Printing From VersaForm on a Win2K/XP/Vista Workstation

The Windows 95/98/ME environment allowed you to capture a printer port. Windows 2000, XP and Vista do not have that option. To direct a print job to a specific network printer use the “net use” command at the command prompt.

Here is the syntax:

net use lptx \\server\printer persistent

• Where the “x” is the LPT port on the workstation–1, 2, or 3
• If the server or printer name contains spaces or special characters enclose the phrase in quotes “\\server\printer”.

To determine the “\\server\printer” information follow these steps:

• Click on Start
• Click on Control Panel
• Click on Printers
• Locate the icon for the printer you have installed – right click on it
• Left click on “properties”
• In the properties dialog there is a tab for “Ports”, left click on it



• Your printer's port will have a check mark by it.
• To see the full path for the printer put the cursor on the line to the left of “Description”.
• The cursor shape will change. Hold down the left mouse button and drag to the right until you can see all of the information



• In this example the \\server\printer is \\Samoa\Xerox”.

To issue the net use command you will want to be at a command prompt:

• Click on Start
• Click on Run



• Type in “cmd”
• Click on OK
• A command window will open.
• At the prompt type the net use command.
• In this example we would type:

Net use lpt3 “\\Samoa\Xerox” persistent




• Then press enter.
• This directs all print jobs sent to LPT3 to the printer called “Xerox” on the computer called “Samoa”. The “persistent” tells the computer to re-set this connection when the computer starts up.
• If the command is successful you will see:

Command completed successfully.

To direct a print job to an LPT port in VersaForm follow these steps:

• Anywhere in the program press ALT+U to open the “Utilities Menu”.



• Take the first choice “Printer functions…” and press Enter



• Highlight the port of choice (“Standard Printer” is LPT1) and press Enter.
• All print jobs will then be sent to that LPT port until it is changed.
• When the program starts “Standard Printer” (LPT1) is selected automatically.