Gallicrow Software Limited Printing FAQ


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* How can I "Print to File" if the program I'm using doesn't have that option?
* How can I print to the same file each time, without being prompted for a filename?
* How do I create a simple text file when "Printing to file"?
* How do I set up a file association for .txt or .prn files so I can print them from Windows Explorer?
* How do I get rid of Spool32 errors?
* How about "Error printing to LPT1: Access is denied"?

Please read about Imprint - Gallicrow Software's utility for printing text and binary files

How can I "Print to File" if the program I'm using doesn't have that option?
Short answer
  • Add a printer that uses the special port "File:".
Long answer
  • From the Start menu, select Settings > Printers, the Printers window will pop up, showing an icon for each of the printers you have at your disposal, plus an icon called "Add Printer". Double click on this icon.
  • The Add Printer Wizard window will pop up, click on Next.
  • Select the manufacturer and model of the printer you will eventually send the .prn files to. Rather than scrolling through the entire list of manufacturers, just press the first letter of their name (e.g. H for HP) on the keyboard and the list will jump to the manufacturers starting with that letter.
  • Once the correct manufacturer / printer has been selected click on Next.
  • Keep the existing driver for this printer, click on Next.
  • You will be shown a list of ports, select the one which says:
    "File: Creates a file on disk", click on Next.
  • Enter a name for this printer, e.g. "HP Laserjet (FILE)" and select whether to use this printer as the default, click on Next.
  • Don't bother 'printing' a test page, click on Finish.
  • If you now 'print' to this printer a dialog asking you the name of the file to print to will pop up.

Please read about Imprint - Gallicrow Software's utility for printing text and binary files

How can I print to the same file each time, without being prompted for a filename?
Short answer
  • Add a new local port named with a filename.
Long answer
  • Add a new printer that prints to the special "File:" port (see question 1).
  • From the printers' panel, right click on the printer you have just added and select Properties.
  • A panel showing the properties for this printer will pop up, click on the Details tab of this panel.
  • Click on the Add Port... button.
  • The Add Port panel will pop up, click on the Other radio button, and make sure Local Port is highlighted, click on OK.
  • A small panel asking for the name of the port will pop up, enter the name of a file in the edit box, for example C:\Output.prn.
  • Click on OK to dismiss the panel asking for the port name.
  • Click on OK to dismiss the printer properties panel.
  • If you now 'print' to this printer the output will be sent directly to C:\Output.prn (or wherever), overwriting what was there before.

Please read about Imprint - Gallicrow Software's utility for printing text and binary files

How do I create a simple text file when "Printing to file"?
Short answer
  • Use the "Generic / Text" driver.
Long answer
  • From the Start menu, select Settings > Printers, the Printers window will pop up, showing an icon for each of the printers you have at your disposal, plus an icon called "Add Printer". Double click on this icon.
  • The Add Printer Wizard window will pop up, click on Next.
  • Now select the "Generic / Text" printer driver - press the 'G' key, the list of manufacturers should jump to those beginning with G, highlight the one which says "Generic".
  • There should only be one model for the Generic manufacturer, called "Generic / Text Only", make sure it is highlighted and click on Next.
  • Keep the existing driver for this printer, click on Next.
  • You will be shown a list of ports, select the one which says:
    "File: Creates a file on disk", click on Next.
  • Enter a name for this printer, e.g. "Text File" and select whether to use this printer as the default, click on Next.
  • Don't bother 'printing' a test page, click on Finish.
  • If you now 'print' to this printer a dialog asking you the name of the file to print to will pop up.

Please read about Imprint - Gallicrow Software's utility for printing text and binary files

How do I set up a file association for .txt or .prn files so I can print them from Windows Explorer?
Short answer
  • No short answer for this one!
Long answer
  • Start Windows Explorer.
  • Find a file of the type you want to set up the association for and highlight it.
  • Select the View menu option and select Options under this.
  • An Options dialog will pop up. Click on the File Types tab on the top of this.
  • Look for the file type in the list displayed, if it isn't there then click on the New Type button and enter a description of the file type (e.g. printer file) and the associated extension (e.g. .prn), then click on OK to dismiss the New Type panel.
  • Now your file type should be in the list, find it and highlight it. Click on the Edit button.
  • The Edit File Type dialog will pop up, if print is in the list of actions for this file type, then highlight it and click on Edit. If print isn't in the list of actions then click on the New button.
  • The New Action (or Edit Action) dialog will pop up. Enter "Print" for the name of the action, and browse for the program that you want to use to print this file type (e.g. Imprint normally resides in C:\Program Files\Imprint).
  • Click on OK to dismiss the New Action dialog, and again on the Edit File Type dialog to dismiss this one.
  • Click on Close to dismiss the Options dialog.
  • That's it! Now, if you try right clicking on the file you used to set up the file association, there should be an option to print it, clicking on this will open the application you selected with the file as the argument.

Please read about Imprint - Gallicrow Software's utility for printing text and binary files

How do I get rid of Spool32 errors?
Colene Allen, who is a contributor to the MSN Windows 95/NT Forum, has now set up a Spool32 FAQ. Good luck!

Please read about Imprint - Gallicrow Software's utility for printing text and binary files

How about "Error printing to LPT1: Access is denied"?
This is caused by buggy HP drivers (particularly the HP4000 series) - try looking for a file called HPDCMON.DLL in your C:\Windows\System32 (or C:\WinNT\System32) folder, if it's there then rename it to something like MOVED_HPDCMON.DLL and everything should be fine. If you're feeling brave you can delete this file eventually.



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Copyright 1997-1999 Gallicrow Software Limited. All rights reserved
This document is located at http://www.gallicrow.co.uk/PrintingFAQ.html
It was last updated on the 15th January, 1999