Skip to main content

Capture a DOS Print

Posted September 2002 by Steve Sinchak

One of the things I have been driven nuts by is all the DOS programs my clients still must use. As I move more of them to XP I find the issue of sharing a networked printer with a DOS program a bigger deal. We came across the solution the other day.

On the client machine first make sure you have the printer shared you want to use. Next tell the client machine to add a new printer. Make sure you tell it the printer is local and hooked to a local LPT. There should be no actual physcial printer here.

When doing this I find a generic text printer works excellent for this. Most DOS programs only do text anyway. But you can use older printers as well.

Once this pretend local printer is installed go back into the printers and go to properties for this pretend printer. Go to the Ports tab, select the Pool Ports check box and now check the port that points to your networked printer.

Now what will happen is when you tell your DOS program to print to the fictious local printer port it will instead be routed to the network printer you have selected.

I have used this tip on 4 different programs in DOS and all have worked perfect.

Related Posts


If you own a Google Chromecast streaming device, you can easily share a browser tab in Chrome browser or even your entire desktop.  This can be very useful when presenting from your laptop or if you just want to watch something on a big screen that is only on your PC.  The only requirement is you must be on the same network as your Chromecast...

Read More

If you are a fan of minimalist desktop experiences, hiding the desktop icons are an easy way to clean up the Windows interface.  Instead of saving everything to your desktop, use the default profile folders such as downloads and documents.  Actually hiding all the icons on your desktop is a very simple customization hidden in the right-click context menu.  Just right-click on the desktop, select View...

Read More

Google security researchers have published details about a major security flaw found in the SSL protocol that is used to encrypt data transferred between your browser and a web server. SSL is typically used in situations where logon credentials are validated...

Read More

Enabling two-factor authentication is a great way to add an additional level of protection to your Microsoft account.  Even if your password is stolen, your account is still protected because two-factor authetication requires an additional level of verification to log in. Microsoft calls their version of two-factor authentication "two-step verification" and it works by providing you with a random code...

Read More