Configuring Printers for Touchnet

Last edited: December 15, 2003 08:14 AM

As of version 4.40 the way printing errors are handled have changed.
This changes the symptoms that we are used to seeing when printing
errors occur.  Please make note of the following differences:

1.  For local serial printers the MODE command in the AUTOEXEC.BAT should be changed, removing the ‘,p’ from the end of the command.  This allows the new error checking to detect an out of paper or offline condition on a local printer and pop up the correct window.  It also allows the operator the ability to continue without requiring that the printer problem be corrected.  If the MODE command is left as is, then a local printer problem will lock up Touchnet with no display of an error message and no ability for the operator to continue until the printer is back online.

2.  For local parallel printers the command MODE LPT1:,8,e should be added to the AUTOEXEC.BAT.  As with serial printers this will pass the error back to Touchnet and allow it to handle the error properly.

3.  You must now define the correct printer port for global printers in printer definitions.  Although the printing will go to the correct printer regardless of the port checked in the printer definitions, the subsequent error checking uses printer definitions to determine which port to check.  Therefore if the Shared Resources option for the printer does not designate the same port as printer definitions do then Touchnet will print to one printer and check for error status on a different port.

4.  Global printer error messages will pop up on the screen for 15 seconds or until the screen is touched.  Be aware that the print job will sit in the Lantastic print buffer until the problem is corrected and print when the printer is again put on line.

5.  Local printer error messages will stay on the screen until the problem is corrected or the screen is touched.  If the screen is touched the print job is lost.

6.  Touchnet sets the Status variable whenever a Print To statement is issued.  Status is 0 when the job is successful and 1 if an error occurred.  This allows for styling in your own error handling to include rerouting printers.  A chain might look as follows:
        Do Template Kitchen
        Print to Kitchen

        If Status = 1
        Window=REROUTE
        Print to Bar
        Delay 2 Seconds
        Close Window
        End If

7.  There is a new Global Option to allow turning off the global print error message.  With the option unchecked, Touchnet still performs the error check and sets the Status variable but does not display the message.  This allows you to style your own error windows for the operator.  Note that this option does not apply to local print errors.