Need to closing running app?

[drhowarddrfine]

In VBScript I have this:

'define vars
url = "http://bytes.com" 
path = "C:\dev\vbs\temp.txt"
'instantiate
Set xmlhttp = CreateObject("MSXML2.ServerXMLHTTP") 
Set fso = CreateObject("Scripting.FileSystemObject")
Set txtfile = fso.OpenTextFile(path, 2, True)
Set oWS = WScript.CreateObject("WScript.Shell")
'make request
xmlhttp.open "GET", url, false 
xmlhttp.send ""
'wait for response
xmlhttp.waitForResponse()
'if status is 200, then it's OK
if xmlhttp.status = 200 then
    txtfile.WriteLine(xmlhttp.responseText)
    txtfile.Close
    'enable this to print
    oWS.Run "NotePad.exe /p " + path
    'enable this to just display
    'oWS.Run "notepad.exe " + path    
else
    'popup bad response, or just omit to end
    WScript.Echo("bad response")
end if
'destroy objects.  I'm not sure this is necessary
Set txtfile = nothing
Set xmlhttp = nothing
Set oWS = nothing
Set fso = nothing

which will print the file defined in "path". I got a phone call today saying they were unable to print other documents on the printer and had to restart the computer to get it to work. Grasping at straws I need to ask if notepad might still be open and need to be closed?

[jhardman]

This is a first! Is this the first time you've posted in the ASP forum?

In answer to your question, the last four lines you posted are used to reclaim memory because ASP has no built in garbage collection mechanism, and failing to put those lines in could cause memory leakage. note this line:

Set oWS = nothing

This line should close the object that was using notepad, so from the point of view of the server, notepad is done. It sure looks to me like you took care of everything very thoroughly, but it is possible that something prevented notepad from closing for example an error message or a user dialog. And if these interfered with the printing, then that could cause your problem. It seems likely to me that some error or dialog brought on by system settings interfered with the printing and that the error was not caused by the script (which was working up to recently, right?). Give me a while and I can test on my box - notepad should close automatically.

I think I would ask to clear all print jobs, then watch their server when a request comes in.

Jared

[drhowarddrfine]

@jhardman
(covers insertAlias' eyes) I did do an excellent job, yes.

What happened is I ran this one night, a few times, and it worked well, but the phone call came the next day, which leads me to wonder if that script caused it.

The reason for the script is I have a cash register PC where I want it to check for a generated web page on a schedule and print it. I just set WindowsXP scheduler to run the script every minute.

The only problem I have, right now, is it prints on the default receipt printer instead of the second letter printer. Frinny gave me a link of stuff to read on how to fix that. Haven't done more than glanced at it so if you already know how, I'd appreciate it.

[jhardman]

hmm, this script just prints to the default printer. I don't know of a way to change that behavior, but if you could change the default printer for a given application, that might solve the issue. I'm curious though, post Frinny's link here and I'll skim through it, see if I see something obvious.

Jared

[drhowarddrfine]

That which shall be known, now and forever, as:
Frinny's Link

[jhardman]

OK, try this:

if xmlhttp.status = 200 then
    '...
    Dim objNetwork, strUNCPrinter
    strUNCPrinter = "\\LittleServer\HP office printer"
    Set objNetwork = CreateObject("WScript.Network")
    objNetwork.SetDefaultPrinter strUNCPrinter
 
    oWS.Run "NotePad.exe /p " + path
 
    strUNCPrinter = "\\cashRegister\receipt printer"
    objNetwork.SetDefaultPrinter strUNCPrinter
else
    'popup bad response, or just omit to end
    WScript.Echo("bad response")
end if
'...

Let me know if this helps, there is still something else I'm going to look up, might give a better solution.

Jared

[drhowarddrfine]

Take your time. I have to make a roadtrip to try it and it won't be today.

Something I forgot to mention. The receipt printer cannot be interrupted for this printing. It's OK to delay it while the other finishes, though. Also, I'm concerned about changing the default printer for this. If the cash register program wants to print a receipt, will it get messed up as this routine changes it?

[jhardman]

Try this variation (specifying the printer to use without changing the default):

'define vars
dim officePrinter
officePrinter = "\\server\printer name"
url = "http://bytes.com" 
path = "C:\dev\vbs\temp.txt"
'instantiate
Set xmlhttp = CreateObject("MSXML2.ServerXMLHTTP") 
Set fso = CreateObject("Scripting.FileSystemObject")
Set txtfile = fso.OpenTextFile(path, 2, True)
Set oWS = WScript.CreateObject("WScript.Shell")
'make request
xmlhttp.open "GET", url, false 
xmlhttp.send ""
'wait for response
xmlhttp.waitForResponse()
'if status is 200, then it's OK
if xmlhttp.status = 200 then
    txtfile.WriteLine(xmlhttp.responseText)
    txtfile.Close
    'enable this to print
    oWS.Run "NotePad.exe /p " + path + " " + officePrinter
    'enable this to just display
    'oWS.Run "notepad.exe " + path    
else
    'popup bad response, or just omit to end
    WScript.Echo("bad response")
end if
'destroy objects.  I'm not sure this is necessary
Set txtfile = nothing
Set xmlhttp = nothing
Set oWS = nothing
Set fso = nothing

[drhowarddrfine]

Cool! I really appreciate it. I'll get down there sometime late tomorrow.

[drhowarddrfine]

Finally got around to testing this morning. I had to use a network printer but I don't think that makes any difference. The text file it creates is correct but I get this error:

Cannot open the C:\Users\Store\Desktop\temp.txt
\OFFICE\HPOffice.txt file
Make sure a disk is in the drive you specified.

Obviously I changed the location of the file and printer in the script. I can print to that printer from the computer. Perhaps an option is not set right or in the correct place? Haven't looked yet but posting in case someone catches it right away.

[drhowarddrfine]

I couldn't even get this to print when I removed everything except the print part. Finally it worked when I made '/p' uppercase. When I went back to the complete script and changed it there, I get the same error above.

[jhardman]

OK, try this line:
NotePad.exe /p " + path + " " + officePrinter
from the command prompt (where path is the file path and officePrinter is the network address of the printer.

[drhowarddrfine]

I think you have a stray ". I removed the first one after /p. I get "Not a valid filename" for: NotePad.exe /p + temp.txt + " " + \\OFFICE\HPOffice . This file is on the desktop and I am on the desktop.

[drhowarddrfine]

This:

notepad.exe /P temp.txt

appears to work but I don't have an attached printer. I think it gets its first error with the '+'.

[jhardman]

@drhowarddrfine
Shouldn't have any pluses in the final version, that is just concatenation left over from the vbscript:
NotePad.exe /p temp.txt \\OFFICE\HPOffice

[drhowarddrfine]

Cannot open the c:\.....temp.txt \OFFICE\HPOffice.txt file

[drhowarddrfine]

I give up. I took a Unix box down there and let them use that. I can't continue to use a second box and printer but at least it works. I can't even get a response on a Microsoft newsgroup.

I'll just rewrite my webapp so it supplies a formatted page for the receipt printer and see if that works for them.

[jhardman]

@drhowarddrfine
Yeah, if you can't get it to fire from the command line, I would give up too. The only other thing I can think of is possibly check the network name of the printer , which might need to be in quotes. Anyway, sorry I couldn't be more help.

Jared

[drhowarddrfine]

Found something out. Windows is such a POS that it doesn't allow scripts to print to anything but the default printer!