I have an old application that's used through RDP (Windows Srv 2003). The session is created from a PC with a Label Printer attached via LPT1.
The application runs the following batch file when trying to print a labelg:-
type c:\temp\labeldef.rpt > LPT1:
type c:\temp\myprint > LPT1:
exit
On the 2nd line when trying to access the file 'myprint' the following error comes up (and nothing prints).
'the process cannot access the file because it is being used by another process'
What process? How do I narrow this down?
This process works fine on a Windows 2000 server, just trying to move onto 2003 for first time. Also, I can send a test page back to the label print from the RDP session, so it's connected via the session.
Any ideas with this please?
Thanks
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Good point. I had assumed it might be the .rpt file was setting the printer up and the myprint was the "variable" text to print.
Do you happen to know if LPT1: will actually map through RDP like this OK, I know you can map serial ports and printers but I didn't think it "appeared" as LPT1: to the server side - everything I have setup as networked so nothing to try on at the mo.
Steve
"so you can see if the file will show to the screen (in this case it may be accessing lpt1: that is the issue)"
I've done this, and the file contents does show on screen. What does this suggeest?
"Not sure if the LPT1: port will map OK through RDP anyway without using a share on the user PC and a NET USE anyway?"
I'm able to print a test page from the RDP session, back to the printer attached to the local PC (LPT1).
Start a cmd.exe prompt on the rdp session.
Type
echo Testing > lpt1:
echo (Press control and L) > lpt1: (doing what it says of course nt typing).
Does it come out?
I suspect not.
I think you need to share the printer on the workstation and then connect it for the user with a net use lpt1: \\userpc\printername /persistent:no or get it connected through a print server box.
Steve
Pretty sure there used to be a checkbox "LPT" mapping in RDP client but not there in the version I have now, just "printer mapping".
From another article:
"
2. on server side run TSCC.msc and navigate to RDP-TCP Properties => click
Client Settings tab
verify you have "Use connection settings from user settings" checked
verify check boxes for Printer mapping, LPT port mapping and COM port
mapping under section "Disable the following:" are NOT checked
"
Basically you are trying to connect LPT1 to a printer on the WIndows 2003 machine.
Step 1: Be sure you can print to the printer from Windows (no doubt you can)
Step 2: Share the printer with a simple name with no spaces, like "DOSPRINT"
Step 3: Find out your WIndows machine full computer name, e.g. Right click "My computer"
then Properties, then Computer name, then look at Full Computer name. Change it to something
short if it's long or has spaces, e.g. "mywin2003"
Now go to the CMD prompt in WIndows
Net View mywin2003
You should see one of devices is "DOSPRINT"
The rest is easy
net use lpt1: \\mywin2003\dosprint
What you've done is make lpt1: direct all it's output to the shared windows printer that works as
a shared printer (even though you're not really sharing it with anyone else).
As strange as this sounds, it works, and has the advantage of using Windows to spool jobs,
handle the details of printing things coming from DOS. You can even print to a USB printer
that DOS cannot print to directly.
Check the printer setting using: net use
If you want to disconnect the LPT1, use net use lpt1: /delete
then net use again, to see if it's no longer connected.
hope this helps.
The key is to share the printer first, and attach the DOS box to the shared device.
This will keep LPT1 attached to the printer for as long as the Windows 2003 system is running, until either you reboot, or use the /delete switch on the net use command.
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by: dragon-itPosted on 2009-04-14 at 05:20:38ID: 24137316
Assuming that lpt1: is not the issue here (and it could be), maybe the application does not close the myprint file before it calls this batch process? Can you amend this to try doing just
rem type c:\temp\labeldef.rpt > LPT1:
type c:\temp\myprint
pause
exit
so you can see if the file will show to the screen (in this case it may be accessing lpt1: that is the issue). Not sure if the LPT1: port will map OK
through RDP anyway without using a share on the user PC and a NET USE anyway?
Is this for one user or multiple btw?
Steve