How do I simulate a parallel (LPT) Printer with a USB Printer?

Question

I have some legacy software that only prints on printers connected via an LPT port. The machine I need to use, however, doesn't have a parallel port. Plus my printer is a USB device.

How do I trick my computer into thinking my usb printer is hooked up to the lpt port?

Further, this is for an office. I'll have admin rights when implementing the work around, but I'm shooting for a solution that works while a 'regular' user is logged after everything is set up.

Answer 1

You can trick Windows by using the USB printer as a dummy "network" printer connected to LPT1.

The dummy "network" is created using the Microsoft Loopback Adapter, which is basically a software-based network adapter that simulates a real live network. This "network" will only exist on your computer, which will also be the only computer connected to it.

Here are the step-by-step directions on making this work:

Install the Microsoft Loopback Adapter

1. In Control Panel, double click on Add Hardware, then Next.
2. Select "Install the hardware that I manually select from a list (Advanced)", then click Next.
3. Select "Network Adapters", then click Next.
4. Select "Microsoft" under the Manufacturer list, then select "Microsoft Loopback Adapter" in the Network Adapter list, and click Next.
5. Click Next, then Finish

Configure the Adapter

The loopback adapter is a virtual network adapter and can be configured the same as a regular network card. Set the adapter to have a static IP address in your network, such as 192.168.1.100 / 255.255.255.0

Share the USB printer

Use a share-name easy to remember, such as "Printer".

Connect the shared printer as LPT1

NET USE LPT1: \\[Computer-Name]\Printer /PERSISTENT:YES

Answer 2

Using a USB to parallel adapter doesn't make any sense. Here we are speaking about using a very old legacy software on hardware with USB only connections. In my case, a ZEBRA label printer.

The solution in my case was.

1. Install the USB printer with its drivers (just to find on which USB port is connected)
2. Change the driver's port to FILE (and free up the USB port)
3. Install a Generic / Text Only driver and change the port to the same logical USB port as seen on point 1
4. Share the Generic /Text Only printer in order to make it visible easily in VBA
5. Install the Microsoft Loopback adapter on a fixed unused IP address (otherwise your printer will be not visible when the cable is disconnected)
6. Assign a LPTx: port as explained before by command line (this is for every SW that needs an old LPT)

With few rows of code you will be able to send ASCII codes to the printer as used in the past.

Now you can easily print in VBA (tested with Windows 7 64-bit and ZM400 Zebra printer)

    Open "\\Kb\ZM400" For Output As #1       'Kb = computer Name; ZM400 = Shared printer name
    For rows = 1 To 37 ' send the first 37 rows of ASCII codes from the worksheet "STRINGS"
        Print #1, Worksheets("STRINGS").Cells(rows, 1).Value
    Next
    Close #1

Answer 3

There are plenty of "parallel to usb adapters" on the market. You can get one online for around $10, and it's probably a good place to start.

Answer 4

You haven't said what hardware you're using, but assuming it's a Wintel PC, you should be able to buy a generic parallel port card for it for next to nothing. Aside from that, you can redirect it using NET USE, as suggested by harrymc.

Answer 5

Perhaps check out WinPrint:

Takes standard printer output produced by a DOS application, and forwards it to a default Windows printer. Converts code page, strips empty pages, supports BOX DRAWINGS chars. Works on all Windows platforms.