Capture data from printer port and save to file (Excel/PDF)

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2.14/5 (4 votes)

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Hi,

I have one mainframe application through which we can send command for document printing. As this application is LAN based and it directly connected to printer on LAN, even though i changed default printer as 'PDFCreater' print command goes to printer on LAN. I want to create one application through which i can read data from printer port and save it into soft copy (pdf or excel) as required.
can anyone help me with this??

Thanks & Regards,
Harshala

Posted 20-Jul-10 3:00am

Harshala1

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Comments

E.F. Nijboer 20-Jul-10 14:54pm

You can't read back the data from the printer port while printing. It's like trying to eat while throwing up.
You mention it is a LAN printer. Wouldn't it be more simple to create a print service that is used by all client applications and handles the printing? This way this network service on some server could make sure the soft copy is created and printing is done. This service would also make sure the soft copy is stored in a safe place where users can't just throw it away. If needed they could simply have reading rights.

Good luck!

Member 11457847 4-May-16 18:20pm

you mean create service that in every client print(from every app,like text file , paint app,msword,ie,...) that send to printer , create a soft copy? how ? can you explain more or give sample for that?

GPUToaster™ 21-Jul-10 1:26am

Reason for my vote of 4
Nice Idea!!

GPUToaster™ 21-Jul-10 1:27am

Comment by "E.F. Nijboer" should have been the Answer!!

4 solutions

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Rutvik Dave · Answer 1 · 2010-07-26T03:43:00

Well after a long time someone asked a trick question... +5 for that :)

I don't know whether I know the answer or not, but this is the first thing comes my mind...

according to this [^], the printer port for mainframe is 515, so try to capture the data from that port using following article A Network Sniffer in C#[^], if you want to parse the data from the port, then here is the protocol description[^]

Good luck...

rajkumar.duvva · Answer 2 · 2010-07-29T02:21:00

Solution 2

Hi Harshala,
Did you find out any solution for Capturing data from LPT port.

Please let me know any update..Waiting for response.

Thanks in Advance,
Rajkumar

Posted 29-Jul-10 2:21am

rajkumar.duvva

georgegarvasis · Answer 3 · 2010-08-21T23:29:00

Solution 3

Hi Harshala,

Did you solved the problem for Capturing data from printer port.

thnks,
George Garvasis

Posted 21-Aug-10 23:29pm

georgegarvasis

Sreedhar Puligundla · Answer 4 · 2011-05-10T22:55:00

Solution 4

Hi,

This can be done very easily. While printing we can capture the data by just changing the port number.
Contact me for further details.

Posted 10-May-11 22:55pm

Sreedhar Puligundla

Comments

Member 12302111 21-Sep-16 1:58am

hello sir,
how can we take the data while reading ?
because i am working on it.

regards,
dinesh.p

nari.guptha 4-Jan-17 1:42am

Hi Dinesh,

Did you get the solution to read data from a printer port.

Member 14064777 9-Jan-19 2:37am

Hi Sreedhar

I've read your article carefully and felt the pleasure that knew you.
Now I develop c# project which capture print data using LPT port.
How do you solve this functions

Hope to meet in a chat.
I'll wait your reply.
Best regards.