLM\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Print\Printe rs\PrinterName Look
for a key called name. Be sure to change only the information after
the last backslash.

Bruce Sanderson wrote:
*You can name (rename) a Local Printer, but you can not rename a
Network
Printer.

If the printer is associated with a Standard TCP/IP port on the
local
computer, it is a Local Printer.

In Printers and Faxes, Network Printers always have a name like
"printer on
server".

If you have a Local Printer with the name that the program expects,
but it
doesn't work, I suggest contacting the vendor of the program for
help.

--
Bruce Sanderson MVP

It is perfectly useless to know the right answer to the wrong
question.


"boders67" wrote in message
...
Thanks for replying.

Printing, generally, is not the problem as I can get the windows XP
PC to
print to the printer, just not through our bespoke program which
is
looking for a printer called "AIA PRINTER". On windows 9x we set up
the
printer exactly the same as we do on the windows XP but it works.
What is
the difference between XP and Windows 9x when it comes to naming
printers
or renaming them?

Thanks again

"Thomas Ferguson" wrote in message
...

*



--
mhussey
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Posted via http://www.mcse.ms
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View this thread: http://www.mcse.ms/message1005570.html

How to rename a network printer--

In the registry find the key associated with the printer.

HKLM\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Print\Printe rs\PrinterName Look
for a key called "name." Be sure to change only the information after
the last backslash. then reboot the computer.

Note--If this is your default printer, be sure to set the default
printer to something else while in the rename process. After you
change the name in the registry, reboot the computer then set it back
as the default printer.

Bruce Sanderson wrote:
*You can name (rename) a Local Printer, but you can not rename a
Network
Printer.

If the printer is associated with a Standard TCP/IP port on the
local
computer, it is a Local Printer.

In Printers and Faxes, Network Printers always have a name like
"printer on
server".

If you have a Local Printer with the name that the program expects,
but it
doesn't work, I suggest contacting the vendor of the program for
help.

--
Bruce Sanderson MVP

It is perfectly useless to know the right answer to the wrong
question.


"boders67" wrote in message
...
Thanks for replying.

Printing, generally, is not the problem as I can get the windows XP
PC to
print to the printer, just not through our bespoke program which
is
looking for a printer called "AIA PRINTER". On windows 9x we set up
the
printer exactly the same as we do on the windows XP but it works.
What is
the difference between XP and Windows 9x when it comes to naming
printers
or renaming them?

Thanks again

"Thomas Ferguson" wrote in message
...

*



--
mhussey
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Posted via http://www.mcse.ms
------------------------------------------------------------------------
View this thread: http://www.mcse.ms/message1005570.html

I think if look into this a bit more, you will find that the registry value
HKLM\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Print\Printe rs\PrinterName\Name is
where the name of a "Local Printer" is stored.

If the printer is really a "Network Printer" on the client computer, that
registry entry does not exist (on the client computer) for that printer.

The terminolgy, as used in Windows 2000 and later, is very specific (see
"Printer" in the glossary at http://members.shaw.ca/bsanders/Glossary.htm).
Printer objects (for which there is a key in
HKLM\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Print\Printe rs) are always for Local
Printers and are associated with a Local Port whose name is stored at
HKLM\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Print\Printe rs\PrinterName\Port.

If a printer object is associated with a Standard TCP/IP port, that printer,
by definition, is a Local Printer. Also, a printer that is on a Local Port
that has a name like \\servername\printersharename is also, by definition, a
Local Printer because it is on a Local Port.

If a printer's name (on the client) is of the form "printername on
servername", then it is a Network Printer and there is no registry key for
it under HKLM\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Print\Printe rs (on the
client).

When you open the Properties of a "Network Printer", you are seeing the
properties of that printer object as they exist on the print server
computer; there are no corresponding properties on the client computer.

If you change the text in the uppermost box on the General tab of a printer
object's Properties, this will not only change the content of the registry
VALUE at
HKLM\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Print\Printe rs\PrinterName\Name, it
will also change the name of the registry KEY containing that VALUE
(HKLM\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Print\Print ers\PrinterName). If you
do this from a client computer that has that printer as a "Network Printer"
(assuming you have permission to do this), the content of the registry key
HKLM\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Print\Printe rs on the print server
computer will be modified, but not that on the client computer (where it
doesn't exist anyway).

All of this is easy to verify:

1. on one computer (the print server), add a Local Printer and observe that
there is a key for it under
HKLM\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Print\Printe rs
2. observe that the registry value called Name in the above key is the same
as the name of the registry key and as what shows as the name of the printer
in Printers and Faxes
3. open the Properties of the just added Local Printer and change its name
on the General tab
4. refresh the display in the Registry Editor and observe that the key with
the old name has vanished, a new key with the new name has appeared and the
Name value under the new key has the new printer name
5. share the new printer
6. on a second computer (the client - Windows 2000 or later), open the Add
Printer Wizard; click Next
7. select the "A network printer, or a printer attached to another computer"
radio button
8. select the middle radio button ("Connect to this printer...")
9. key \\servername\printersharename; click Next
10. complete the rest of the Add Printer Wizard
11. open regedit and navigate to
HKLM\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Print\Printe rs; observe that there is
no key for this Network Printer
12. still on the second computer (the client) open the Properties of the
just added Network Printer
13. on the general tab, change the printer's name (top most box); click OK
14. go back to the server computer and observe that the Local Printer's name
has been modified and that the registry entries have also been modified as
described in 4 above

As has been said in this (and other newsgroups) there is no way to change
the name of a "Network Printer", because there is no local name for that
printer on the client computer.

--
Bruce Sanderson MVP


It is perfectly useless to know the right answer to the wrong question.


"mhussey" wrote in message
...

How to rename a network printer--

In the registry find the key associated with the printer.

HKLM\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Print\Printe rs\PrinterName Look
for a key called "name." Be sure to change only the information after
the last backslash. then reboot the computer.

Note--If this is your default printer, be sure to set the default
printer to something else while in the rename process. After you
change the name in the registry, reboot the computer then set it back
as the default printer.

Bruce Sanderson wrote:
*You can name (rename) a Local Printer, but you can not rename a
Network
Printer.

If the printer is associated with a Standard TCP/IP port on the
local
computer, it is a Local Printer.

In Printers and Faxes, Network Printers always have a name like
"printer on
server".

If you have a Local Printer with the name that the program expects,
but it
doesn't work, I suggest contacting the vendor of the program for
help.

--
Bruce Sanderson MVP

It is perfectly useless to know the right answer to the wrong
question.


"boders67" wrote in message
...
Thanks for replying.

Printing, generally, is not the problem as I can get the windows XP
PC to
print to the printer, just not through our bespoke program which
is
looking for a printer called "AIA PRINTER". On windows 9x we set up
the
printer exactly the same as we do on the windows XP but it works.
What is
the difference between XP and Windows 9x when it comes to naming
printers
or renaming them?

Thanks again

"Thomas Ferguson" wrote in message
...

*



--
mhussey
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Posted via http://www.mcse.ms
------------------------------------------------------------------------
View this thread: http://www.mcse.ms/message1005570.html