Is anyone having a problem with specifying # of copies when printing through the printer dialog to a windows printer.

Although it seems to work fine on my system I have a customer on 5.1.1186.3 who only gets 1 copy. They have tried different printers, different work-stations, printing to PROMPT:, and printing via APEX. I don't know what else to try.

Notepad was able to print 2 copies but anything from ashell and apex is only printing 1 copy. Here is the trace......

38 15:13:27 Trace: PRINT1.INI : LPP= 62

39 15:13:27 Trace: PRINT1.INI : CPP= 80,AUTO

40 15:13:27 Trace: PRINT1.INI : PITCH= AUTO

41 15:13:27 Trace: PRINT1.INI : WEIGHT= 700

42 15:13:27

Trace: EZSPL preview_req = 0, print_req = 1, switches = 260 (104)

43 15:13:27

Trace: EZSPL calling fspool, ptr = PRINT1, switches = 260 (104)

SPOOL file=\\MERCURY\AMS\VM\MIAME\DSK0\100072\480401.spl, ptr=PRINT1, switches=260, copies=1, form=, totpages=0

prefix=, suffix=, overlay=

46 15:13:27 Trace: PRINT1.INI : DEVICE= PROMPT:

47 15:13:27 Trace: PRINT1.INI : FORMFEED= OFF

48 15:13:27 Trace: PRINT1.INI : PASSTHROUGH= OFF

49 15:13:27 Trace: PRINT1.INI : ORIENTATION= PORTRAIT

50 15:13:27 Trace: PRINT1.INI : TMARGIN= 0

51 15:13:27 Trace: PRINT1.INI : LMARGIN= 0

52 15:13:27 Trace: PRINT1.INI : LPP= 62

53 15:13:27 Trace: PRINT1.INI : CPP= 80,AUTO

54 15:13:27 Trace: PRINT1.INI : PITCH= AUTO

55 15:13:27 Trace: PRINT1.INI : WEIGHT= 700

lpp=62, cpp=80, cppw=-1, width=0, tmar=0, lmar=0, fnh=-9999, fnw=0, land=1, flags=0x50004

57 15:13:27 GetDefaultPrinter (from last-used in registry): Dell 2330dn Laser Printer XL

58 15:13:27 Verifying last used printer (retrieving handle) [Dell 2330dn Laser Printer XL]...

59 15:13:56 PrintDlgEx (from COMDLG32.DLL): 0x763d9d2b, hr=0 (e=-1)

Winptr dvr = winspool, name = Dell 2330dn Laser Printer XL, port = USB001, Passthrough = OFF

Pre scan file...

62 15:13:56 Longest line = 79

Requesting printer DC for DELL 2330DN LASER PRINTER XL using devmode 22cd90

64 15:13:56 Retrieving handle to printer [DELL 2330DN LASER PRINTER XL] (for duplex/paper setup)...

65 15:13:56 [OK: hPrinter=23db7c]

66 15:13:56 DEVMODE Device:Dell 2330dn Laser Printer XL, Ver:1536, Size:156, Extra:9884, bin=15, duplex=1, paper=1, orient=1, copies=1

67 15:13:56 Requesting orientation PORTRAIT

StartDoc(c210be5) ok

Creating auto pitch font: face=, ht,wd=124,-80 pix (600 dpi)

70 15:13:56 ProcessSetFont ht=103, leading=0, avg width=60, mapmode=1, hfont=260a0e5f

Final adjusted auto pitch font: face=, ht,wd=103,61 pix (600 dpi)

StartPage(c210be5) (Page 1) ok

EndPage(c210be5) ok

EndDoc(c210be5) ok

DeleteDC(c210be5)

76 15:13:56 ClosePrinter(23db7c)

In the UNIX version of A-Shell, you can use the PRTCOPIES option in the printer init file to control whether copies are generated by A-Shell or by the printer driver. In theory, the same concept exists under Windows, but I think that at some point I decided that all printer drivers supported copies generation, and just using that mode had some advantages.

From your description however, it sounds as if this particular printer driver does not support that mode (while perhaps Notepad handles either case).

But, looking at your trace (line 66), it appears that the printer dialog is returning with copies=1, even though you've presumably changed it to 2. (Actually, line 60 is where it returns from the printer dialog, but that trace isn't showing the copies value. Line 66 occurs when we make a later request to check on some other settings, but in theory, if the printer saved the copies information, it would still be there.)

So maybe the problem with this printer is that it only remembers the copies value until another call is made to get the printer settings. (Does the same problem happen with orientation?)

Do you have a link to where that driver can be downloaded? (Maybe it will be compatible enough with my laser printer that I can use it, at least to test this problem.) And while at it, please check if there is a later version of the driver, since these kinds of printer problems are notorious for being cleared up by a driver update that otherwise no one knew existed or was needed.

The other question is whether copies works if you don't use the printer dialog at all. Maybe that wouldn't be of any use in this case, but it might help analyze what the problem is.

I cannot connect to this system without the user being there to grant access so this will have to wait until tomorrow.

Note that this happened on two different printers we tried.

I posted a beta update 1187.1 which I'm hoping will fix the problem by having A-Shell take charge of the copies generation (rather than relying on the driver to do it).

Download: http://www.microsabio.net/dist/51dev/temphold/ash-5.1.1187.1-w32-upd.zip
Notes: http://www.microsabio.net/dist/51dev/temphold/ashdevnotes.txt

Let me know if that resolves it (and whether it breaks copies in some other context).

I will try it at my customer in a few minutes.

I installed 5.1.1187.2 at the customer this morning and all the printers that were not taking number of copies are working now.

Thanks Jack