GNU bug report logs - #3332
23.0.93; Printing on MS Windows

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Message #5 received at submit <at> emacsbugs.donarmstrong.com (full text, mbox):

From: "Francis Wright" <f.j.wright <at> qmul.ac.uk>
To: <emacs-pretest-bug <at> gnu.org>
Subject: 23.0.93; Printing on MS Windows
Date: Tue, 19 May 2009 10:43:09 +0100

Please write in English if possible, because the Emacs maintainers
usually do not have translators to read other languages for them.

Your bug report will be posted to the emacs-pretest-bug <at> gnu.org mailing
list.

Please describe exactly what actions triggered the bug
and the precise symptoms of the bug:

I started Emacs with the -Q option, then clicked on Print Buffer in
the File menu. This gave the error message

direct-print-region-helper: Opening output file: permission denied,
c:/DOT4_001

My printer is an hp LaserJet 1010 connected via USB and the printer
driver properties show that it is connect to the port DOT4_001. I
think the problem is that "c:/" has been prepended to the port name.

I see that the same thing happens in Emacs 22.3. (I don't print from
Emacs very often!)

If Emacs crashed, and you have the Emacs process in the gdb debugger,
please include the output from the following gdb commands:
    `bt full' and `xbacktrace'.
If you would like to further debug the crash, please read the file
c:/NTEmacs/emacs-23.0.93/etc/DEBUG for instructions.


In GNU Emacs 23.0.93.1 (i386-mingw-nt6.0.6001)
 of 2009-05-02 on SOFT-MJASON
Windowing system distributor `Microsoft Corp.', version 6.0.6001
configured using `configure --with-gcc (3.4)'

Important settings:
  value of $LC_ALL: nil
  value of $LC_COLLATE: nil
  value of $LC_CTYPE: nil
  value of $LC_MESSAGES: nil
  value of $LC_MONETARY: nil
  value of $LC_NUMERIC: nil
  value of $LC_TIME: nil
  value of $LANG: ENG
  value of $XMODIFIERS: nil
  locale-coding-system: cp1252
  default-enable-multibyte-characters: t

Major mode: Lisp Interaction

Minor modes in effect:
  tooltip-mode: t
  tool-bar-mode: t
  mouse-wheel-mode: t
  menu-bar-mode: t
  file-name-shadow-mode: t
  global-font-lock-mode: t
  font-lock-mode: t
  blink-cursor-mode: t
  global-auto-composition-mode: t
  auto-composition-mode: t
  auto-encryption-mode: t
  auto-compression-mode: t
  line-number-mode: t
  transient-mark-mode: t

Recent input:
<help-echo> <help-echo> <help-echo> <help-echo> <help-echo> 
<help-echo> <help-echo> <help-echo> <help-echo> <help-echo> 
<help-echo> <menu-bar> <file> <print-buffer> <help-echo> 
<help-echo> <help-echo> <help-echo> <help-echo> <help-echo> 
<help-echo> <help-echo> <menu-bar> <help-menu> <se
nd-emacs-bug-report>

Recent messages:
For information about GNU Emacs and the GNU system, type C-h C-a.
Spooling with options (page headers are not supported)...
direct-print-region-helper: Opening output file: permission denied,
c:/DOT4_001

Message #10 received at 3332 <at> emacsbugs.donarmstrong.com (full text, mbox):

From: Jason Rumney <jasonr <at> gnu.org>
To: Francis Wright <f.j.wright <at> qmul.ac.uk>, 3332 <at> debbugs.gnu.org
Subject: Re: bug#3332: 23.0.93; Printing on MS Windows
Date: Wed, 20 May 2009 08:09:48 +0800

Francis Wright wrote:
> direct-print-region-helper: Opening output file: permission denied,
> c:/DOT4_001
>
> My printer is an hp LaserJet 1010 connected via USB and the printer
> driver properties show that it is connect to the port DOT4_001. I
> think the problem is that "c:/" has been prepended to the port name.
>   

Windows does that behind your back because DOT4_001 is not a real port, 
so it gets treated as a file name in the default-directory. To print on 
such a printer directly, you will have to share it and configure Emacs 
to use the network share name, or I think there is a way to redirect a 
real port (eg LPT1) to such a USB port.

