Frequently Asked Questions about Printers

  1. What is the difference between *winprt* and *windev*, which one should I use?
  2. Can I use a printer other than Ithaca as a receipt printer with a cash drawer?
  3. My Receipt printer is configured to "use device", can I upgrade that workstation to Windows NT workstation or Windows 2000?
  4. How do I set my Laser printer to print in landscape mode by default?
  5. I am getting error 12 when trying to print to a particular printer. What does that means?
  6. I have a workstation with a printer attached to the printer port. Can I define a printer to print directly to LPT1?
  7. Can I print Laser checks to a Laser printer other than HP?
  8. How to setup the default printers in MOM?
  9. How to setup the default printer for Payroll check printing?
  10. How to setup the default printer for Accounts Payable check printing?
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1. What is the difference between *windev* and *winprt*, and which one should I use?

There are two ways to send print jobs to a printer and control its behavior: the "Microsoft Windows" way and the "traditional" way. In the traditional way, the printing mode is character based (no graphics) and programmers use "escape sequences" (control codes that start with the ASCII ESC value) which are sent to the printers embedded with the actual document to print. Using this "escape sequences" programmers can control the page layout (portrait or landscape), font size and style, characters per line and lines per inch and many others setting that a particular printer supports. Printing using these "escape sequences" depends absolutely on the printer. In other words they are printer-specific. If you send "escape sequences" written for an Epson printer to an Okidata printer you probably won't get the desired output if you get any at all. PVX uses the special device *windev* to send "escape sequences" to the printer. In a Windows environment, because Microsoft imposes drivers interface between the printer and the application, sometimes this escape sequences are discarded by the driver and, therefore, the printer does not print in the way we expect.
 If you need to define a printer and do not need (or want) to print in graphics mode use *windev*. If you need to define a Receipt printer with a cash drawer attached to it you have to use *windev* because the cash drawer responds to an escape sequence. MOM only supports HP Laser/DeskJet printer using *windev*.
In the other hand using the "Microsoft Windows" method to print, provides specific drivers to talk to the printer, and Application Program Interfaces (API) to programmers to access and control the printer. These printer drivers and APIs allow us to print in graphics mode, increasing the control of all the features that a printer is capable of. This way, we obtain an improved print output, but escape sequences can not be sent to the printer.
PVX uses the special device *winprt* to access the printer through MS API and print in graphics mode. This is the best way to define a Laser or InkJet printer in MOM (AU-PR-LP).


2. Can I use a printer other than Ithaca as a receipt printer with a cash drawer? <<

Yes. Be sure to order the generic cash drawer for parallel interface. This kind of cash drawer comes with a built-in parallel Centronics "Y" cable (two connector on the end). Proceed to install the printer using *windev* and select the "epsons.mom" driver.  


3. My Receipt printer is configured to "use device", can I upgrade that workstation to Windows NT workstation or Windows 2000?

Yes, but you will need to modify the printer definition and change "use device" to *windev* in line (1) and proceed as if you were defining a printer using *windev*  


4. How do I set my Laser printer to print in landscape mode by default?<<

In the Printer maintenance screen (AU-PR-LP) modify line (6) and select Landscape  


5. I am getting error 12 when trying to print to a particular printer. What does that means? <<

Error 12 when trying to print can occur for several reasons:
The printer is not defined to be used with that particular workstation. This is common on UNIX systems were the workstation's terminal Id. is associated with the user name logged on. To correct this error log on UNIX using the name of the user that has been setup to work in that workstation.

 The printer is not defined in Windows or its name has changed and no longer matches the name in AU-PR-LP line (2).
The printer is a network printer and its port name has changed. Ask your System Administrator to check if the printer's port name match the network settings.


6. I have a workstation with a printer attached to the printer port. Can I define a printer to print directly to LPT1?<<

Microsoft has restricted the capability to print directly to the printer ports (LPT1 or LPT2) for Windows Me, Windows NT, Windows 2000 and Windows XP. Because of that you must use either *winprt* or *windev*. You can still define a printer to print directly to the printer port ("use device") if your workstation is running Windows 95/98, though we recommend to use *winprt* or *windev*


7. Can I print Laser checks to a Laser printer other than HP?

Yes but you must use *winprt* and run the proper programs in the MOM application to print Laser checks (SP, PY, etc.) Call us for assistance to check the executive screens fir Laser check printing.

If you print Laser check using *windev* your printer must be a HP Laser. Other Laser printer brands may work if they can emulate HP. However CWS does not support non HP Laser printers configured using *windev*
Recommendation: Upgrade to *winprt* Laser checks printing.

 

8. How to setup the default printer in MOM?<<

Click the "File" option in the menu bar, then select the "Default Printer" option and select the printer from the drop-list box and click on [OK] button to save the setting.
The "Default" printer in MOM is workstation specific for Windows and Netware networks. It is the default for that particular workstation on which you are working and it is related to the workstation's terminal ID. therefore it is independent of the user who log in that workstation.
In a UNIX network, in the other hand, the printers are 		related to the user who logs on a workstation, so the default printers is also "attached" to the user login name and it will only work in the workstation that belongs to that user.
MOM does not allow to setup "system-wide" default printer.
The default printer in MOM is not necessarily the same as the default printer in Windows and does not supersede the Payroll or Accounts Payable default checks printer nor the Cash Management default receipts printer

9. How to setup the default printer for Payroll checks printing?

Access the Check/Forms Print Executive (SP-SM-SA) and modify the line (5). Select the printer that you want as default for check printing.  

10. How to setup the default printer for Accounts Payable checks printing? <<

Accounts Payable allows the user to define default checks printer based in the terminal ID. Which means that a particular user can define its own default printer.
To setup a printer as the default printer in PY you should be ready to print your checks (PY-CP-PC) the line (F) will show you the current default printer in

order to changed go to line (F) select the printer you want make the default and press the [OK] button. A new pop-up screen will prompt you if you want to make that printer permanent or just to use it this time, select option 1. "Save this as the Permanent Printer". That will make this printer the default for that workstation