>>>Hi All:
>>>
>>>What is the best way to check that the printer is online and ready to accept commands?
>>>
>>>Something like:
>>>
>>>

>>>IF PrinterOnlineAndReadyToAcceptCommands()
>>>    ...do code
>>>ELSE
>>>    Display message 'HELP!  the printer will not print!'
>>>ENDIF
>>>

>>>
>>>Thanks,
>>>
>>>Yossi
>>
>>There used to be a command (in the old FoxPro/DOS) to check whether the printer is ready. Under Windows, this command (that still exists) no longer works, because printing is done through the Windows print spool... and that one is always ready to accept commands, even if the printer is not.
>
>Thanks. This is an important requirement for me, since the user wants to abort the system if the printer is not ready. Any ideas?

None.

But if a printer is ready means nothing. A common printer will give you a paper out on its own interface - after the job is started. I hade once a printer the printed the first page and stoped then. Something in the toner system was broken.
Some printers come with something called printer monitor and you even might find a API to ask those monitor. Number one operation I do after installing such a printer is to deactivate such "features".
There might be special printers available too. Check for banking systems or so.

You possibly might check the spooler if you job will stuck there, but this is not reliable too.

My solution are two messageboxes the one asking the operator to wait for the last page and the second to ask the operator to check the paper. If the operator gives me an o.k. the print job is handled is printed.

Agnes