> I see that the same thing happens in Emacs 22.3. (I don't print from
> Emacs very often!)
>
> If Emacs crashed, and you have the Emacs process in the gdb debugger,
> please include the output from the following gdb commands:
>     `bt full' and `xbacktrace'.
> If you would like to further debug the crash, please read the file
> c:/NTEmacs/emacs-23.0.93/etc/DEBUG for instructions.
>
>
> In GNU Emacs 23.0.93.1 (i386-mingw-nt6.0.6001)
>  of 2009-05-02 on SOFT-MJASON
> Windowing system distributor `Microsoft Corp.', version 6.0.6001
> configured using `configure --with-gcc (3.4)'
>
> Important settings:
>   value of $LC_ALL: nil
>   value of $LC_COLLATE: nil
>   value of $LC_CTYPE: nil
>   value of $LC_MESSAGES: nil
>   value of $LC_MONETARY: nil
>   value of $LC_NUMERIC: nil
>   value of $LC_TIME: nil
>   value of $LANG: ENG
>   value of $XMODIFIERS: nil
>   locale-coding-system: cp1252
>   default-enable-multibyte-characters: t
>
> Major mode: Lisp Interaction
>
> Minor modes in effect:
>   tooltip-mode: t
>   tool-bar-mode: t
>   mouse-wheel-mode: t
>   menu-bar-mode: t
>   file-name-shadow-mode: t
>   global-font-lock-mode: t
>   font-lock-mode: t
>   blink-cursor-mode: t
>   global-auto-composition-mode: t
>   auto-composition-mode: t
>   auto-encryption-mode: t
>   auto-compression-mode: t
>   line-number-mode: t
>   transient-mark-mode: t
>
> Recent input:
> <help-echo> <help-echo> <help-echo> <help-echo> <help-echo> 
> <help-echo> <help-echo> <help-echo> <help-echo> <help-echo> 
> <help-echo> <menu-bar> <file> <print-buffer> <help-echo> 
> <help-echo> <help-echo> <help-echo> <help-echo> <help-echo> 
> <help-echo> <help-echo> <menu-bar> <help-menu> <se
> nd-emacs-bug-report>
>
> Recent messages:
> For information about GNU Emacs and the GNU system, type C-h C-a.
> Spooling with options (page headers are not supported)...
> direct-print-region-helper: Opening output file: permission denied,
> c:/DOT4_001
>
>
>
>
>
>
>   

Message #15 received at 3332 <at> emacsbugs.donarmstrong.com (full text, mbox):

From: "Francis Wright" <f.j.wright <at> qmul.ac.uk>
To: "'Jason Rumney'" <jasonr <at> gnu.org>, <3332 <at> debbugs.gnu.org>
Subject: RE: bug#3332: 23.0.93; Printing on MS Windows
Date: Wed, 20 May 2009 18:12:21 +0100

> From: Jason Rumney [mailto:jasonrumney <at> gmail.com] On Behalf Of Jason
> Rumney
> Sent: Wednesday 20 May 2009 1:10 am
> To: Francis Wright; 3332 <at> emacsbugs.donarmstrong.com
> Subject: Re: bug#3332: 23.0.93; Printing on MS Windows
> 
> Francis Wright wrote:
> > direct-print-region-helper: Opening output file: permission denied,
> > c:/DOT4_001
> >
> > My printer is an hp LaserJet 1010 connected via USB and the printer
> > driver properties show that it is connect to the port DOT4_001. I
> > think the problem is that "c:/" has been prepended to the port name.
> >
> 
> Windows does that behind your back because DOT4_001 is not a real port,
> so it gets treated as a file name in the default-directory. To print on
> such a printer directly, you will have to share it and configure Emacs
> to use the network share name, or I think there is a way to redirect a
> real port (eg LPT1) to such a USB port.

OK, thanks.

Could Emacs detect that DOT4_001 is not a real port and not use it as the
default? The fact that Emacs picked it up automatically gave me some hope
that it would work.

The Emacs Manual entry for printing on Windows seems to suggest that
connecting a printer to a USB port is "rare", but I doubt that it's possible
to buy a printer that uses any other kind of connection (other than perhaps
wireless). So I think it would be helpful if there were some specific
guidance in the manual along the lines of what you wrote above. The bit
about sharing and redirecting is there (although I haven't managed to get it
to work yet) but there is nothing about USB ports.

