Printing a .PRN file

Hi Bob
I get the same error as Gene when attempting to print a spl (spool) file directly:-
C:\>copy /B check.spl \\DAVES\Epson
The network path was not found.
0 file(s) copied.

I also get it with a PRN file, so its not just the format (copy /B test.prn \\DAVES\Epson)
I wanted to do this so I could print the printer cleaning file automatically from a VB script rather than manually through the printer preferences. I presume when it works, you can use a quoted network name like "\\DAVES\Epson Stylus Photo 830U Series"

EDITOR'S NOTE: Yes, a quoted name should work. Can you navigate to that printer through My Network Places?

Aha, I found this solution (since it wasn't a network place):-

1) Install the Microsoft Loopback Adapter
a) In Control Panel, double click on Add Hardware.
b) Click Next
c) When the scan finishes, select "Yes, I have already connected the hardware"
d) Click Next
e) Scroll to the bottom of the list and select "Add a new hardware device"
Click Next
f) Select "Install the hardware that I manually select from a list (Advanced)"
g) Click Next
h) Select "Network Adapters"
i) Click Next
j) Select "Microsoft" under the Manufacturer list.
k) Select "Microsoft Loopback Adapter" in the Network Adapter list.
l) Click Next
m) Click Next
n) Click Finish
o) Ignore the limited connectivity message

2) Configure the Adapter
a) The loopback adapter is a virtual network adapter and can be configured the same as a regular network card. Thus Open the device manager and browse to the network card
b) Set the adapter to have a static IP address such as 192.168.1.1 or 255.255.255.0

3) Share the printer (go to the printer properties/sharing and select share this printer (give it a name to be your printer_share_name).

Now I can print spl (spooled files using the address:
COPY /B TMP.PRN \\computer_name\printer_share_name

Cheers for the original tip...
Davi

You could always download and install the free Adobe Generic PostScript Printer drivers then "print to file" with the "Generic PostScript Printer" selected as your printer. Then you can use the Open Source program GhostScript combined with the Open Source program GSView, a GUI interface for GhostScript, to view and convert the .prn file to many other file formats including pdf. You may also print directly from GSView.

Hi bob,

This tip solve me a lot of problems. It work perfectly.

Many thanks for it.

I have tried everything on this website and no luck! I am trying to print a prn file that was e-mailed to me, and I keep getting No Network found. I tried David Mckenzie 31 Oct 2007, because I don't have a Network printer and it still came up with the same error message. Is there anything else I should try?? Thanks

I typed in Copy /B mychart.prn \\computer_name\printer_share_name

EDITOR'S NOTE: I assume you entered the actual computer name and share name above, right? Can you navigate to that printer through My Network Places?

It did not work for me. I am still getting:
The network path was not
0 file(s) copied.
I installed Microsoft loopback adapter.

Referring Post: AV 10 Oct 2007

If the "Access Denied" occured, check the printer properties. Under "Advanced" tab, make sure that to select the radio button "Spool print documents so program finishes printing faster".
Do not select "Print directly to the printer" as it will send the PRN file to the printer directly (which will caused the Access Denied problem)

Here is a solution i found! Go to File, Print..., and choose as printer the "Microsoft Office Document Image Writer" then tick the "Print to file" option and press "Preferences". Choose "Advanced" tab and in the "Output format" section choose "TIFF-Monochrome fax". Press "OK" and then "Print", choose a name for your file and you are done. You can open the file saved with "Windows picture and fax viewer" in any computer and print it. I hope this helps!!

Bob, Your tip worked great from the DOS prompt. I'd like to do this from a batch file, using an input parameter (for the file name to be printed).

So I created the batch file with the line:
copy /b %1%.prn \\JD214DESK\ip4300
in it.

It works if I manually (from DOS) run the batch file followed by a space and followed by the FILENAME to be printed. My question is is there a way to create an icon on the desktop to this batch file THAT WILL TAKE THE INPUT PARAMETER (for the filename to be printed?) I'd appreciate your ideas how to do this.

EDITOR'S NOTE: Put that command in a file called C:\PRINTME.BAT, then create a desktop icon with the command specified like this: C:\PRINTME
Now you can drop the file you want to print on the icon.

In my case I had to make sure I was using the computer name of the computer the printer was attached to, not the computer the files were stored on. Once I did that it worked great!