Hi guys,

We have a customer who we've been dealing with for about 35 years and they still use DataEase! :-)

They had a DataEase database written for them way back and they still want to use it going forward. Over the years we've managed to keep DataEase running for them by using a third party terminal server application that will run on Windows XP and 7.

Anyway, we now want to move away from this solution and maybe and use your 'DOS emulator' product, LegEasy 4DOS, so they can run DataEase natively in Windows 11. 

So is LegEasy 4 DOS still available and most importantly supported? 

The reason I ask this, is I filled in the Enquiry Form on this website and not had a reply :(

Many thanks.

Cheers,

Richard.

Hi Richard

Available for purchase under the Shop Tab....so available and fully supported :-)

kind regards

Josef

Hi there, we are currently evaluating a 30 day version on LegEasy 4DOS and have some questions:

1) Does the product have to be installed on all PCs needing to run DataEase or can it be installed on a 'server PC' and other PCs connect to get their virtual 'DataEase DOS sessions'?

2) Assuming the product needs to be installed on all PCs: As the interface seems a bit unwieldly for normal users, is there a 'simple way' of just creating a DataEase shortcut onto their Desktop?

3) I seem to remember you need to define somewhere in DFD the network type i.e. Microsoft or Novell, can't remember where as it's been about 20 years since I last made changes to this system! They are currently still running on an old NetWare system, but the plan is to migrate to Windows Server soon. So please remind me where can I view and change the network type / file locking settings? 

Many thanks.

Cheers,

Richard.

ECL

Hi richard.

You are right in thinking that it is a little "byraucratic" but the interface was created originally for large users in mind and has a server install option.

But as it turned out, the majority of DFD users - of which there is still surprisingly many - set it up and run it for decades without change.

You can easiy set it up to run on a server and then create a shortcut to run it with and then simply copy the shortcuts to the different devices. 

How many users are you going to set up? 

The server install feature should still be working but its a long time since anyone used it but we might find the documentation for you if you are looking at a big job.

It's only small, up to 5 users...

So how would you recommend we install then and can we have a simple shortcut to start DE on each the user's Desktop?

Cheers,

Richard.

When you have a full licnse you get these extra options to create shortcuts and also create a server distribution setup.

I'm not entirely sure why its not part of the trial, but I think its because the trial is really only to test if it works for you rather than set up the entire system.

Understood, unfortunately I don't think our client will pay for licences until we've demonstrated to them the proper 'live' solution. Also their users are use to just clicking on an RDP icon and DataEase simply launches, with additional menus to navigate etc,  Thanks again, Cheers Richard.

Hi there, we have now got the 1 user base license installed and we are setting up printer mappings, is there a way to add LPT5:? As our current setup uses LPT5: for a particular Dataease report.

Thanks, Richard

Sorry for the late reply.
Just had some testing done.

we can send output to LPT5 from L4D if we copy the file but not if we print directly, this lead us to believe - also based on old documentation - that the limittation is in the DFD code and not in the environment itself.

Is there any particular reason why this report need to go to LPT5 other than it always have?

It would be quite easy to set it up so it gets transported on any other port (LPT1:-4 COM1-4).

PRitner mapping in DFD/L4D has always been a dark art,

Inside the application there is two setups. One is the Application Setup and that can be considered being a "template" and then there is Workstation Setup which is a copy of the Application Setup taken when a new Workstation (DENAME) come online for the first time.

The reason we tell this is because its a source of problems if one want to change printers for all workstations for instance, as changing it in the Application settings will only change it for future new workstations and changing it in the Workstation settings will only change it for that workstation.

This is in many ways resolved in L4D as the printers is virtual so you can map any printer inside the app to any printer on any port on your computer or network.

Back in the day of DFD there was "Million" different printers and all had their own "quirks" and possibilitis that was activated with ESCAPE codes.

This is long gone and all printers today is either Epson MX, HP Laser (PCL) or PostScript.

The best one to use in DFD is HP LaserJet which offer the best options overall for page control/colour/bold/lines etc.

However! If you have an old matrix printer that you still use and want to use with L4D you can set up the correct "driver" in your Application and then use RAW mode and direct the stream to the correct port with L4D.

But as the question here was how to send print to LPT5 inside the App and then get it directed to the correct printer we will limit the scope here - ask further if needed - and give you the solution.

