Re: How to print to a USB printer?

Tech-Archive recommends: Repair Windows Errors & Optimize Windows Performance

From: Seung Yi (seungyi_at_codetelligence_NOSPAMMERS_.com)
Date: 03/25/04 

Date: Wed, 24 Mar 2004 17:35:33 -0800

There are two registry settings, one for a PCL Laser and PCL InkJet. The
PCL Laser one has the monochrome setting. You could try selectig the
InkJet which has the color one. The "Version" key I believe is an
encoding for the PCL level, but I can't remember off the top of my head.

I think some Lexmark printers actually are PCL compatible, but they may be
the higher-end ones. The dirt cheap $49 specials typically do not use a
PCL interpreter as it would increase cost. Some of these low end
printers, the driver is actually sending commands to the stepper motor!

As for USB to serial, there's no class driver for this so you have to get
the manufacturer's spec and write your own.

As for narrow tape printers: Some of the label printers from Zebra
(http://www.zebra.com/) are accessible over RS232. The print language is
very simple and you can basically build a text file with all your
formating and content and send it over RS232 as a text stream. Remember
these are basically label/recept printers so you won't be printing web
pages to them. Their command language is very simple: setfont,
setrotation, printtext etc... They can do some bitmaps (like 2D bar
codes).

On Wed, 24 Mar 2004 15:02:40 -0700, Michael Schwab
<michael.schwab@cobecv.com> wrote:

> Great! I have printing!
>
> I added the PCL Printer Driver, and plugged in an HP Deskjet 450 to the
> USB
> port.
> When I figured out it's called LPT2: (not something obvious like USB -
> thanks for
> the tip) it printed from IE and WordPad.
>
> Not to be too greedy, but how do I get it to print in color? :-)
> The Color checkbox is dimmed out (as is the Advanced button).
>
> So this only works with HPs, not Epson, Lexmark, or Brother?
>
> Does anybody know of a smaller, narrow paper printer (using paper tape
> like
> a
> point-of-sale printer) that works with CE (USB, and Postscript, I guess).
>
> Also, I plugged in a USB-to-serial port adapter, and CE said it was an
> unknown device.
> Anybody know if there's a CE 4.2 driver for one of these?
>
> Thanks,
> Michael Schwab
>
>
> "Seung Yi" <seungyi@codetelligence_NOSPAMMERS_.com> wrote in message
> news:opr5dpfub5swt9p6@localhost...
> The PCL driver will work with any printer that supports (I believe)
> PostScript level 1,2 or 3. Windows CE.NET supports the USB printer class
> with a generic driver. This is only a transport driver and has nothing
> to
> do with the specific printing engine or printing protocol, however almost
> all printers support this USB class. The PCL driver that MS ships works
> with most HP postscript printers although you won't be able to get any of
> the fancy print features. I've printed to deskjet printers like an HP
> 9xx
> and some of their lower end printers. Not all printers support
> postscript, for example some of the low end Epson, Lexmark, do not.
> Brother printers also have their own proprietary protocol.
>
> You will need to add printing support from the PB catalog into your
> project. When you print from an application (like IE) you will see a
> drop
> down list box for the printer and port to use (I believe it registers as
> LPT:X). CE.NET doesn't have a printer settings control panel application
> that I know of.
>
>
> On Tue, 23 Mar 2004 15:50:15 -0700, Michael Schwab
> <michael.schwab@cobecv.com> wrote:
>
>> We're using Platform Builder for CE 4.2 to build a small medical device,
>> and
>> we want our customers to be able to print through the USB port to the
>> widest
>> array of printers we can support, including portable or point-of-sale
>> printers.
>>
>> At least one vendor (Applied Data) has said they can print to "any
>> generic
>> PCL USB printer", whatever that means. Our board is from Advantech,
>> however. It has two USB ports (1.1 I believe).
>>
>> I have gotten a "USB drive" type of flash memory device to be recognized
>> by
>> our device ("USB Storage Class Driver") and I've also included the "USB
>> Printer Class Driver". I don't see any printer in MyComputer or printer
>> support in ControlPanel. Should I also include the PCL Printer Driver?
>> Any
>> other tips?
>>
>> What small printers do people recommend for use with CE 4.2?
>>
>> Thanks,
>> Michael Schwab
>>
>>
>>
>>
>
>
> 

-- 
Seung Yi
Chief Technologist
Codetelligence, Inc.
Web   : www.codetelligence.com

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