Sending to USB?

  • Thread starter Thread starter mikeb
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M

mikeb

I've been asked if I could convert my app to send raw printer data to USB
rather than serial/COM.

Right now, we open the com port and ship out our text printer data to that
port (a label printer). I've searched the web, and there are comments
suggesting that its "probably" a similar operation - I'd like a little more
confidence that it is.

Does anyone ship data to a USB printer (this printer is an Intermec barcode
label printer, but that shouldn't matter) - how is this handled in code? I
haven't found a USB port, similar to COM1, LPT1, etc...

Thanks

Mike
 
Hi,

There really isn't any good way to send raw data, except to open the port
using P/Invoke of the underlying Windows file APIs. I haven't tried this
myself. It should work, but I cannot guarantee that it will.

Dick
--
Richard Grier (Microsoft Visual Basic MVP)

See www.hardandsoftware.net for contact information.

Author of Visual Basic Programmer's Guide to Serial Communications, 4th
Edition ISBN 1-890422-28-2 (391 pages) published July 2004. See
www.mabry.com/vbpgser4 to order.
 
Thanks Dick. I might go down the use of drivers as you suggested in another
reply. Thanks again for your help.

Mike
 
Hey Mike,

I don't know the answer to your USB question. But I too use Intermec
printers
and send my data by sending it to a COM port. What we have are some
fairly inexpensive network-print-server-boxes. I can send to the COM port
on that box, even though it's not in any way connected to the PC running my
program.

I haven't visited this code in a while, but if that solution sounds at all
of
interest to you, let me know and I'll give you more details.

Peace
Gary
 
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