Thanks for the reply. We have it working now, however for one particular report it seems to always bring up the windows print dialogue box. Doesn't seem to matter what printer or port we use, that particular report always opens the print dialogue box. Other reports to other printer print straight away. Could it be a particular way this report calls the printer for some reason. Any ideas as to why this may be the case.

Thanks,

Richard

Yes.

In DFD you can use abstraction or you can put in a full printer name or yuou can leave the printer name and will then need to select priinter when you print (this is in the "DOS" bit).


When you use Printer 1 it will use the printer selected under Printer 1 in Workstation Configuration.

If you write HP LaserPritner or something it will use that specification.

If you get Windows DIalog when you print from L4D it is because no pritner has been set up on that printer port i.e. LPT1,LPT2,LPT3,COM1 etc. in L4D.

My guess is that you use a printer in that specific report that send the output to a LPT port that is not mappped in L4D and hence you get the windows dialogue to select printer.

A trick might be to just set up all ports in L4D to send to the same printer, or edit the Pritn Style on the report that send to the wrong printer and set it up like the reports that send it to the right port.

Hi We are now having an issue where the lines and spacings are not quite right. Text seems to be all shifted to the right. Report settings have all stayed the same. I think it maybe that even though the the print processor is set to raw on windows I think it may still handle the print job differently. I have attached a screenshot of the issue on one of the reports.

Hi We are now having an issue where the lines and spacings are not quite right. Text seems to be all shifted to the right. Report settings have all stayed the same. I think it maybe that even though the the print processor is set to raw on windows I think it may still handle the print job differently. I have attached a screenshot of the issue on one of the reports.

The prolem here is most likely that the wrong pritner is used in Workstation COnfiguration for Local 1.

This is the "Nightmare" we explained some time back. 

Applicaiton printers is just a template and the moment someone with a new DENAME open the app they will get a copy of those settings.

Changing the Application settings after that will only affect the future new DENAMEs and changing the Workstation settings will only affect that workstation.

So to debug it you need to update the printer in WORKSTATAION setting on the test device to the correct printer for LOCAL 1.

As this is a dot-matrix printer (Its so cool to see one of those again), it should most likely be set to Epson MX80 or Ibm Proprinter (it is really the same). 

HP Laserjet is the default setting for all Laser/inkjet printers. Our general recommendation is to use HP Laserjet but that is based on Dot matrix being extinct....as you show its not hence Epson MX80.

Hi there, we're still battling trying to get the Epson LX-300 layout to work via LegEasy.  ??

Can we launch DataEase via a batch file in LegEasy?

So we have already shared the LX-300 via another PC, and want to try redirecting LPT5 to this share before starting the de16m.exe, as follows: 

-----Batch file start ----- 

rem @echo off

rem cls

net use lpt5: \\172.18.0.25\lx-300

rem Send Form Feed

echo ^L > lpt5: 

rem Pause to confirm net use has worked

pause

de16m data "order processing" "%dename%" ""

---Batch file stop----

So what would we enter in fields I've circled in the attached screenshot?

Many thanks.

Cheers,

Richard. 

Hi Richard. 

I feel that you here are trying to fix something really easy in a very hard way.

I guess your customer has been running this in XP or somethng which is in reality MS-DOS 7 or something with ehanced support for LPT etc.

L4D run with a DOS mode around 5 where there was 3 LPT ports and 2 COM ports via interrupt that can be rerouted to any Windows Printer/Device.

It won't help if you map the drive before starting L4D as it still doesn't support LPT5.

The problem is in many ways what Workstation Printers etc is supposed to fix i.e. viritualisation of printers so they aren't physically attached to LPT ports.

Local 1, Network 1 etc. is synnonyms to be used in reports so the pritner driver/port can be set up in Workstation Configuration depending on the physical setup and changed with changing ports etc.

I don't know how many reports is set up to print to LPT5 but I feel that its quiker to go in and do this properly so they print to Local1 or network one, configure that to use the correct Printer driver in DFD and then map the correct port in L4D to send to the device.

Hi there, yes DataEase currently runs via an XP PC with the Novell Client installed, but we want to move away from this!

And just to say, we weren't the ones that originally developed this DataEase Order Processing, it was another company many many years ago. We just support this client's general IT, so we are definitely NOT DataEase experts... 

