W3Launch/ProQuest/Printing

[Dale E. Goodell]

I'm cross-posting this message to CDROMLAN and WEB4LIB; please 
excuse any duplication.

I don't know if many people have dealt with this error condition, but 
it's worth a try here.

I have configured our Reference Room public workstations with 
Netscape v3.01 (running on Windows for Workgroups 3.11) as the user 
interface.  From there, I'm running W3Launch to access our network-
based compact discs.  Generally, this has worked quite well so far.  
All printing goes to a networked (NetWare 4.10) HP LaserJet 5M 
postscript printer (capturing the LPT1 port). I have discovered that, 
when trying to print from ProQuest Searchware (DOS) v4.41, the 
following error message displays:  

    Output Error: could not open <LPT1> for output.  Retry or Abort.
    
Hitting Reply simply repeats the error message.

If I run the batch file for that CD from a DOS prompt, then try to 
print to the same printer, it works great.  I have also tried running 
the ProQuest application as a Windows icon (independent from 
Netscape), and printing works fine.  In addition, I have tried 
printing to a different networked printer (PCL) from 
Netscape/W3Launch, etc.), resulting in the same error.  I feel the 
error is caused by W3Launch, and not because I am trying to print to 
a postscript printer.  All of my other CDs, from different vendors 
(NewsBank, Wilson, SilverPlatter, etc.) all print fine when run 
through W3Launch; I'm only having problems with ProQuest.

Has anyone solved similar problems?  Thank you very much, in 
advance, for your help.


==================================================================
Dale E. Goodell
User Support Analyst
Western Oregon University Library
Monmouth, OR 97361

Internet:   goodeld at fsa.wou.edu
Voice:      503/838-8891
Fax:        503/838-8399