Printing from MS-DOS Applications to Local Printer

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Most MS-DOS-based applications in Windows NT are run in a Virtual DOS Machine (VDM). Some such applications tend to write to the printer port directly. Windows NT, on the other hand, does not allow any direct access to any hardware device. For serial printers, the MS-DOS redirection command does not usually work.

To print to a serial printer attached locally, do the following:

1. Create a printer with the appropriate printer driver and port.
2. Select the option to share the printer and assign a name.
3. From the command prompt, type:
   
   NET USE LPT1: \\<Computer Name>\<Printer Share Name>
4. Choose LPT1 to print from the MS-DOS application. The direction should be valid for the current VDM.

If you are printing to a printer attached to LPT1:, the network redirection must not be LPT1:, otherwise the print job will never be released from Print Manager.

NOTE: If you are using Windows NT version 3.5, an access violation in SPOOLSS.EXE may occur when you use LPT1 for the network redirection. You can avoid this problem by using LPT2 instead of LPT1 when you use the NET USE command.