I have a multi-user Paradox 4.5 application running very well on a
mixed Win98 and XP network. I'm using 2GBFIX to sucessfully run on
large drives. However, the XP stations will very occasionally report
"Not enough disk space...10 more bytes needed" when executing this
line:

PRINT FILE "LPT3" "my text here..."

LPT3 is used to access a network printer that is mapped by:

NET USE LPT3 \\myXPprintserver\myprinter /yes

It appears that PRINT FILE is sometimes misinterpreting the "disk
space" available on LPT3, and that 2GBFix is not intercepting this
process. PRINT FILE always works fine with "real" files. The problem
is just with LPT3 from XP workstations. Any suggestions?

Sorry for multiple posts - had several DNS errors.

IIRC, the 2GBFix always says that XXX bytes are free, no-matter-what. If
it's that simple, and if you have the source code, I will gladly take a
quick look at it, and report if I see anything obvious. It's likely that the
fix intercepts all the possible Disk-Space functions, and therefore, "PRINT
FILE" should not see values any different from the other space-checks within
PDox.

I wonder if there's any code within PDox which thinks you're printing to a
"printer", and if it's then checking the status of the printer (powered-up,
stationery installed, on-line, not busy, etc, etc), and if it's detecting
some issue with the emulation and reporting it as "Not enough space"...

Maybe you should revert to using "PRINT FILE to actual files", and then dump
these files to LPT3 using a BAT file...

- Mike

Mike,

Interesting ideas. Thanks. I've sent the source code for 2GBfix to
you directly. Any comments would be appreciated.

As I recall, the error always reports a very small shortage, such as
"10 additional bytes needed". Don't know if this offers any clues.
The error is also quite rare: Perhaps 1 in 100 print sessions. And
NEVER from the Win98 workstations using the same network printer for
years.

Peter Smart

How about deleting all the extras?

---------------------------------------------------------
Tony McGuire

LessSpace was required to run PdoxDOS 4.x on the large drives of the day, in
the late 90's, on Win95/98.. but nobody has needed that on "modern" machines
and OS in almost a decade.. that leads me to believe that you're not running
a proper command line.. see the 4xGuide file on my web site..

--
Steven Green - Waldorf Maryland USA

Diamond Software Group
http://www.diamondsg.com/main.htm
Paradox Support & Sales

Diamond Sports Gems
http://www.diamondsg.com/gemsmain.htm
Sports Memorabilia and Trading Cards

"psmart" <psmart (AT) hydrocad (DOT) net> wrote

Peter,

Got that. The code looks very good, but I've not traced through it
line-by-line. There's some "calcs" in there, when the drive stats must be
modified before releasing them to PDox, and I've not investigated that bit
in great detail. However, based on the overall quality of Jon's code, I
expect it's fine.

I have one concern, which I've also not checked out... The overall approach
is to activate the requested DOS functions (1B, 1C, 36), and to then modify
the results if they're too high. The code was written in 1998, and, perhaps
then, the NORMAL parameters returned by the 1B and 1C functions, on the
largest disks available, never exceeded the limits of the registers
assigned, but perhaps this does not apply now - I just don't remember. If
they're now likely to be exceeded, then the whole purpose of 2GBFix will be
defeated, and, at certain times, Paradox will see a very small drive, and/or
very small free-space.

You didn't indicate what total-space and free-space are on your
Disk(s)/Servers, as seen by Paradox, and/or DOS apps. And especially at the
moment the problems arises.

At the moment you get the LPT3 error, you might try to identify:
- what space values (total and free) actually exist.
- what space values (total and free) are seen by the 1B/1C/36 functions,
without 2GBFix running.
- what space values (total and free) are seen by the 1B/1C/36 functions,
with 2GBFix running.
This would indicate if 2GbFix is not able to handle some unusual conditions.

FWIW, LesSpace does not approach the problem in the same way - LesSpace
determines the "actual" values, and then lies back to Paradox. [I found
another aspect amusing also: Jon's program just exceeds 300 source lines;
LesSpace is marginally under 4000 lines; For the same Function!!!; Gee, what
was I "on" back in mid-'95 !!]

- Mike


"psmart" <psmart (AT) hydrocad (DOT) net> wrote

additional comments.. most of us have done this a completely different way,
forever.. and most of us used to deal with the "2 gig limit" a different
way, forever.. (i.e. where have you been all these years? (g))..

we have also learned that there's a "4 gig" issue, too.. but none of that is
a problem , except in isolated, extreme situations, because most file access
doesn't create the math problem that confuses pdox or the bde..

anyhow.. we create "output files" using PRINT FILE, outputting a report to
file, etc.. but then

RUN "copy myfile lpt1"

now, on XP, the RUN itself needs to be wrapped in another process, because
XP doesn't support DOS the same way 95/98 did.. there have been extensive
postings on this subject in the groups, over the years.. have you googled
this, or other related topics?

--
Steven Green - Waldorf Maryland USA

Diamond Software Group
http://www.diamondsg.com/main.htm
Paradox Support & Sales

Diamond Sports Gems
http://www.diamondsg.com/gemsmain.htm
Sports Memorabilia and Trading Cards

"psmart" <psmart (AT) hydrocad (DOT) net> wrote

Steve,

As I mentioned before, the workstations used with this application have
been primarily running Win98, and therefore require 2GBFix (or
LessSpace). Are you saying this is not necessary for Pdox 4.5 under
XP? If this is true, simply eliminating 2GBfix may resolve the
problem...

Peter


Steven Green wrote:

in general, the 2 gig problem went away with Win98 OSR2, which is the common
version used.. Mike is suggesting that your problem might your non-standard
"fix", which we know nothing about.. I also suggestd that your command line
might be "different", too..

--
Steven Green - Waldorf Maryland USA

Diamond Software Group
http://www.diamondsg.com/main.htm
Paradox Support & Sales

Diamond Sports Gems
http://www.diamondsg.com/gemsmain.htm
Sports Memorabilia and Trading Cards

"psmart" <psmart (AT) hydrocad (DOT) net> wrote