Message #22 received at 3332 <at> debbugs.gnu.org (full text, mbox):

From: Lars Ingebrigtsen <larsi <at> gnus.org>
To: "Francis Wright" <f.j.wright <at> qmul.ac.uk>
Cc: 3332 <at> debbugs.gnu.org, 4275 <at> debbugs.gnu.org
Subject: Re: bug#4275: 23.1; Printing
Date: Mon, 31 Jan 2022 18:14:37 +0100

"Francis Wright" <f.j.wright <at> qmul.ac.uk> writes:

> direct-print-region-helper: Opening output file: permission denied,
> c:/DOT4_001
>
> My printer is an hp LaserJet 1010 connected via USB and the printer
> driver properties show that it is connect to the port DOT4_001. I
> think the problem is that "c:/" has been prepended to the port name.
>
> I see that the same thing happens in Emacs 22.3. (I don't print from
> Emacs very often!)

(I'm going through old bug reports that unfortunately weren't resolved
at the time.)

Do you still see this problem in recent versions of Emacs/Windows?

-- 
(domestic pets only, the antidote for overdose, milk.)
   bloggy blog: http://lars.ingebrigtsen.no

Message #27 received at 3332 <at> debbugs.gnu.org (full text, mbox):

From: Arash Esbati <arash <at> gnu.org>
To: Lars Ingebrigtsen <larsi <at> gnus.org>
Cc: Francis Wright <f.j.wright <at> qmul.ac.uk>, 3332 <at> debbugs.gnu.org,
 4275 <at> debbugs.gnu.org
Subject: Re: bug#3332: bug#4275: 23.1; Printing
Date: Mon, 31 Jan 2022 19:56:09 +0100

Lars Ingebrigtsen <larsi <at> gnus.org> writes:

> "Francis Wright" <f.j.wright <at> qmul.ac.uk> writes:
>
>> direct-print-region-helper: Opening output file: permission denied,
>> c:/DOT4_001
>>
>> My printer is an hp LaserJet 1010 connected via USB and the printer
>> driver properties show that it is connect to the port DOT4_001. I
>> think the problem is that "c:/" has been prepended to the port name.
>>
>> I see that the same thing happens in Emacs 22.3. (I don't print from
>> Emacs very often!)
>
> (I'm going through old bug reports that unfortunately weren't resolved
> at the time.)
>
> Do you still see this problem in recent versions of Emacs/Windows?

I see this problem: I did 'M-x view-hello-file RET' and from the menu
bar, I did 'File->Print->Print buffer', said YES when asked to use the
default printer, and this is the backtrace:

--8<---------------cut here---------------start------------->8---
Debugger entered--Lisp error: (permission-denied "Opening output file" "Permission denied" "c:/WSD-5bc23311-7bc5-46f6-a594-1552b4df353d")
  w32-direct-print-region-helper("WSD-5bc23311-7bc5-46f6-a594-1552b4df353d" 1 #<marker at 5393 in  *spool temp*> "" nil #<buffer  *temp*> nil ("(page headers are not supported)"))
  w32-direct-print-region-function(1 #<marker at 5393 in  *spool temp*> "" nil #<buffer  *temp*> nil "(page headers are not supported)")
  apply(w32-direct-print-region-function 1 #<marker at 5393 in  *spool temp*> "" nil #<buffer  *temp*> nil "(page headers are not supported)")
  lpr-print-region(1 #<marker at 5393 in  *spool temp*> ("(page headers are not supported)") "HELLO Emacs buffer")
--8<---------------cut here---------------end--------------->8---

I have a HP Laserjet on network connected via WSD Port (hence the name
WSD-5bc...).  This is Emacs 29.0.50 (3ca32105d2) on Win10.

Best, Arash

Message #30 received at 3332 <at> debbugs.gnu.org (full text, mbox):

From: Eli Zaretskii <eliz <at> gnu.org>
To: Arash Esbati <arash <at> gnu.org>
Cc: f.j.wright <at> qmul.ac.uk, larsi <at> gnus.org, 3332 <at> debbugs.gnu.org,
 4275 <at> debbugs.gnu.org
Subject: Re: bug#3332: bug#4275: 23.1; Printing
Date: Mon, 31 Jan 2022 21:19:50 +0200

