Troubleshooting e-forms installation in Crystal Reports or with Windows NT
Workstation
If the e-forms do not print, the following steps can isolate the problem
to one of the Printer, Workstation, or Server.
-
Server/PMS system: You can quickly test to see if the
workstation and printer are ok by clicking on Start / Programs
/ Accessories / Wordpad. Type "HELLO" and then select that
text by dragging the mouse over it. Use the Format / Font menu to
select the EFPlus font for the form you want to test. (Note:
OnQ5 can be set to use either Folio21
OR Folio25. Properties that use the Registraton Keypacket will use RegKey41
and those that print registrations on plain white paper will use OldReg51.
Statements will be efplus netstmt31 or detstmt32). Select File /
Print. Verify that the printer selected is the one installed for eForms.
After the page prints, if you see HELLO and nothing else, the workstation
OR printer are a problem (the server may still be a second problem).
If the form prints, then the problem is the server. In general, EFPlus is
NOT able to help with server related problems although we are more than happy
to help diagnose them and suggest corrective action.
If the Workstation and Printer are ok, the problem is in OnQ.
Also make sure the eForms driver is selected under File / Printer
assignements in the Reports list. In
OnQ5 , the "Registration / Keypacket
Printer" should be set to "unassigned" if registrations will be printed on
plain white paper. In that case, both registrations and reciepts will print
to the printer selected as the "Folio Paper Printer". If you print registrations
on a special stock, the "Registration / Keypacket Printer" should be set
to the same printer as the folio paper printer (the printer setup for eforms.
See: Install the e-Forms
fonts). Statements and Invoices will print to the White Paper Printer.
-
Printer: If you have another printer that does print eForms
correctly, the easiest way to separate problems with the printer from problems
with the workstation is to swap the working printer and eForms device with
the one at the workstation that is not working. If the problem follows
the eForms device to the other workstation, the eForms device is bad or may
need to be reloaded (contact us); if
the problem remains at the same workstation, the eForms device is good, and
the workstation is bad (check the fonts and printer selection. See:
Install the e-Forms
fonts).
If you want to test just one printer this next test will absolutely verify
if the problem is in the eForms device or
not. This example tests
the standard folio form (ID #21); for other forms change the 21's (underlined
in the text below) to 25 for OnQ5 folios, 31 or 32 for statements, 41 for
key packets, 51 for plain paper registrations and so on.
-
From the Command prompt (Start / Run type: CMD press
Enter) type:
echo ^[^&f21y4X21^L>lpt1
Note that the "^" (a.k.a. caret) is not always entered the same way. The
first caret is entered along with the "[" by holding down the
Ctrl key and tapping the [ key (just to the right of the P
key). The second caret is a shifted 6 followed by a shifted 7 for
the "&" and the last is entered with the "L" by holding down the
Ctrl key and tapping the L key.
The actual key presses are:
e,c,h,o,(spacebar),Ctrl+[,Shift+6,Shift+7,f,2,1,y,4,X,2,1,Ctrl+L,>,l,p,t,1,Enter
or, if the printer is shared between workstations:
echo
^[^&f21y4X21^L>\\workstation\printername
where workstation is the name of the workstation that the printer is connected
to, and printername is the name that the printer is shared as from that
workstation. If the printer is shared from the local workstation, you can
use \\127.0.0.1\printername
Note that printers connected via ethernet / CAT 5 cables e.g. haveing thier
own direct IP addresses will not work, you need to share an IP connected
printer from a workstation and copy the file to the
\\workstation\sharename.
-
The folio form should print. But,
-
If a page with 21 in the upper left corner prints, the problem is in the
SmartBOX; stop trying to fix it and contact
us.
-
If the hotel logo prints, the eform is working; the problem must be in the
workstation or in the OnQ configuration. If the form is incorrect in some
way (layout, text, logo incorrect) please fax a copy of the form showing
the problem to us. Our fax number is listed at
http://www.efplus.com
-
If any other characters appear on the page, review the instructions above.
-
If nothing prints, investigate how the printer is connected to the workstation
and adjust the port in the copy command. If you see "access denied" on the
screen restart the workstation and try again. The help desk needs to get
the printer to the point that it can print, then we can help make it print
eForms.
Note: You can also make a file that can be saved and copied to the printer
as needed:
-
From the Command prompt (Start / Programs / Command prompt) type:
EDIT TEST.PRN
-
Hold down the Ctrl key and tap the P key. Release the
Ctrl key and tap the Esc key. A left-pointing arrow should
appear on the screen
-
Type &f21y4X21 Take care to enter lower and uppercase letters
as shown.
-
Press Ctrl-P then hold down the Alt key and, on the keypad,
type 012 then release the Alt key.
-
Save the file and exit Edit by pressing Alt-F, X, and Y
or clicking File / Exit / Yes (or File / Exit and Enter.)
-
At the DOS command line, type:
COPY TEST.PRN PRN /B
or
COPY TEST.PRN LPTn /B
or
COPY TEST.PRN \\workstation\printername /B
where workstation is the name of the workstation that the printer is connected
to, and printername is the name that the printer is shared as from that
workstation.
-
Note that network connected printers with IP addresses will not work, you
need to share and IP connected printer from a workstation and copy the file
to the \\workstation\printername.
-
Workstation. If some workstations are able to print
any of the eforms, then at least part of the problem is most likely
with the workstations that cannot or with their printers. If you have a working
workstation and printer, the easiest way to separate problems with the
workstation from problems with the printer is to swap the working printer
with the one at the workstation that is not working.
If none of the workstations can print e-forms, then the problem is more likely
to be in the server.
This test will absolutly verify if the problem is in the workstation.
-
Click on Start / Settings / Printers.
-
Double click the EFPlus.com HPLJ4n printer.
-
From the menu, select Printer and then Pause printing
-
From OnQ, print the item you are having problems with. Nothing should print
but the print job should appear in the window where you paused printing.
Note: the name of the crystal reports RPT file will probably show up in
the Document Name column. If the problem is with registrations and the name
is "System 21 Document" then the problem is that "print pre=reg and check
ins using VB" has been turned on in Database maintenance / Hotel Defaults
/ Reciept printing.
-
Click on Start / All Programs / Accessories / Windows Explorer. (on
older PCs this will be NT Explorer
-
In the left panel, open the windows folder (probably WINNT) then open
System32 \ Spool \ Printer
-
In the right panel, you should find two files with numbers as a name and
with the extensions .shd and .spl
-
Open the .spl file in notepad by selecting it and clicking on File / Open
with
and selecting NOTEPAD from the list of available applications.
-
Select Edit / Find and enter y4X. You should find a string
in the garbage that looks like &f21y4X where the 21
may be replaced with the ID number of the form (and font) you are testing.
For the Folio, this will be 21, the registration will be 41 for the keypacket
version and 51 for the one that prints on plain paper.
-
If the string is not found, the problem is at the workstation. Verify that
the correct printer and fonts have been installed and that the true type
fonts were deleted before the printer fonts were installed.
-
Click on Start / Settings / Printers.
-
Double click the EFPlus.com HPLJ4n printer.
-
From the menu, select Printer and then check Pause printing
Other little known or rare issues.
Logos print double size: The printer or driver or application is setting
the maximum resolution to 300 dpi and the 600 dpi logo is then printed at
twice the correct size. Reset print driver / printer to factory defaults.
On a Windows printer driver, right click and select Printing Preferences
then change Quick Sets to Factory Defaults. In a non-windows system, reset
the printer to factory defaults. This will be different for each
printer.
|