Capturing data sent to Citizen 120D dot-matrix printer

[Jingjing]

How could I capture data that is being sent to a Citizen 120D dot-matrix printer? Instead of printing the data, I wanted it to be saved on a hard drive and viewed on the directly on a monitor. The printer already broke down.
The data is coming from APLEX 3100E8 Control Panel

 

[Brink]

Hello Jingjing, and welcome to Seven Forums.

If you like, you can print to Microsoft XPS Document Writer instead of your printer to have it saved as a .xps file that can be view in the included XPS Viewer.

Print to the Microsoft XPS Document Writer - Windows Help

 

[Jingjing]

Hi Brink,
The data is coming from a Building Security System. Once someone entered a pin code to disarm certain area, it will automatically print indicating the area and the code. The printer broke down and I wanted to automatically capture the data and store it in a separate computer.

 

[Brink]

I see. I'm not sure how it may work with the security system, but you should be able to use the method above to have it print to file and saved where you like until the printer is back online.

You could then also print out the .xps files if needed.

 

[GokAy]

How much a new printer cost with respect to the security of a whole building?

 

[Jingjing]

It's so rare. Can't find any more

 

[cyclops]

If you have Adobe Acrobat Pro or want to download and install CutePDF you have a CutePDF printer or a Adobe PDF printer you can configure and it will generate a pdf. You would need to create a script for file naming and releasing the print to the save location or play with it further on your time as I have never played with that end of it. Could possibly create a separator page with pjl commands, but that is going too far to get into here Separator pages are either pcl.sep for pcl printer or ps.sep for post script printer, they are pre-loaded in windows and when setting the printer to do a sep page it will ask for the file location and you will just use those files.
Good luck

 

[cyclops]

Nothing says you need the same exact printer, right?
Scan through these,,,Citizen 120D Dot Matrix Serial Port Printer Great Shape Never Used | eBay

 

[UsernameIssues]

It's so rare. Can't find any more

Does the security app let you select another printer?
(I've seen apps that don't let you pick a printer.)

If you can change the printer, then cyclops's idea of using a PDF creation tool should work.