Anyway, please see attached screenshot of the existing Workstation Configuration and also, the batch file we use to launch DataEase along with the Novell Capture commands etc...

@echo off

cls

set dename=%username%

capture q=lx-850_(1) nff nb nt ti=3 l=2 s=server01 >nul

capture q=fx-880_(1) nff nb nt ti=3 l=3 s=server01 >nul - *** THIS PRINTER IS NO LONGER USED ***

capture q=lx-300_(1) nb nt ti=3 l=5 s=server01 >nul

q:

cd \dease

de16m data "order processing" "%dename%" ""

capture ec /all >nul

So in summary, the LX-850 uses LPT2 and the Epson LQ-800 printer definition and the LX-300 uses LPT5 and the Epson LX 80 printer definition.

The above has worked fine for many years, but now we want to move this to LegEasy 4DOS. 

As you are aware, the main issue we've been having when testing via LegEasy 4DOS, is the existing reports don't line up properly. And note we temporally changed LPT5 to LPT4 in the Application & Workstation Configurations, as you made us aware that LPT5 isn't supported. The printer worked, but things won't line up correctly.

Please let me know if you need any more information. 

Many thanks.

Cheers,

Richard.

Hi again Richard.

Forget everything about Novell etc. The way it works in L4D is quite straight forward but obviously it opens up a can of worms and possibility to get it wrong.

L4D use the printer settings in Windows, so L4D will port the output done to harddware ports to the que you set to capture each port in L4D.

Since you have the good old fashioned dot-matrix EPSON printers you can use the correct driver in DFD for them as you have, or you can simply use Epson MX-80 which is the "standard" for all dot matrix printers still available like HP Lj is for all Laser Printers today.

From your Workstation Settings only Local 1 and Local 2 will work with your printers as Network 1 use HP Laserjet and hence will get the output wrong for a DOT matrix and the last one use a port that is not suppported i.e. LPT5.

The printer drivers you have selected should be fine for 1 and 2 so we move to the next stage.
Remember that LPT1 and LPT2 etc. is just a logical port now to be forwarded. If you use Local 1 and Local 2 in the reports you can change the workstation setting for local 1 and Local 2 without having to do anything in the reports.

So whatever comes on LPT1 from DFD the app will be picked up and forwarded to the printer que selected in the printer configuration in L4D.


So in my example the output sent from the app on LPT1 will be forwarded by L4D to HP Lserjet something... 

And LPT2 to Munbyn 

As DOT matrix printers operate via ESC Codes to get special handling its important that L4D doesn't format the printing automatically. This is a feature to convert character based prints from DFD to be printed on Laser Printers or PDF etc. 

You don't want that, you want the ASCII codes to be sent unatranslated to the printer queue which i why I have selected RAW mode.

SO if you set up the correct printer driver in Workstation printer that use the correct ESC codes for the printer, send that to ex LPT1 and pick up LPT1 in L4D and forward it to the printer driver for your Epson in WIndows and select RAW it will be like the good old days.

Possible errors.
1. Wrong pritner driver that send wrong ESC codes in WOrkstation Printers.
2. Not compatible printer in WIndows.
3. Not useing RAW mode.
4. The report in DFD doesn't use Local 1, Local 2 etc. but refer to the printer directly in the report. 

As you don't have any DFD experience and didn't develop this application it migh be an idea for one of our consultants to have a look at the application and help them straighten it out and possible also in the future help them with any changes etc. they might want to do. We can do this as a sub contrator for you and don't have to invoice the customer directly etc and you will get a 20% discount on our standard rate.

Hi all! May be it is my turn  to use my more than 30 years int DFD experience to help dear Sir Richard as it was with NY subway team ? My teacher always said use your hands and do not think while hands are solving an DFD challenge ;) to be short simply make some hardworking tossing data in printer settings or simply rewrite the code a bit ;) for time is the most precious thing after being alive during our war conditions here in Ukraine… don’t worry be happy … Merry Christmas … so make a single change then see the result step by step so You can guess what is going at last … and what country I have visit in the case to help Richard ))) ? Money is nothing to be alive means a lot … sorry . Glory to DataEase team! That image app with web and memo fields make a huge aid to us during the war… thx a lot again !