Printing a File from MS-DOS Shell (71168)


The information in this article applies to:

  • Microsoft MS-DOS operating system 4.0
  • Microsoft MS-DOS operating system 4.01
  • Microsoft MS-DOS operating system 5.0
  • Microsoft MS-DOS operating system 5.0a
  • Microsoft MS-DOS operating system 6.0
  • Microsoft MS-DOS operating system 6.2
  • Microsoft MS-DOS operating system 6.21
  • Microsoft MS-DOS operating system 6.22
This article was previously published under Q71168

SUMMARY

To print a file from the MS-DOS Shell File System, the background printing utility, PRINT.COM, must be installed. The following is the procedure to install PRINT.COM from MS-DOS Shell:

  1. If using MS-DOS version 5.0 or later, verify that Task Swapping is not enabled in the Options menu. If it is enabled, disable it.
  2. From MS-DOS Shell, press SHIFT+F9.
  3. Execute the PRINT.COM command by typing the following command at the command prompt:

    print /d:<device>

    The default device is PRN. Other possible print device names for parallel ports are LPT1, LPT2, and LPT3. Serial device names are COM1, COM2, COM3, and COM4. (LPT1 and PRN both refer to the first parallel port on your computer.)
  4. Type exit to return to Shell.
  5. Select the file or files that you would like to print.
  6. From the File menu, choose Print.

MORE INFORMATION

The PRINT.COM (PRINT.EXE in version 5.0 or later) command can also be executed from the command line or placed in your AUTOEXEC.BAT file. Type the following command at the MS-DOS command prompt or use a text editor to add the line to your AUTOEXEC.BAT file:

print /d:<device>

For more information, query on the following words here in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

menu and letter and asterisk

Modification Type:MajorLast Reviewed:5/12/2003
Keywords:KB71168
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