[comp.sys.ibm.pc.misc] windows print thru BIOS ??

hench@ee.uwm.edu (Mike Hench) (06/26/91)

Hi.
Sorry if this is well known question but, Could anyone tell me if it is
possible to get windows 3.0 to print thru the BIOS ???
I want to redirect int 17 and it appears to be talking directly to the
hardware.

Thanks Much in advance,
Mike Hench
hench@ee.uwm.edu

PDS2@psuvm.psu.edu (Paul D. Shan) (06/26/91)

MS Windows talks directly to the parallel port if you have your device
connected to "LPT1:" or "LPT2:" in an attempt to speed up printing.  This
doesn't usually work if you have print redirection software, or network
redirection (I had this problem).  the solution is simple.  Edit your WIN.INI
file and add "LPT1.XXX=" to your [ports] section.  Then get into Windows and
connect your printer in the Control Panel to "LPT1.XXX."  Windows will think
it's printing to a file, thus using the BIOS.  When the BIOS sees LPT1, it will
then send the output to the redirected LPT1 port, and not a file.

This should work....it did for me.

Have fun!

Paul D. Shan
Microcomputer and Personal Workstation Support
Center for Academic Computing
12 Willard Building
University Park, PA  16802
(814) 863-4356
PDS2@PSUVM.psu.edu

desktop@olivey.ATC.Olivetti.Com (Jon Ericson) (06/27/91)

You can print to port LPT1.OS2 (included in the standard WIN.INI); it
uses BIOS int 17.

Elio Tondo