If you are printing from a remote system such as a mainframe, AS400 or Unix host to Print Distributor you may well be using the lpr/lpd protocol. We have an article on configuring Windows for this at http://www.frogmorecs.com/arts/configure-lpdsvc. When you print through the LPD service the job can be routed through your driver or around it, this can cause some problems.

Symptoms

Printer codes are printed instead of a properly formatted document.

If you are using the Generic Text driver lines may be wrapped at the wrong place.

The TCP/IP print server is refusing the print job.

Resolution

The LPD service can be configured to ignore the format controls coming from the host and always route the print around the driver rather than through it. To sett the pass through mode follow these steps:

1. Start the registry editor.

2. From the HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE subtree click the following subkey: \SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\LPDSVC\Parameters

3. On the Edit menu, click New, and then click DWORD Value.

4. Name the new entry SimulatePassThrough

5. Double-click the SimulatePassThrough entry, and then change the data value to 1.

6. Click OK.

7. Quit Registry Editor.

8. Click the Start button and search for Services.

9. Click on the Services program in the Start menu.

10. Find the LPD Service entry.

11. From the Action menu select Restart.