try the print command
https://technet.microsoft.com/en-gb/library/bb490970.aspx

thanks for the suggestion... 2 things..
how do you do it under dosbox..

2) under dos we would actually say...
lsr -invoice(that is a function within the program) filea (is the data field) lpt1: is the port..
the program then performs special things before sending it to lpt1..
if I can get the straight copy command to work under dosbox... I could print to file and then "copy" to lpt1

hope you can help ...
norm

as as aside...
the laser postscript program we are using is called Pagegarden...
clever little thing

Moving to the DOSBox forum...

caraltholz wrote:

using dos command "copy fileA -specialcommand :lpt1" to print a file to a postscript laser...
does not work... any ideas..

Your syntax is incorrect.

First of all, it should be lpt1: and not :lpt1.

You can also use prn instead of lpt1: (stands for printer).

Also, most special switches should be put before the source file name, not after it.

Finally, it may not work under DOSBox without special configuration to set up passthrough to the printer.

thanks... you of course were right re: the syntax.. sorry no luck... tried a database program called alpha4 and tried to print directly from that.... the work around I came up with was.... set up the Postscript file under DOSBox and then switch to windows 7 and pump out the file using Illustrator which handles the postscript file fine...

thanks for the help...

BTW... got any ideas re: the passthrough problem?

norm

In the past I've used the DOSBox Megabuild to enable passthrough to the physical LPT port. See if it helps you:
Printing from DOSBox

However, the caveat is that the PortTalk utility mentioned there to actually enable said physical access may not work on Vista or newer. I have no idea if this was ever worked around.

Megabuild is pretty old by now.

Indeed it is, but as long as it works for whatever particular single task is required, I see no problem using it just for that task.