Re: USB gizmos

["David B. Kronenfeld" kfeld@xxxxxxxx]

As I keep saying, "I'm in over my head here", but--in case it is
useful--there is an unofficial site maintained by a user for WordPerfect
5.1 (old DOS version that many, my wife included, still use). On that
site, besides much stuff for WP5.1, there is much more useful information
about using a DOS program in a Windows environment. The page whose URL I
give just below is headed: "This page contains information on printing and
faxing from WPDOS under Windows. Other information on running WPDOS under
Windows may be found on this site's Windows page. To print from WPDOS to
USB printers under Windows, see the note on USB printing."


http://www.columbia.edu/~em36/wpdos/winprint.html#usbprint

The site is well-designed, easy to follow, and has much useful info for
those to whom it is relevant. The rest of it can easily be reached from
directions on any page (including this one). I have tried a number of
things from it, and found them good.


                David

At 06:16 PM 8/26/2003 -0400, Patricia wrote:
> Jordan wrote: "If one uses a USB to Parallel converter, does that
> sidestep the issue of being able to have DOS app.s (like XyDOS) find LPT1
> or LPT2 ?"
> I'm not sure, because I've never tried it, but from all I've read it
> wouldn't work. Not that way, anyway, because the converters are only to
> be used to print through a USB port to a parallel printer, not vice
> versa. But Xy and other DOS apps are looking for a parallel PORT. Now the
> BIOS of my system does have an option "use USB with DOS" but whether it
> works or not I haven't been able to test. One would need an otherwise
> DOS-compatible printer (i.e., Postscript, HP PCL, or Epson ESC/P printer
> language one), connected to the PC through the USB port, and try to print
> to that from DOS. What might work is mapping the parallel port to the USB
> port using the "capture printer port" function; but I get the impression
> that only works if you're in a network. Anyone know different?
> Patricia