Batch printing

Peter B

I have to print a summary page for each client in our database. We use a special program to access the information which does not allow batch printing. I have to find and open each client manually to print the page. The main problem is since I am sharing the printer with lots of others my printing gets mixed up in theirs and is difficult to separate. I would like to somehow store all of my jobs together so I can print them all together. Anyone know how?

Thanks

EL_Loco

you could open the print queue, and pause your jobs until you're ready to print them all out.

or you could use "print to file" which creates a copy of the document to your hard drive, but it's a bit of a pain printing them as you've to use the dos/command prompt to send them to the printer.

Peter B

Thanks for the prompt reply. Unfortunately since my jobs are so small (1 page) they are not in the print queue for long enough for me to pause. Anyway there are way too many of them. If I could just have it set so all of my print jobs were paused by default that would be handiest. Then at the end I could just select print all or something like that.

EL_Loco

print to file example:

printer is LJ1 on a server called \\dubfile\
so the printer name is \\dubfile\LJ1

when printing tick the "print to file" box
it will ask you where to save the file and the name so something like:
c:\print\1.prn

(create a folder called "print" if you need to)

repeat with the next job calling it:
c:\print\2.prn

(call them all .prn as it will help when you go to print them)

when you have all your jobs saved to files you need to open the command window. do this by clicking the start button, then choose "run", in the run box type either "cmd" or "command"

(black dos box opens)
type:
cd c:\print
hit return, then type the next line exactly as you see it below, where dubfile is the computer name and LJ1 the printer name:

copy /B *.prn \\dubfile\LJ1

this should send all the .prn files to the printer queue in one go.

hope that helps.

Peter B

Thanks again for the help EL_Loco. I actually just found a solution.

Since I have a HP LaserJet 2420 I set my jobs as "private" secured with a pin code. To recieve my jobs I have to walk to the printer and manually on the printer select to print all my jobs. I enter my pin and they all print at once.

Very handy!

EL_Loco

ya lucky git, we have a xerox and we've to select each job seperately and enter the code. might see if there's a solution to that because it's a pain if you're doing something similar to your situation.

edit: scratch that, just found the setting.