WINE and Virtual Printer ProgramsForum: Apps Topic: WINE and Virtual Printer Programs started by: piccolo Posted by piccolo on April 02 2006,10:15
I've migrated everything to Linux some time ago. But even i've Windows for only a reason: An source proprietary program which the govern of my country oblige us to use anyway for payment taxes. (Maybe the govern will be the last to understand the open source concept and importance when they should be the first).I've great success running that program over WINE but fail to print job. CUPS is configurated and running correctly, the problem is an even not implemented feature on WINE. Alternative: install an virtual printer program for Windows plataform and print to file instead, or before, send to CUPS. So that file migth be possible to print later from any Linux program. I've tried many virtual printer programs for Windows over WINE but won't run. Anyone had success or have other idea??? Posted by pr0f3550r on April 02 2006,10:23
- what's the program, then?- Erm... what's the goverment to boycott? Posted by piccolo on April 02 2006,13:51
The program calculate the amounts which each contributor must pay. Only run over Windows.Running over Linux not change nothing the results. In others words, we must pay the same amounts anyway. But i only want to use Linux because for me Linux is more than an operative system, is the better successful example of cooperation instead competence. Perhaps i'm ingenuous, but think which cooperation is the only solution for an better world. Posted by cbagger01 on April 03 2006,17:00
Hmm.Most MSWindows printer drivers contain a "Print to file" option instead of direction to a printer port. Also, newer versions of MSWindows have the capability to do IP-based printing (linux/unix printer sharing over the network). As a fallback, you can use SAMBA to create a Windows-compatible network printer share from your linux machine and then connect to it via the network. Unfortunately, I don't know much about WINE and the ability to do network printing. However, it is possible to do it from a virtual PC with Windows 95/98/ME/NT/2000 inside a program called QEMU. Or for a 100% open source solution, you can install ReactOS inside your virtual PC (QEMU) and then run your windows programs from there. Posted by piccolo on April 03 2006,20:26
Very, very tanks cbagger01!Your idea is interesting: ReactOS and QEMU. I knew some about QEMU but anything about ReactOS. Anyway i will it try and later will write results here. Other solution i do not believe success because: WINE can't run Windows driver because is not a emulator. Instead, WINE implements Windows API calls using their UNIX or X11 equivalents. In the case of printers, WINE use driver CUPS. CUPS can print to file but my problem appear before, in some point of the integration between WINE and CUPS, which only it find this Windows program while others not problem. Therefore is the same problem for a network solution because also CUPS implements the network connection to send the print job. Regards Posted by dare2dreamer on April 03 2006,21:51
ReactOS is nowhere developed enough for me to consider it a functional alternative. Perhaps you can get this application running via wine or the commercial crossover office? The other "migration alternative" woud be to use a pc emulator like QEMU or VMWARE and install your old legal copy of windows into it for the express reason of running this application.Also, obviously, I'd start a petition for the application developers and/or your government to port your "mandatory application" to something other than windows. The idea that my government would mandate my operating system of choice is a little spooky to me... ...then again, that's probably why I run linux too. Posted by piccolo on April 04 2006,16:22
Many tanks dare2dreamer, i appreciate your comments.I believe you have reason, ReactOS is nowhere developed enough. This tax program is written in Visual Basic and have many dependencies. That run over Linux is really great merit for WINE My first computer yet had installed Windows 98 when it buy. I knew little about computers at that time so the hardware vendor it installed Windows but he does not leave a copy for me. I'd understand late that there is, any vendor leave Windows copies because are illegal copies. The problem or preoccupation of vendors is not the illegal Windows copy, instead that users can install yourself or not pay it to do the job. I never had a Windows copy neither it installed in my life and not do not think do it. Now, to install Windows is against my religion. Petition for government was did, of at least release the tax program source so we should create binaries for Linux. The petition was repelled from government. They said that if the source is release under GPL anyone would modify it and do so to evade taxes. Then, if the security is the problem, how to explain this: Windows code is secret and anyway there are many virus for it. Linux code is open and...How many virus we know for Linux? Besides, the software enterprise that produce for government never will release the source because they have the government lock-in to your services, they obtain much money so and will avoid interferences from others can alter something. Posted by cbagger01 on April 05 2006,04:12
Believe it or not, the ReactOS project and the WINE project share alot of source code so even though ReactOS is still "not ready for prime time", it stands a good chance of being able to run your program if it can run under WINE.Unfortunately, it appears that SAMBA networking and ReactOS are not ready for use yet, so even if you could get the program up-and-running in ReactOS+QEMU or ReactOS+VMWare, you would need to do direct printing to the emulated parallel port and not via networking. However, "print to file" might still work, though. Posted by piccolo on April 05 2006,09:01
I believe, believe! I will try. Tanks cbagger01
Posted by piccolo on April 07 2006,22:31
I have ReactOS running inside QEMU but can't install a extern program.I can access to directory where program is stored with: qemu c.img -hdb fat:/folder/setup.exe But setup.exe need to install files inside c:\ReactOS directory and can't. How I can to access to this directory? Posted by cbagger01 on April 08 2006,23:02
I would install ReactOS to a virtual hard drive ("C:") and then download or copy the file into your fake "C:" drive while you are running inside ReactOS.Then you should be able to install via "normal" Windows methods, hopefully. Posted by piccolo on April 12 2006,13:52
Tanks cbagger01I have success mounting the image with follow commands: losetup /dev/loop0 c.img -o 32256 mount /dev/loop0 /mnt/reactos Then can be umount with this commands: umount /mnt/reactos losetup -d /dev/loop0 Now i transfer files between ReactOS and host OS with that method. Well. But my problem persist because the program that i want install attempt to overwrite the file c:\ReactOS\System32\OleAut32.dll with other OleAut32.dll. If can't install the .dll file abort the installation. How to set permission to overvrite ReactOS system file? Or how to install my program? Posted by cbagger01 on April 12 2006,17:39
I assume that you need the installer's OleAut32.dll file in order to do the installation.Perhaps there is a way for ReactOS to boot up in a kind of "Safe Mode" and delete/rename the old file? Or maybe you can delete it from within your loop-mounted filesystem (and maybe even replace it with the new file) before you even start up ReactOS. For more help, I'd try the ReactOS help forums. |