Posted by Robert G Laurin on June 21, 2007 at 13:17:47:
In Reply to: Re: Configuring a network printer in Comet.ini posted by Marc on June 21, 2007 at 13:02:11:
Most probable reason is that with an IP printer you don't get the luxury of using a Windows Driver. That means any IP printer would have to be strictly RAW.
I would be more than happy to have that. My clients use a lot of little Zebra label printers for shipping. These accept plain english commands and have no need for a Windows Driver (actually the Windows Drivers really screws up the settings and often cause the carbon to melt on the Thermal Transfer printers).
I had to dedicate a machine to "share" those IP printers. I opted for Unix IP printing because it is lot more reliable than the shitty Windows IP printing.
I also use IP printing for Xerox 135 & 180 PPM printers, Where Windows would spend 20+ minutes ending a huge job, Unix IP printing would do it in about one a half. Need to know that the actual printing will not begin until the job is on the printer's console.
I'd love to be able to use "plain text" IP printers (or PCL for the old school like me). Would be even nicer if we could specify Windows/Unix printing. Unix printing can also be performed using LPR.EXE. You just put all your printing in a file and kind of copy to the IP printer using the LPR command. I guess that is what replaces the good old PRINT.EXE command of Windows 98.
I wrote a Comet Unspooler in VB that uses LPR, it is incredibly fast! I needed it to be able to do a page range from a spooled XML file.