pwong@batcomputer.tn.cornell.edu (Patrick Wong) (01/27/91)
Hi, netters:
I have just inherited a DEC LQP02 daisywheel printer (obviously w/o manual)
and I have been trying to get it to work with my pc via the serial port that
the printer has. The printer has two bands of dip switches: SP1 and SP2.
There is a simple chart on the inside of the front panel cover of the printer
explaining all these switches. Therefore, I believe I set all the
communication parameters correctly without any doubt. (Though the chart does
not say anything about the 2nd band of dip switches except their default
positions. Thus, I left them in their default positions while only setting
the switches of 1st band).
I used a serial cable (which is actually a modem cable that I use to connect
between the serial port on my pc and a modem) and a NULL modem to connect
to the printer. This is based on the assumption that both LQP02 and my pc
are DTE. Though I can get the power light lit up (and the DSR light lit up
if I set dip switch 6 of 1st band SP1 at up-position), I cannot get it to
print at all.
I tried 2 different ways to send things to the printer:
1. I used a software to send things to the printer after setting up
the comm. parameters within the software to be identical to those
of the printer.
2. I did the followings:
>MODE COM1 9600,e,7,1,p
>MODE LPT1=COM1
>PRINT file (or COPY file PRN)
Both methods did not result in any printing at all. I think the cable
that I used may not be inappropriate, although I did try also using it
without the NULL modem in-between the pc and the printer. So, what's
the deal here?
Please HELP !!!
Patrick Wong
pcw@squid.graphics.cornell.edu
pwong@tn.theory.cornell.edupwong@batcomputer.tn.cornell.edu (Patrick Wong) (01/30/91)
In article <1991Jan26.225528.23394@batcomputer.tn.cornell.edu> pwong@batcomputer.tn.cornell.edu (Patrick Wong) writes: >Hi, netters: > >I have just inherited a DEC LQP02 daisywheel printer (obviously w/o manual) >and I have been trying to get it to work with my pc via the serial port that >the printer has. The printer has two bands of dip switches: SP1 and SP2. >There is a simple chart on the inside of the front panel cover of the printer >explaining all these switches. Therefore, I believe I set all the >communication parameters correctly without any doubt. (Though the chart does >not say anything about the 2nd band of dip switches except their default >positions. Thus, I left them in their default positions while only setting >the switches of 1st band). > >I used a serial cable (which is actually a modem cable that I use to connect >between the serial port on my pc and a modem) and a NULL modem to connect >to the printer. This is based on the assumption that both LQP02 and my pc >are DTE. Though I can get the power light lit up (and the DSR light lit up >if I set dip switch 6 of 1st band SP1 at up-position), I cannot get it to >print at all. > >I tried 2 different ways to send things to the printer: >1. I used a software to send things to the printer after setting up > the comm. parameters within the software to be identical to those > of the printer. > >2. I did the followings: > > >MODE COM1 9600,e,7,1,p > >MODE LPT1=COM1 > >PRINT file (or COPY file PRN) > > >Both methods did not result in any printing at all. I think the cable >that I used may not be inappropriate, although I did try also using it >without the NULL modem in-between the pc and the printer. So, what's >the deal here? > >Please HELP !!! > >Patrick Wong >pcw@squid.graphics.cornell.edu >pwong@tn.theory.cornell.edu > Thanx to those who responded !! I've got it printing under Dos and WordPerfect. Several people (jdudeck@polyslo.calpoly.edu,alpert@chovax.enet.dec.com, amichiel@rodan.acs.syr.edu) pointed out that I need a X-ON-X-OFF driver in order to make it print properly under DOS, one of them also told me that WP can handle this flow control (and he is right!) w/o the need of an external driver, and another one kindly sent me a copy of MAPLPT. I talked with DEC tech on the phone and found out that the RS-232C port on the printer is a standard one (Wow!). Therefore, my attempt to connect the printer and the pc with a NULL modem in-between is correct. However, in the beginning I still could only print a few lines before the data became scrambled (with parity error shown on the printer). The breakthru came when nigel@cc.imperial.ac.uk told me from his experience that he could only use up to 300 baud to print on this printer. And, indeed, he is right! As soon as I set the baud rate to 300, I could print a WP document under WP5.0 w/o problem! Thanx again to all! Patrick