> From: Arash Esbati <arash <at> gnu.org>
> Date: Mon, 31 Jan 2022 19:56:09 +0100
> Cc: Francis Wright <f.j.wright <at> qmul.ac.uk>, 3332 <at> debbugs.gnu.org,
>  4275 <at> debbugs.gnu.org
> 
> Lars Ingebrigtsen <larsi <at> gnus.org> writes:
> 
> > "Francis Wright" <f.j.wright <at> qmul.ac.uk> writes:
> >
> >> direct-print-region-helper: Opening output file: permission denied,
> >> c:/DOT4_001
> >>
> >> My printer is an hp LaserJet 1010 connected via USB and the printer
> >> driver properties show that it is connect to the port DOT4_001. I
> >> think the problem is that "c:/" has been prepended to the port name.
> >>
> >> I see that the same thing happens in Emacs 22.3. (I don't print from
> >> Emacs very often!)
> >
> > (I'm going through old bug reports that unfortunately weren't resolved
> > at the time.)
> >
> > Do you still see this problem in recent versions of Emacs/Windows?
> 
> I see this problem: I did 'M-x view-hello-file RET' and from the menu
> bar, I did 'File->Print->Print buffer', said YES when asked to use the
> default printer, and this is the backtrace:
> 
> --8<---------------cut here---------------start------------->8---
> Debugger entered--Lisp error: (permission-denied "Opening output file" "Permission denied" "c:/WSD-5bc23311-7bc5-46f6-a594-1552b4df353d")
>   w32-direct-print-region-helper("WSD-5bc23311-7bc5-46f6-a594-1552b4df353d" 1 #<marker at 5393 in  *spool temp*> "" nil #<buffer  *temp*> nil ("(page headers are not supported)"))
>   w32-direct-print-region-function(1 #<marker at 5393 in  *spool temp*> "" nil #<buffer  *temp*> nil "(page headers are not supported)")
>   apply(w32-direct-print-region-function 1 #<marker at 5393 in  *spool temp*> "" nil #<buffer  *temp*> nil "(page headers are not supported)")
>   lpr-print-region(1 #<marker at 5393 in  *spool temp*> ("(page headers are not supported)") "HELLO Emacs buffer")
> --8<---------------cut here---------------end--------------->8---
> 
> I have a HP Laserjet on network connected via WSD Port (hence the name
> WSD-5bc...).  This is Emacs 29.0.50 (3ca32105d2) on Win10.

See the node "Windows Printing" in the Emacs manual, which explains
that the default setting of the printer on MS-Windows isn't guaranteed
to work, and provides a few alternative suggestions for setting up the
printer.

I don't think we can do anything with these problems beyond describing
the various tricks of the trade.

Message #33 received at 3332 <at> debbugs.gnu.org (full text, mbox):

From: Arash Esbati <arash <at> gnu.org>
To: Eli Zaretskii <eliz <at> gnu.org>
Cc: f.j.wright <at> qmul.ac.uk, larsi <at> gnus.org, 3332 <at> debbugs.gnu.org,
 4275 <at> debbugs.gnu.org
Subject: Re: bug#3332: bug#4275: 23.1; Printing
Date: Mon, 31 Jan 2022 20:40:03 +0100

Eli Zaretskii <eliz <at> gnu.org> writes:

> See the node "Windows Printing" in the Emacs manual, which explains
> that the default setting of the printer on MS-Windows isn't guaranteed
> to work, and provides a few alternative suggestions for setting up the
> printer.

I tried that once long time ago and I did that again briefly before I
answered Lars.  None of them worked (which is not a big deal for me).

> I don't think we can do anything with these problems beyond describing
> the various tricks of the trade.

Understood.

Best, Arash

Message #36 received at 3332 <at> debbugs.gnu.org (full text, mbox):

From: Eli Zaretskii <eliz <at> gnu.org>
To: Arash Esbati <arash <at> gnu.org>
Cc: f.j.wright <at> qmul.ac.uk, larsi <at> gnus.org, 3332 <at> debbugs.gnu.org,
 4275 <at> debbugs.gnu.org
Subject: Re: bug#3332: bug#4275: 23.1; Printing
Date: Mon, 31 Jan 2022 21:50:03 +0200

> From: Arash Esbati <arash <at> gnu.org>
> Cc: larsi <at> gnus.org,  f.j.wright <at> qmul.ac.uk,  3332 <at> debbugs.gnu.org,
>   4275 <at> debbugs.gnu.org
> Date: Mon, 31 Jan 2022 20:40:03 +0100
> 
> Eli Zaretskii <eliz <at> gnu.org> writes:
> 
> > See the node "Windows Printing" in the Emacs manual, which explains
> > that the default setting of the printer on MS-Windows isn't guaranteed
> > to work, and provides a few alternative suggestions for setting up the
> > printer.
> 
> I tried that once long time ago and I did that again briefly before I
> answered Lars.  None of them worked (which is not a big deal for me).

One solution that works for me on any Windows system is to find a lpr
workalike that knows how to print to the system default printer.
There are several such workalikes floating around.

The "net view" method also works in many cases.

