Network printing

[kaotkbliss]

We have some files in .pcl formal that cannot be opened in a viewer to print (they lose embeded commands) 1 printer we can print to using ftp, but the back-up printer is older and does not have that capability.

I thought that if I could send the data dirrectly via the ip address then maybe we could get around this issue.

Unfortunately the printer does not seem to be responding

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#include <GuiConstants.au3>
#include <Array.au3>
#include <WindowsConstants.au3>

$x = 1
$i = 0
Global $ip
Global $ipen
Global $ipme
Global $ipin
Global $ftpr
Global $prin
Global $ip[$x]

$ip = IniReadSection(@WorkingDir & "\printip.ini", "ips")

GUICreate("IP Print", 250, 120, -1, -1, -1, $WS_EX_ACCEPTFILES)
$ipen = GUICtrlCreateCombo("", 1, 50)
GUICtrlCreateLabel("Select IP", 1, 32, 45, 15)

For $x = 1 To UBound($ip) - 1
    GUICtrlSetData($ipen, $ip[$x][1] & "|")
Next

$ipme = GUICtrlCreateInput("Enter IP", 1, 3, 100, 20)
$ipin = GUICtrlCreateButton("Save IP", 105, 1)
$ftpr = GUICtrlCreateInput("", 1, 97, 100, 20)
GUICtrlSetState($ftpr, $GUI_DROPACCEPTED)
$prin = GUICtrlCreateButton("Print", 105, 94)
GUICtrlCreateLabel("Drag File Here", 1, 77, 75, 15)

GUISetState(@SW_SHOW)

main()

Func main()

    While 1
        $msg = GUIGetMsg()

        If $msg = $ipin Then
            Do
                $i += 1
                $chk = IniRead(@WorkingDir & "\printip.ini", "ips", $i, "")
            Until $chk = ""
            $nwip = GUICtrlRead($ipme)
            IniWrite(@WorkingDir & "\printip.ini", "ips", $i, $nwip)

            GUICtrlSetData($ipen, "")

            For $x = 1 To UBound($ip) - 1
                GUICtrlSetData($ipen, $ip[$x][1] & "|")
            Next

        ElseIf $msg = $prin Then

            print()

        ElseIf $msg = $GUI_EVENT_CLOSE Then
            GUIDelete()
            TCPCloseSocket($prntr)
            TCPShutdown()
            Exit (1)

        EndIf

    WEnd

EndFunc   ;==>main

Func print()

    $ipad = GUICtrlRead($ipen)
    $flad = GUICtrlRead($ftpr)

    If $ipad = "" Then
        MsgBox(0, "Error", "No IP Selected", 10)
        main()
    EndIf

    If $flad = "" Then
        MsgBox(0, "Error", "No File Selected", 10)
        main()
    EndIf

    TCPStartup()
    $prntr = TCPConnect($ipad, 80)
    $flopn = FileOpen($flad, 16)
    $flrd = FileRead($flad)
    $flsnd = TCPSend($prntr, $flrd)
    main()

EndFunc   ;==>print

All the variables after TCPStartup() are not throwing errors, so there is communication, just don't know why it's not printing.

[PsaltyDS]

That's the HP Printer Control Language (PCL) insn't it? Are you sure you're not trying to send PCL6 commands to a PCL3 printer, or some such? You did mention the backup is not of the same generation.

P.S. If that's the problem, then you would install the driver for that generation of PCL printer, print to file again to generate a compatible .pcl file, then FTP that to the older printer. Even if you can't do this with the current file, try it with a different document just to test the theory.

Edited March 11, 2010 by PsaltyDS

[kaotkbliss]

I was testing on both printers with a small simple txt file

[PsaltyDS]

What model printer is it?

[kaotkbliss]

Richo (Lenier) 5705

I'm thinking I might be missing some code in my script to make it work (ddl call or something?)

but I have no clue what it would be.

[Jos]

Should you use the LPR protocol to send the file to the printer? You script open the HTTP port now.

There is an LPR command that comes with windows that would allow that.

Jos

Edited March 11, 2010 by Jos

[kaotkbliss]

Should you use the LPR protocol to send the file to the printer? You script open the HTTP port now.

There is an LPR command that comes with windows that would allow that.

