USB Printing and PCL5

Loftware tested printing to an USB-connected HP LaserJet 1200 series PCL 5+ printer using various Loftware applications such as Design Mode, On-Demand Print, etc.  The results are documented in very general terms below.  Your results depend on the printer manufacturer and printer you are using, and are quite likely to be different.

Loftware Applications are designed to open, write, and then close the USB Printer port when processing a print request.  As long as the USB Printer allows this to happen, printing continues without incident.  If the printer is not connected, or is turned off, the Loftware Application is not able to open the port, a message is displayed or an error condition is created which states “Error Opening Port (printer name).”  If the printer is out of stock and it shuts the USB port down, the Loftware Application is not able to write to the port.  A message is displayed, or an error condition is created stating “Error Writing to Port (printer name).”  If the printer is out of stock, but the printer has a buffer, an error message may not display until the buffer is full.

USB Printing and the LPS

Various expected behaviors occur when printing to the LPS using a USB Printer with error conditions (i.e.; Paper Out, etc.).  After the printer buffer is full, jobs stay in pending folder.  After about 2 minutes, the Status displays media problem or “Error writing to/opening port (Printer Name)” message.  After correcting the error condition, the jobs in the buffer print out, and the pending job completes.

It is important to read all available printer manufacturer information on USB Printing with your printer before attempting to print using Loftware applications. Remember to install any USB Drivers before connecting, configuring or printing in Loftware.