L O N G time to print

zoecanbark · Post by **zoecanbark** » Thu Mar 31, 2005 4:06 pm

It takes 74 seconds from the time I tell the program to print a receipt until the receipt starts printing.

The screen goes from the cash register to the Windows screen when printing starts and never returns to the cash register unless I alt-TAB to it.

Is this normal operation?

NEC Versa 4230, Win98, 133MHz, APRINT.EXE, Cannon S400 printer on LPT1.

ChrisKraus · Post by **ChrisKraus** » Thu Mar 31, 2005 4:49 pm

This happens to me when I use APRINT.
It doesn't start printing unless I ALT+TAB over to the software, wait for the "Printing done" message, and then ALT+TAB back to DHPOS.
Sometimes, APRINT does weird things like printing the same thing over and over until I quit APRINT.

- Chris

Software, It's a funny thing, eh?

Post by **Andrew** » Thu Mar 31, 2005 8:29 pm

That's a problem with windows hogging control of the printer - you may try altering your print properties to disable spooling and print directly.

If DHPOS can print straight through to a compatible printer, it is much faster and ideal.

Dale Harris · Post by **Dale Harris** » Fri Apr 01, 2005 12:00 am

zoecanbark,

You are not giving us much information to work with. What kind of printer are you using. How does it connect to your computer; serial, parallel, or USB port? Are you using APRINT or are you printing directly. What version of Windows or DOS does your computer use? Any other information you think might be relevent?

zoecanbark · Post by **zoecanbark** » Fri Apr 01, 2005 1:07 pm

Dale,

Computer: NEC Versa 4230
OS: Win98 4.10.1998
Processor: Pentium 133MHz
RAM: 24MB
Hard Drive capacity: 1GB
Printer: Cannon S400 printer on LPT1

I am using APRINT.EXE. I use StartUp to start APRINT.EXE and POS.EXE at boot.

The properties for POS.EXE are:
Suggest MSDOS mode as necessary
Conventional memory - Auto
Initail environment - Auto
EMS - not configured
XMS - Auto, Uses HMA
MSDOS Protected Mode - Auto
Screen: Full Screen, Initial size - default, Display toolbar, Restore settings on desktop,Fast ROM Emulation, Dynamic Memory allocation
Misc: Allow screen saver, Warn if still active, Fast pasting, Idle sensitivity - medium.

I have tried priting directly from DOS and it does not respond at all.
Most of the waiting occurs before the computer switches from DOS to the Windows environment. After Windows is active, the printing starts in a few seconds.

If I understand this process, POS is outputting to a file that APRINT can detect the state of. I do not know if APRINT is triggered by an event or if it polls the file size for a > 0 condition.

I just tried printing again. It took about 10 seconds before the drive activity indicator indicated a write to disk. Then it started printing in another 35 seconds. This is acceptable compared to the over a minute times being experienced prior. Is this normal?

The computer stays in Windows until I alt-TAB back to POS. Should APRINT relinquish control and switch back to POS at this time?

Thank you for the quick response,

Greg Kennedy (zoecanbark)

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Fri Apr 01, 2005 5:19 pm

If you are running POS full screen, try running it in a window.

peachey13 · Post by **peachey13** » Fri Apr 01, 2005 9:56 pm

you said the printer is on LPT1 is that just the plain printer port. If it is why are you using APRINT????

-peachey111213

bdude · Post by **bdude** » Sat Apr 02, 2005 12:47 am

I use a program called DOSPRINT set to monitor [pos directory]\WLSDFKJN.DRY and it works like a charm

zoecanbark · Post by **zoecanbark** » Sat Apr 02, 2005 9:43 am

Running POS in a window solved my problems. Thank you, Guest.

It would be nice if I could run full-screen to hide the ugliness underneath but as long as I can give a customer a receipt within 30 seconds, I am happy.

Thanks to all for the help.

Greg Kennedy (zoecanbark)

ChrisKraus · Post by **ChrisKraus** » Sat Apr 02, 2005 3:33 pm

bdude wrote:I use a program called DOSPRINT set to monitor [pos directory]\WLSDFKJN.DRY and it works like a charm

<HR>
Just a side comment of intrest:
What does WLSDFKJN mean?
- Chris

Dale Harris · Post by **Dale Harris** » Sat Apr 02, 2005 6:51 pm

When you send your printer output to the port FILE: the POS program actually writes the printer data to a disk file. When all the data has been written to the file it is then closed. At this point the APRINT program will open the file, read the data in there, and send it to the printer.

The name of the file that APRINT is looking for is WLSDFKJN.DRY

Post by **Andrew** » Sat Apr 02, 2005 9:07 pm

WLSFDJKN.DRY is the file DHPOS outputs to for printing, it means nothing.

The random name was chosen as the most unlikley filename that a user may save in their DHPOS folder, so as preventing conflict with APRINT.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Sun Apr 03, 2005 8:36 am

When the DHPOS window is running, open the properties for the window and somewhere in there (I can't remember exactly where for Win98), you can adjust the font size used for the text in the window. If you increase the font size, you can make the DHPOS window larger. You just need to experiment a bit to find the settings that work best for you.

DHES