dot matrix printer reverse engineering

vignesh_prasad

hello everyone,
im working on a project to capture the data form the parallel port and to reconstruct the file which is to be printed. My host machine is outputting file for a dot matrix printer. i can able to get all the data from the port and store it as a text file.

but i dunno abt the file format, etc etc which are concerned with a dot matrix printer. Also, i cant understand whats been in that file since i reckon it is on extended ascii.

I shall be grateful to anyone who gives he an idea about whats actually going on in the printer. Also, i tried for software like Ghostcript and Ghostpcl and all those stuff. is that file coming out for a dotmatrix printer, a prn file?

I'm really struck up here and time is running out for my project..

Regards,
Vignesh.

rirajat

: hello everyone,
: im working on a project to capture the data form the parallel port and to reconstruct the file which is to be printed. My host machine is outputting file for a dot matrix printer. i can able to get all the data from the port and store it as a text file.
:
: but i dunno abt the file format, etc etc which are concerned with a dot matrix printer. Also, i cant understand whats been in that file since i reckon it is on extended ascii.
:
: I shall be grateful to anyone who gives he an idea about whats actually going on in the printer. Also, i tried for software like Ghostcript and Ghostpcl and all those stuff. is that file coming out for a dotmatrix printer, a prn file?
:
: I'm really struck up here and time is running out for my project..
:
: Regards,
: Vignesh.
:


first make sure ur network is ok. i mean can received and send data in correct formet. if it is, make sure u successfuly share the printer in the network. if that is also ok, try to reinstall the printer drive, in the case of dot matrix sometime printer cant recognige its driver.

vignesh_prasad

hi rajat,
thanks for ur reply. actually i wanna reconstruct that file which is being printed. which means, i wanna resconstruct the file from a prn file.. the printer is dot matrix, TVS make, model no:MSP 240 series..

regards,
vignesh

rirajat

: hi rajat,
: thanks for ur reply. actually i wanna reconstruct that file which is being printed. which means, i wanna resconstruct the file from a prn file.. the printer is dot matrix, TVS make, model no:MSP 240 series..
:
: regards,
: vignesh
:

hi
i think i undersend ur problem. but i dont know what do u mean by reconstruct, are u trying to convert prn file to other file or just try to print the prn file. anyway i will tell both the way:

acctualy prn file is a auto generated printer file. printer generate two kind of file *.prn or *.ps. prn file is actualy copy of org doc + printer instruction. so u get the point different printer generate different prn file. in ur case i dont know, is ur prn file is for dotmatrix or not. so u may not get the out put if not, anyway u can convert this file in to pdf fiel that is universly same and then u can print

to conver prn to pdf:
1. Open a universe and print the universe to file. You create a PRN file.
2. Start a browser and go to the following address: http://www.adobe.com/products/tryadobe/ main.html. Follow the Create Adobe PDF Online link and log in to the service.
3. Follow the online instructions to set parameters for your file conversion.
4. Browse to the PRN file.
5. Start the conversion process. When the PDF file has been created, you are notified by email.
6. Download the PDF file and open it in Acrobat Reader.
7. Use the text tool in Reader to select the universe descriptions and copy and paste in Notepad or any text editor.

how to print the prn:
1. go to Command Prompt
2. assume file name is fn.prn and pinter port is LPT1:(parallel port number one)

COPY fn.prn LPT1 /B

hope this will help u

vignesh_prasad

hi rajat,
thanks for ur interest man.will try for ur suggestions..

cheers,
vignesh.