Problem printing in Win98

[Maravilloso]

Hi

I'm trying to automatically send a postscript file to be printed to the
default printer in a Win98 PC, by means of using the instrucction:

win32api.ShellExecute (0, "print", "file.ps", None, ".", 0)

but it raises an exception with the message:

error: (31, 'ShellExecute', 'A device attached to the system is not
functioning.')


Curiously, that instruction does works on Win2K/XP, but trying to use
this shortcut for easy printing in Win98 provokes such error. I've
tried in different machines (all of them running with Win98) and I
obtain the same output.

Does anybody knows what happens with Win98 printing automation?
Any idea?

Thanks in advance

 

[Roger Upole]

According to MSDN, err code 31 from ShellExecute is SE_ERR_NOASSOC,
meaning there's not an application registered for printing that file type.

Roger

 

[Tim Roberts]

I'm trying to automatically send a postscript file to be printed to the
default printer in a Win98 PC, by means of using the instrucction:

win32api.ShellExecute (0, "print", "file.ps", None, ".", 0)

but it raises an exception with the message:

error: (31, 'ShellExecute', 'A device attached to the system is not
functioning.')

Roger is correct. In order to print a .ps file, you have to have installed
an application that handles .ps files. You have probably installed
GhostScript on your 2K/XP box. If you install it on your Win98 box, your
ShellExecute should work.

 

[Dale Strickland-Clark]

Hi

I'm trying to automatically send a postscript file to be printed to the
default printer in a Win98 PC, by means of using the instrucction:

win32api.ShellExecute (0, "print", "file.ps", None, ".", 0)

but it raises an exception with the message:

error: (31, 'ShellExecute', 'A device attached to the system is not
functioning.')


Curiously, that instruction does works on Win2K/XP, but trying to use
this shortcut for easy printing in Win98 provokes such error. I've
tried in different machines (all of them running with Win98) and I
obtain the same output.

Does anybody knows what happens with Win98 printing automation?
Any idea?

Thanks in advance

I presume this .ps file is a preformed postscript file that should be sent
to a postscript printer without further modification?

In this case, I think you should use copy instead of print. Something like
this:

win32api.ShellExecute(0, "copy", "file.ps prn", None, ".", 0)

It has been a long time since I used Windows, especially 98, but if 'prn'
doesn't work, you might try one of: 'lpt', 'lpt1', 'lpt:', 'lpt1:'.

 

[Tim Roberts]

I presume this .ps file is a preformed postscript file that should be sent
to a postscript printer without further modification?

In this case, I think you should use copy instead of print. Something like
this:

win32api.ShellExecute(0, "copy", "file.ps prn", None, ".", 0)

No, that's not how ShellExecute works. ShellExecute looks up the handler
for the file in the third parameter, based on its extension, and then looks
for the handler for the appropriate "verb" in the second parameter. It's
just registry magic. It's not a command line thing.

Most file types have an "open" verb and a "print" verb; some also have
"edit".