Technical Support Contact Us   

Uploading Your Print-Trace File to MFM

How to upload your print-trace file to MFM.

  • The Add/Edit Printer window in PC Access for Windows has an Enable Print Debugging check box. Checking this box for a given printer causes PC Access for Windows to save a print-trace file every time you run PC Access for Windows with this printer as your default printer. The print-trace file can help MFM personnel diagnose printing problems in PC Access for Windows.
  • The print-trace file is often useful if you can print reports from your MLS, but they do not format correctly or portions of the report are missing. MFM personnel may request a copy of your print-trace file if they have ruled out communication errors.
  • Saving a print-trace file is easy. After you do this, you have two main methods for sending it to MFM:

Saving Your Print-Trace File

  1. Click the Setup Menu button on the PC Access Main Menu window. This opens the Setup Assistant window.
  2. Click the Advanced button on the Setup Assistant window. This opens the Advanced Setup window.
  3. Click the Printers button on the Advanced Setup Menu window.
  4. Highlight your default printer on the Printer Setup window and click the Edit button.
  5. On the Edit Printer window, check the Enable Print Debugging box.
  6. Click the OK button on the Edit Printer window, the Close button on the Printer Setup window, and the Close button on the Advanced Setup Menu window.
  7. Exit PC Access for Windows and restart it.
  8. Call your MLS and attempt to print the type of report that is causing the problem.
  9. Exit PC Access again.
  10. Open an MS-DOS Prompt window or full-screen session.
    • In Windows 95, 98, or NT,lick Start | Programs | MS-DOS Prompt.
    • In Windows 3.1x, double-click the Main icon in Program Manager, and then double-click the MS-DOS Prompt icon.
  11. At your MS-DOS prompt, type these commands: 
    C:
CD  \PCAWIN
DIR  DOWNLOAD

    If you get the "File not found" message after you type DIR DOWNLOAD, type: 

    MD  DOWNLOAD

    to make a c:\pcawin\download directory.

  12. Now you are ready to find and rename your newest print-trace file. At your MS-DOS prompt, type this command: 
    DIR  PTRACE*.*

    After you type the DIR command, you should see one or more files like this: PTRACEAA.AAA, PTRACEAA.AAB, etc. Find the newest one and copy it to your c:\pcawin\download directory under a new name. The new name should be different than files other PC Access users have uploaded to the MFM Support BBS. Usually you can construct a unique file name from your first initial and the first seven characters of your last name. Use the file extension .TRC to indicate this is your print-trace file. For example, if your name is Pat Producer, you would type:

    COPY PTRACEAA.AAA DOWNLOAD\PPRODUCE.TRC

  13. You may now close your MS-DOS session and return to Windows by typing:

    EXIT

  14. If you have Internet e-mail, you may now attach your print-trace file to a message that you address to: mailto:mfm-techsupport@mfm.com.
  15. If you do not have Internet e-mail, or your e-mail program does not support file attachments, you should follow the remaining steps for uploading your print-trace file to the MFM Support BBS.

Uploading Your Print-Trace File to the MFM Support BBS

Uploading a print-trace file to the MFM Support BBS is not difficult, but it requires several dozen steps. Follow the instructions in this document exactly, and you should not have any trouble.

Your PC Access for Windows Reference Guide already contains some of the instructions you need. You can view the Guide by double-clicking your PC Access Help icon in your PC Access for Windows Program Manager group. You will need to print the following topics:

Here is how to display and print a help topic after you double-click the PC Access Help icon:

  1. Click the Search button.
  2. The Search dialog appears, prompting you to type a help topic name. Type the first several words of the help topic name. As you do, the Search dialog will highlight help topics matching the words you have typed so far.
  3. When the Search dialog has highlighted the topic you want to print, click the Display button.
  4. You are now viewing the help topic. Select File | Print Topic... from the help window's menu. Return to step (1) until you have finished printing all the help topics in the above list.
    • Note: the help topics contain some colored text. If your printer does not print the colored text, you will have to change your printer setup in the Windows Control Panel. Many Windows printer drivers have a Setup option that lets you print colored text in a grey scale. See your printer documentation.

Once you have printed the help topics, keep them handy as you follow the instructions below.

Setting up an MFM Support BBS Phone Book Entry

Follow the steps in this help topic that you printed out earlier.
  • If you have called the MFM Support BBS before, you may already have a Phone Book entry for it. If so, you do not need to set one up again. The first four steps in the instructions in this help topic tell you how to check for an existing MFM Support BBS Phone Book entry.
  • Note: if you are adding an MFM Support BBS Phone Book entry, you need to change an additional setup item after step (13):
    • Select Hardware for Flow Control.

How to Log in to the MFM Support BBS

Uploading Your Print-Trace File with PC Access

When you reach the Files menu in step (8) of How to Log in to the MFM Support BBS, follow these instructions:

  1. Type U followed by the Enter key to upload a file. The BBS prompts you with:

    Route upload(s) to area #, [L]ist areas, [H]elp, [A]bort upload?

    Type 7 and then the Enter key.

  2. The BBS prompts you to select a protocol; type Z for Zmodem and press the Enter key.
  3. The BBS prompts you for the name of the first file you want to upload. Type the name of the print-trace file you created earlier.
  4. The BBS asks if you want to password protect this file; type N for No and press the Enter key.
  5. The BBS prompts you to enter a description for this file. Type something like the following:

    PC Access for Windows print-trace file from Pat Producer

  6. The BBS asks if you would like to leave a detailed description about this file; type N for No and press the Enter key.
  7. The BBS prompts you for the name of a second file to upload. You have no second file, so press the Enter key to begin uploading.
  8. The BBS prompts you with:

    [A]bort upload, [G]oodbye after upload, [C]ontinue?

    Type G for Goodbye after upload and press the Enter key.

  9. The BBS begins waiting for you to start uploading the file from PC Access. Press the Upload button at the top of the Terminal window.
  10. The Select a File to Upload dialog opens. The current folder should be c:\pcawin\download. You should see your print-trace file in the files list on the left side of the dialog. Highlight this file and click the OK button.
  11. The Send (Upload) Files dialog opens. It has a status indicator to show you the progress of your upload. Since the file is not large, the upload should be quick, especially if you have a fast modem.
  12. When you finish uploading your print-trace file, the BBS should log you off automatically. If it does not, you may log off the BBS by pressing the Enter key to return to the Files Menu on the BBS. Then press the G key and then the Enter key to say goodbye.
    Tell me more about this site.
    Can't find what you need? See: How to Find It.
    Contact us
    Report a problem with this page or suggest an improvement for this page.

    Last modification date: Friday, March 21, 2003 11:47:29

 

Copyright © 2005 - MFM Software, Inc.
11988 Tramway Drive
Cincinnati, OH 45241
Phone: 513.733.9229
Fax: 513.733.8775
Send comments to webmaster@mfm.com