Path: utzoo!attcan!uunet!cs.utexas.edu!helios!rigel.tamu.edu
From: ctl8588@rigel.tamu.edu (LAUGHLIN, CHET)
Newsgroups: comp.os.msdos.programmer
Subject: Networks, PRN, and a quirky executable
Message-ID: <9430@helios.TAMU.EDU>
Date: 23 Oct 90 04:00:35 GMT
Sender: usenet@helios.TAMU.EDU
Reply-To: ctl8588@rigel.tamu.edu
Organization: TAMU
Lines: 32

In the real-time systems lab I have been programming in there is a
token ring network connecting the 286 and 386 PCs.  I have been
redirecting my standard PRN and LPT1 to the network print server.
Now, everything works just fine...but my interest has been peeked
by a certain situation.

I have a C program that spawns another program named 'fft.exe'.
This program can print to graphical picture to a printer.  I have
found that it uses PRN by experiment.  Now, the funny thing is that
if I press F1 (to print) while FFT is running the server starts
spooling but will not print.  The server reports that it is spooling
the 'document' until FFT returns to my program (user must ask to end
the FFT) and then my program ends ALSO - returning to the DOS prompt.

I have tried executing a flush of stdprn, flushall, closeall immediately
after the spawn command with no effect.  Asking FFT to print 2 graphs
spools them both, but does not print anything.  The Server itself does
not access the hard drive except for 2 or 3 seconds max after I
request a printing.

Tommorrow I plan to dig a little deeper, but perhaps someone has a good
pointer or hint to help.  To recap - the printings come out of the
server ok, but only *after* my program ends.  I'm am trying to get
the printings to print after the FFT program ends.

Thanks for any help.
+---------------------------------------------------------------+
| Chet Laughlin                  CTL8588@RIGEL.TAMU.EDU         |
|   "I have no opinions as I          (128.194.4.4)             |
|    do not exist, my lawyers                                   |
|    told me so."                                               |
+---------------------------------------------------------------+