You'll probably also need to map your printer to LPT1 using the Windows networking as these printers don't simulate a LPT1.

Thanks for that. What I did was open the Properties for my printer in XP Control Panel. In the Port tab, I enabled Printer Pooling and checked LPT1 (it already had USB Port checked.)

I've added 'parallel1=file dev:LPT1' to the config file. When I try and print (via LPT1) from the DOS application I get a 'Printer not ready' error message.

Is there anything else I need to do or am I on the wrong path?

I think printer pooling is used differently.

Just share your printer over the network and then issue a net use command:

net use <Port>: <Shared resource> /persistent:yes

E.g. net use LPT1: \\MyNetwork\HP /persistent:yes

Then all data from LPT1: will be redirected to your shared printer.

Thanks. I'm not actually using a network. The printer would be a 'local' printer physically attached to the laptop computer on which I'm running DOSBOX. So I'm not sure how to proceed.

Or are we talking about setting the printer as a share? I see I can share the printer a give it a share name. For example share name = 'HP3100'

Would I then use: net use LPT1: \\HP3100 /persistent:yes ?

yes. although you probably need something like \\mycomputer\hp3100

That's great. I'll substitute my computer name and see what happens.

Thanks

Here's what happened.

Set up printer share as HP3100

From 'My Computer' -> Properties -> Computer name -> Full computer name: HP_Laptop

In CMD window: net use LPT1:\\HP_Laptop\HP3100 /persistent:yes

results in:

"System error 67 has occurred. The network name cannot be found"

Not sure what to do next! ;-(

this is no dosbox problem.
maybe google or so

Check your network name by right-clicking My PC -> Properties (if you are running XP).

Then prefix that name before the shared resource name

net use lpt1: <blank space> \\MyNet\HP <blank space> /persistent:yes

Maybe Googling on this will shed any additional light...

It appears that the problem was an unneeded colon.

"net use lpt1 \\hp_laptop\hp3100 /persistent:yes" did the trick.

I had previously had "net use lpt1: \\hp_laptop\hp3100 /persistent:yes"

So this worked for me:

(a) installed DOSBOX Megabuild 5
(b) added "parallel1=file dev:LPT1" to the config file
(c) issued "net use lpt1 \\hp_laptop\hp3100 /persistent:yes" in CMD window before launching DOSBOX

Thanks to all those who helped.

Glad to hear it.

I have been using (and enjoying) DOSBox 0.73 since earlier this year on My Windows 7 64-bit laptop. I have not tried printing from DOSBox yet, and based on the discussion, I have a couple of questions:

(1) Where do you put the following line in the config file:

parallel1=file dev:LPT1

Is this to be placed in the [autoexec] section, or..?

(2) Is "DOSBOX Megabuild 5" an update from my version of DOSBox, and is it necessary before (1) would work?

h-a-l's DOSBox Megabuild is an extended Version of DOSBox that includes some more experimental features that don't exist in "mainline" DOSBox. One of these features is parallel port emulation.

So yes you need to download and run the Megabuild. Its config file has a section dedicated to parallel printing which also doesn't exist in mainline DOSBox config files.

Paolo_R wrote:

So this worked for me: (a) installed DOSBOX Megabuild 5 (b) added "parallel1=file dev:LPT1" to the config file (c) issued "net u […]
Show full quote

So this worked for me:
(a) installed DOSBOX Megabuild 5
(b) added "parallel1=file dev:LPT1" to the config file
(c) issued "net use lpt1 \\hp_laptop\hp3100 /persistent:yes" in CMD window before launching DOSBOX

Hi Paolo_R, thank you for your help
i have the same problem and will be test your solution next week, i have a question :
if i stop/ start my PC
does i must run always CMD window before launching DOSBOX : net use lpt1 \\hp_laptop\hp3100 /persistent:yes

/persistent:yes means it will remember this connection.

h-a-l-9000 wrote:

/persistent:yes means it will remember this connection.

yes, it is what i think just after send the post ..
thank you h-a-l-9000 !

do you think it is also possible to print to port IP directly ?

Should be possible with a nullmodem COM port

Hello..... have also problem with an old DOS progam. Running well under XP (just had to pur "files=120" up in ntconfig), printers are also installed:

net use lpt2 \\srv1\lp4 /persistent:yes
net use lpt3 \\srv1\lp3 /persistent:yes

But not running under Win7 (printers are installed as mentioned above)

Have already installed the Megabuild6. But what exactly put in the confirg file of the Megabuilt?
Programm is running will, but does not find any printers (...which have not been "installed" in DOSBox)

Thanks for your help!
Tomsan

parallel1=file dev:LPT2