Jos

Thanks Jos, that is the part of the script that was missing. simple text files print to both printers, now just need to test pcl files.

expandcollapse popup

#include <GuiConstants.au3>
#include <Array.au3>
#include <WindowsConstants.au3>

$x = 1
$i = 0
Global $ip
Global $ipen
Global $ipme
Global $ipin
Global $ftpr
Global $prin
Global $ip[$x]

$ip = IniReadSection(@WorkingDir & "\printip.ini", "ips")

GUICreate("IP Print", 250, 120, -1, -1, -1, $WS_EX_ACCEPTFILES)
$ipen = GUICtrlCreateCombo("", 1, 50)
GUICtrlCreateLabel("Select IP", 1, 32, 45, 15)

For $x = 1 To UBound($ip) - 1
    GUICtrlSetData($ipen, $ip[$x][1] & "|")
Next

$ipme = GUICtrlCreateInput("Enter IP", 1, 3, 100, 20)
$ipin = GUICtrlCreateButton("Save IP", 105, 1)
$ftpr = GUICtrlCreateInput("", 1, 97, 100, 20)
GUICtrlSetState($ftpr, $GUI_DROPACCEPTED)
$prin = GUICtrlCreateButton("Print", 105, 94)
GUICtrlCreateLabel("Drag File Here", 1, 77, 75, 15)

GUISetState(@SW_SHOW)

main()

Func main()

    While 1
        $msg = GUIGetMsg()

        If $msg = $ipin Then
            Do
                $i += 1
                $chk = IniRead(@WorkingDir & "\printip.ini", "ips", $i, "")
            Until $chk = ""
            $nwip = GUICtrlRead($ipme)
            IniWrite(@WorkingDir & "\printip.ini", "ips", $i, $nwip)

            GUICtrlSetData($ipen, "")

            For $x = 1 To UBound($ip) - 1
                GUICtrlSetData($ipen, $ip[$x][1] & "|")
            Next

        ElseIf $msg = $prin Then

            print()

        ElseIf $msg = $GUI_EVENT_CLOSE Then
            GUIDelete()
            Exit (1)

        EndIf

    WEnd

EndFunc   ;==>main

Func print()

    $ipad = GUICtrlRead($ipen)
    $flad = GUICtrlRead($ftpr)

    If $ipad = "" Then
        MsgBox(0, "Error", "No IP Selected", 10)
        main()
    EndIf

    If $flad = "" Then
        MsgBox(0, "Error", "No File Selected", 10)
        main()
    EndIf

    Run(@SystemDir&"\cmd.exe")
    WinWaitActive("[CLASS:ConsoleWindowClass]")
    ControlSend("[CLASS:ConsoleWindowClass]","","","lpr -S "&$ipad&" -P raw -o l "&$flad&"{ENTER}")
    ProcessClose("cmd.exe")
    main()

EndFunc   ;==>print

[Jos]

You really should use the runwait command to run LPR.

Jos

[kaotkbliss]

That's a good tip. Some of the files can get pretty large. (over 10,000 pages)

On another note, it seems cmd does not like spaces in file paths not a big issue, just can be annoying. I tried enclosing the path in quotes but cmd still breaks it apart.

[Jos]

Spaces in the filespath should not be an issue. Doesn't something like this work?

RunWait(@ComSpec & ' /c lpr -S "' & $ipad & '" -P raw -o l "' & $flad &'"')

Edited March 11, 2010 by Jos

[kaotkbliss]

Thank you again Jos. I was just looking into how @COMSPEC was used and you gave me the answer.

As to the quotes, I've used it in other scripts to "close gaps" in file paths, I must have had a missplaced quote when I tried.

[PsaltyDS]

Very cool Jos.

@kaotkbliss: Did you send it the original topic .pcl file via LPR and it printed?

[kaotkbliss]

It sure did and printed correctly as well

so even better is, I won't need to edit the program that creates the pcl's

[kaotkbliss]

Is necro-ing your own post allowed?

This script has been working just fine with no problems all this time, but then the computer I made it for was upgraded to windows 7 64 bit and now it does everything same as it did before except the printer doesn't print anything

[Jos]

Are you sure LPR is installed on the Win7 computer, because I believe it isn't by default.

Jos

[kaotkbliss]

I had just seen in a google search to add/remove windows features and select lpd printservice and lpr port monitor. I tried that on the machine but still the same thing

The cmd window pops up for a second as it send the file (assumingly to the printer) then closes and the printer just sits there.

[Jos]

Have you tried it manually in a cmd window yourself?

[kaotkbliss]

I think our IT guy has, he's been working on trying to get a file sent to the printer via lpr since I've got multiple things going on. I was thinking that maybe it was changes to how windows 7 handles cmd, or the way 64 bit machine handles cmd?

[kaotkbliss]

The IT guy seems to have figured it out. The initial /c was killing the process before it even ran for some reason in Win7 64.

They couldn't just remove it because then the process wouldn't be accepted, so they used /k. now it just a matter of closing the process when it's finished.

[Jos]

Is the LPR command an x64 program and your Compiled script x86?

If so, you might try compiling your script as x64.

Jos