There are many different brands. What do you have? If needs be can you change?

If you are familiar with ActiveX, perhaps use an OPOS compliant brand like Mecer

If you are familiar with serial coms, perhaps use a serial brand with  AcuCobols ACURS32.DLL

The easiest may be to use some freeware like DOSPrint (or SAMBA) and setup a pseudo printer on the USB port.

There are many different brands. What do you have? If needs be can you change?

If you are familiar with ActiveX, perhaps use an OPOS compliant brand like Mecer

If you are familiar with serial coms, perhaps use a serial brand with  AcuCobols ACURS32.DLL

The easiest may be to use some freeware like DOSPrint (or SAMBA) and setup a pseudo printer on the USB port.

Thank you Peter I will check up on the ACURS32.DLL, and the unit we ordered is Logic control LV5000

Logic Controls LV5000 LCD Customer/Pole Display: Barcode Giant

I am still waiting for it to be delivered.

Peter, I check with Micro focus and the ACURS32.dll is not  a .dll supported by them, any idea who has this .dll?

I have - and still use - the dll. However, if you can use DOSPrint to assign a printer to the USB port and then simply "print" to that printer, it will be much easier. Also a better option given that MF no longer support ACURS32.

Try that first, else I can let you have my program (written about 20 years ago 😞). DOSPrint can be download on the internet.

Do you have any sample source for ACURS232 and are you willing to send me or can I purchase it from you, I am still looking for sample program to assign a printer to COM1:?

You would only need ACURS232 for bi-directional communication; not for printing.
Its a long time since I used serial printers but my recollection is that you open and write to a FileName where you have an entry in the configuration files    FileName -D COM1.

You would also need to set the port parameters using (dos/cmd)  MODE COM1: 96,N,8,1,P  (Baud, Parity, Bits, Stop Bits, I think P means hold parameters)

Let me know about ACURS232. Program is free, but if you need my time, lets talk 🙂

Thank you for your reply, Peter. Yes, this will be used to connect to a serial customer display pole. I wrote a small program and assigned the printer to "_D COM1" and was able to open the printer and send data to it, unfortunately, it sent an unreadable text to it. I might need to download the drivers for this display pole and try again later this week. If you can send me the ACURS232 and any documentation that would be great.

Again; many thanks

Alex Albergo

You did use the MODE command to set the correct  RS232 communication  parameters?  "Printing" is the easiest and I am sure your problem is baud rates etc. Alternatively, Is the display OPOS compliant (so you can use the OPOS.OCX) . Try this.  Select START, RUN, CMD. |  type MODE COM1:96,n,8,1,p.  |  type dir > com1  | If the characters are gibberish check what baud rate etc the display is set up for.

I tried the above from a DOS prompt and nothing happened. iT SAID SYSTEM CANNOT FIND THE FILE WHEN I TYOE DIR > com1

i TAKE THAT BACK, WHEN i ISSUE THE DIR COMMAND I GET GARBAGE CHARACTERS.

Did you check the RS232 parameters off the display post and then use the mode command to set com1 to the same?

Let's take this offline: send your email address to cobsolv@global.co.za

WHen I type in the MODE COM1:96,n,8,1,p.  I get an invalid parameter, I if type MODE COM1:96 I get the status of COM1 Buad = 9600, parity even, data bit 7 stop bit 1 timeout off xon/xoff = off ETC.

This pole is a POSX XB8000, and I have not downloaded any drivers for this unit.

I doubt it need drivers.

Try dropping the "p" and use:    MODE COM1: 96,N,8,1  (depending on how the display is set!)

I triied the above command I get invalid parameter, Ireally do not know how to check the display pole, when it starts up I can it says 9600 font:0 mode=6

Peter I got it to work I did the following:

MODE COM1:96,n,8 WHICH SET IT FROM 7 BITS TO 8 BITS and was to send text to the customer display pole.

Thank you so much!!