How to print from WinUAE to HP Envy printer

Hi Guys,

My printer is networked and functional under windows 10 environment.
Ip 192.168.1.4

My WinUAE setup is WB3.1 68020 CPU 2MB chip 16 MB fast

Have setup the printer as being used in WinUAE, and have installed ghostscript on my PC as well. However, the Ghostscript option changes to the Postscript passthrough option when I start the emulator.

I have installed the postscript driver from the workbench disk and put into system->devs->printers

I have set the printer to postscript in system->prefs->printerPS

Read on another thread on this forum about a guy trying to print from an a500 to his networked printer and truied installing the netparlpr as well but to no avail.

When I go into the text editor I've tried "JanoEditor" and type something random and press print, absolutely nothing happens.

I'm obviously missing something but I can't figure out what it is. Hope you guys can help.

Let me know if you need anymore info from me to determine how and what direction to point me towards.

[Toni Wilen]

You need to install Windows Ghostscript (but there may be compatibility problems with some versions, I need to check this later..)

There are basically 4 possible ways to print:

- If Amiga native printer driver exists: passthrough.
- Epson (or compatible) Amiga side printer: select Epson emulation (Note that text output uses Windows fonts, it is not reduced to dot matrix quality, it only affects graphics output) -> any printer.
- Amiga PostScript driver: PostScript passthrough -> PS printer.
- Amiga PostScript driver: PostScript emulation (Ghostscript) -> any printer.

Hi Toni,

Thankyou for your reply.

I've used your answers for other people previously to help me with other issues.

I had originally installed the 32 bit version of ghostscript assuming that the 64 bit would not work for the emulator, but apparently that did not register in windows so now I've instaleld the 64 bit and the dropdown box in WinUAE stays on the ghostscript option.

I installed the 64 bit version from here: https://www.ghostscript.com/download/gsdnld.html

Also doublechecked the settings in WinUAE in regards to the printers and they are all good, set up as postscript printers.


The only place I could not find any printer files was in system -> storage -> printers
Are any supposed to be here?

It would be a very cool feature to be able to print from this emulator but if not, I can just screengrab what I want and print through the PC so it's not a super must, but I was just extremely impressed seeing that it was an option.

EDIT:
I checked the logfile and the Ghostscript driver is intialized but no mention about postscript emulator-side being. I'm missing something totally obvious I'm sure but I can't pinpoint it for the life of me...

C:\Program Files\gs\gs9.23\bin\gsdll64.dll: GPL Ghostscript rev 923 initialized

[Toni Wilen]

Yes, Ghostscript "bitness" must match application bitness. (32bit Ghostscript if 32-bit WinUAE, even if OS is 64-bit)

I just tested and it seems to work (last time I tried year or so ago, Ghostscript crashed, perhaps it is now fixed. I tested with 9.23)

I don't remember but it is possible PostScript printer driver is only located in storage WB disk. Copy it manually to devs:printers and then make sure both Printer and PrinterGfx Prefs commands are set to PostScript.

Testing probably is slightly easier if you select some virtual printer, for example Microsoft XPS Document Writer.

Hi Toni,

Again, thank you for following up and doing the testing. I'm certain that the error is at my end as well.

Please excuse my delayed response.

Perhaps it's because of my installation of Scalos that it bugs up?

It's a new program for me that I've not tried before.

I run 64 bit win 10, I run 64 bit winuae and have installed the 64 bit of ghostscript.

I did copy the postscript driver from the storage wb disk to the "system-> devs ->printers" location

I checked the prefs -> printerps file. It's set to postscript.
There is no option in the prefs -> printergfx to set to anything like that.
I did check the prefs -> printer: This is set to postscript as well, but has a "serial" and "parallel"option that is not in play due to the wifi nature of the connection to the printer from my network, however one of them must be chosen.

I have tried both options with a quit and restart of winuae inbetween unfortunately with no luck.

Again, thank you for your time and effort, I don't expect that I'll get this up and running so don't use more of your precious time on this.

As mentioned previously, it would be a very neat extra feature, but as long as the amiga OS itself is running I'm a happy camper.

[Toni Wilen]

Parallel unit 0 is correct (Emulated parallel port is connected to emulated postscript printere). Physical real world connection is irrelevant.

Do you see any messages in the log when trying to print? (use -log command line parameter to see it in real time)

Hi Tony,

Thank you for keeping at it.

I have created a text file (testings) with the Jano text editor and saved it on my "programs" HD partition.

I tried copying this file to the printer directly with the following command in the shell:

copy programs:testings prt:

The result I get is:

-log [created]
testings...copied
Can't open prt: for output - object not found

Am I missing something obvious? I don't need to give the printer a path do I?

EDIT:

Looking through the logfile I noticed this:

CW: No Catweasel detected
PARAPORT: no ParaPort.dll, direct parallel port emulation disabled
IPC: Named Pipe '\\.\pipe\WinUAE' open
Created internal serial port shared memory
Serial port enumeration..
SERPORT: 'Kommunikationsport (COM1)' = 'COM1' = '\\?\acpi#pnp0501#1#{86e0d1e0-8089-11d0-9ce4-08003e301f73}'
Parallel port enumeration..
Port enumeration end

[Toni Wilen]

Originally Posted by alhaste

Hi Tony,

Thank you for keeping at it.

I have created a text file (testings) with the Jano text editor and saved it on my "programs" HD partition.

I tried copying this file to the printer directly with the following command in the shell:

copy programs:testings prt:

The result I get is:

-log [created]
testings...copied
Can't open prt: for output - object not found

Am I missing something obvious? I don't need to give the printer a path do I?

Your WB installation probably misses something important because PRT: is mounted by default. (and yes, "copy some-text-file PRT:" should work)

Check that L:port-handler, DEVS:parallel.device and DEVS:printer.device exists.

Originally Posted by alhaste

EDIT:

Looking through the logfile I noticed this:

CW: No Catweasel detected
PARAPORT: no ParaPort.dll, direct parallel port emulation disabled
IPC: Named Pipe '\\.\pipe\WinUAE' open
Created internal serial port shared memory
Serial port enumeration..
SERPORT: 'Kommunikationsport (COM1)' = 'COM1' = '\\?\acpi#pnp0501#1#{86e0d1e0-8089-11d0-9ce4-08003e301f73}'
Parallel port enumeration..
Port enumeration end

These are real world ports, nothing to do with printer emulation.

All the files you requested exist on the places specified by you.

Think it's time we kick it to the curb as a WB error then.

I will go back to scratch, do a basic install of WB and then try from there.

Once I (hopefully) see the printer function working there, then I can do a backup and step by step, add the various overlay programs like MUI, scalos and such (if at all).

Again, thank you extremely much for your time and dedication.

I'm thoroughly impressed and humbled by the time you've taken to help me with this matter.

Please allow me to redo this installation and then try from a clean WB install.