>>David,
>>
>>Do you have any documentation for the printer?
>>
>>You might be able to open the port, send the appropriate escape code and read the response. I think you can still talk to directly to parallel and comm ports with the FoxPro low level file functions.
>>
>>Jim
>>
>All I need is a way to check that the cable is plugged in and the printer is on. If either one of those cases in not true then give me an error code/message. I am using MSCOMM.OCX to check the status of a comm port. I would like to have way to check the LPT port. It doesn't matter what printer.


David,

You might try to open the port with the printer on-line and see if you can read from the port or write to it.

lnHandle = FOPEN('LPT1')
IF lnHandle > 0 AND FERROR() = 0


FRWRITE(lnhandle, CHR(27) + )
lnError = FERROR()

*-- might put code here to read a response using FREAD()

IF lnError = 0

FCLOSE(lnhandle)


ELSE

FCLOSE(lnhandle)


ENDIF && lnError = 0


ELSE



ENDIF && lnHandle > 0 AND FERROR() = 0

Keep in mind that low level file functions operate outside the realm of the error handler. You'll need to monitor each open, read, and write with FERROR() and respond accordingly.


Jim