New version of APRINT.EXE

[Dale Harris]

Jon has created a new version of the APRINT program that fixes several problems.

The APRINT program is used to print to USB printers or actually to any printer by using the Windows printer drivers for that printer.

The current version of APRINT has a few problems.

1. It will not work with the "Ask before printing a receipt" feature.

2. It will not work with the "Pause between printing receipts" feature.

3. With some printers it will not print using a fixed width font so the columns on receipts will not line up.

When I tested this new version of APRINT it fixed all of these problems.

This version of APRINT will not require that VB40032.DLL be on your computer and the APRINT2.EXE is about 4 times larger that the original APRINT.EXE file.

APRINT2.EXE will require that you set it up by choosing your printer, font, and font size. Below are the instructions for APRINT2...
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If you choose the port FILE: then something completely different will happen. The printer data will be sent to a disk file instead of your printer. To get the data to your printer another program must be running while this cash regiser program is also running.

The program APRINT2.EXE is one of the files that you downloaded with this program. It will look for printer data in the FILE: and when it finds it the data will be sent to your printer using your Windows printer drivers. For this to happen APRINT2.EXE must be running while any other Cash Register program file is running.

The first time you start APRINT2.EXE it will display your Windows printers, meaning all the printers that have had their drivers loaded into Windows. To the left of each printer will be a number. Type in the number of the printer that you wish to use and press [ENTER].

Now you will be shown a list of fixed width fonts, i.e. fonts where all the characters are the same width when printed. These are the only fonts that can be used with the Cash Register program. To the left of each font will be a number. Type in the number of the font that you wish to use ("Courier" is a good choice) and press [ENTER].

Lastly you must choose a font size, 10 is standard. If you choose a size that is too large receipts will not print correctly. Depending on your printer either the right portion of each line will not print or it will be wrapped under the left portion of the line. Type in the font size you wish to use and press [ENTER].

If your settings do not print good receipts return to the APRINT2.EXE program while it is running and press [S] to re-enter the settings.

For APRINT2 to work you must start it before you start any of the other Cash Register programs, you must choose the correct printer and that printer must be ready to print, it must still be running while the other Cash Register programs are running, the Cash Register programs must be set to use the FILE port to send printer data, and you cannot close APRINT until after you have closed the Cash Register program. To close the APRINT.EXE program return to the APRINT2.EXE program while it is running and press [X].

APRINT2.EXE was conceived and created by Jonathan Simpson. I would like to express my sincere gratitude for his Contribution to Cash Register.
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For testing purposes I have named the file APRINT2.EXE so that when you download it your current APRINT.EXE file will not be lost.

If you currently use APRINT please download this file and give it a try. Just remember to start the APRINT2 program for testing before you start any of the POS program files and to NOT start the APRINT file at all.

NOTE: You must use this version of APRINT2.EXE with POS version 6.38c

Here is the download link...
<center> THIS FEATURE IS NOW PART OF THE REGULAR PROGRAM DOWNLOAD </center>

This file is not zipped so you will not have to unzip it. Just download it to your current POS folder.

Please post here to let me know how it works for you.

Thanks,

[dhUser]

For some people this might be a good idea:
When using APRINT2.EXE and you chose ASK TO PRINT RECEIPT, ETC..., if it is set to print to file (PORT), it will not print.

dhUser
http://www.dhuser.pweb.info

[daleadmin]

dhuser,

I did forget to mention that you must use this version of APRINT2.EXE with POS version 6.38c. (I have corrected that now however.)

What version of POS are you using? I just tried it out here again with version 6.38c and it worked fine on a Windows '98 machine with an HP 5550 parallel port printer.

[Jared]

Dale & Jonathan:

Thank you so much for this program. It works like a charm. I had one internet sale lying around that I had not entered yet, and so I used that to test the program. I'm using the recommended Courier New in size 10 font, and it works great! I had emailed you before, Dale, about APRINT regarding the mismatch of columns and such. This is great! Thank you for allowing me to stop handwriting receipts!

Best wishes,

Jared