Message #39 received at 3332 <at> debbugs.gnu.org (full text, mbox):

From: Francis Wright <f.j.wright <at> qmul.ac.uk>
To: Arash Esbati <arash <at> gnu.org>, Lars Ingebrigtsen <larsi <at> gnus.org>
Cc: "3332 <at> debbugs.gnu.org" <3332 <at> debbugs.gnu.org>,
 "4275 <at> debbugs.gnu.org" <4275 <at> debbugs.gnu.org>
Subject: RE: bug#3332: bug#4275: 23.1; Printing
Date: Tue, 1 Feb 2022 12:41:11 +0000

I no longer have access to the printer I referred to in my initial bug report. My current printer is connected using WiFi via the Internet. I tried the recipe described by Arash and got essentially the same result. To be precise, I got this message

w32-direct-print-region-helper: Opening output file: Permission denied, c:/WSD-cdd02b81-88de-4da9-ac0b-52cc3703cc62

I'm running
GNU Emacs 27.2 (build 1, x86_64-w64-mingw32)
 of 2021-03-26
on Windows 10.

So it's still a problem. Thanks for looking into it again.

Francis

-----Original Message-----
From: Arash Esbati <arash <at> gnu.org> 
Sent: Monday, 31 January 2022 6:58 pm
To: Lars Ingebrigtsen <larsi <at> gnus.org>
Cc: Francis Wright <f.j.wright <at> qmul.ac.uk>; 3332 <at> debbugs.gnu.org; 4275 <at> debbugs.gnu.org
Subject: Re: bug#3332: bug#4275: 23.1; Printing

Lars Ingebrigtsen <larsi <at> gnus.org> writes:

> "Francis Wright" <f.j.wright <at> qmul.ac.uk> writes:
>
>> direct-print-region-helper: Opening output file: permission denied,
>> c:/DOT4_001
>>
>> My printer is an hp LaserJet 1010 connected via USB and the printer 
>> driver properties show that it is connect to the port DOT4_001. I 
>> think the problem is that "c:/" has been prepended to the port name.
>>
>> I see that the same thing happens in Emacs 22.3. (I don't print from 
>> Emacs very often!)
>
> (I'm going through old bug reports that unfortunately weren't resolved 
> at the time.)
>
> Do you still see this problem in recent versions of Emacs/Windows?

I see this problem: I did 'M-x view-hello-file RET' and from the menu bar, I did 'File->Print->Print buffer', said YES when asked to use the default printer, and this is the backtrace:

--8<---------------cut here---------------start------------->8---
Debugger entered--Lisp error: (permission-denied "Opening output file" "Permission denied" "c:/WSD-5bc23311-7bc5-46f6-a594-1552b4df353d")
  w32-direct-print-region-helper("WSD-5bc23311-7bc5-46f6-a594-1552b4df353d" 1 #<marker at 5393 in  *spool temp*> "" nil #<buffer  *temp*> nil ("(page headers are not supported)"))
  w32-direct-print-region-function(1 #<marker at 5393 in  *spool temp*> "" nil #<buffer  *temp*> nil "(page headers are not supported)")
  apply(w32-direct-print-region-function 1 #<marker at 5393 in  *spool temp*> "" nil #<buffer  *temp*> nil "(page headers are not supported)")
  lpr-print-region(1 #<marker at 5393 in  *spool temp*> ("(page headers are not supported)") "HELLO Emacs buffer") --8<---------------cut here---------------end--------------->8---

I have a HP Laserjet on network connected via WSD Port (hence the name WSD-5bc...).  This is Emacs 29.0.50 (3ca32105d2) on Win10.

Best, Arash

Message #42 received at 3332 <at> debbugs.gnu.org (full text, mbox):

From: Lars Ingebrigtsen <larsi <at> gnus.org>
To: Eli Zaretskii <eliz <at> gnu.org>
Cc: f.j.wright <at> qmul.ac.uk, Arash Esbati <arash <at> gnu.org>, 3332 <at> debbugs.gnu.org,
 4275 <at> debbugs.gnu.org
Subject: Re: bug#3332: bug#4275: 23.1; Printing
Date: Wed, 02 Feb 2022 17:50:59 +0100

Eli Zaretskii <eliz <at> gnu.org> writes:

> See the node "Windows Printing" in the Emacs manual, which explains
> that the default setting of the printer on MS-Windows isn't guaranteed
> to work, and provides a few alternative suggestions for setting up the
> printer.
>
> I don't think we can do anything with these problems beyond describing
> the various tricks of the trade.

Could this command output a message (on Windows) that points the user to
this manual node when you get this error?

-- 
(domestic pets only, the antidote for overdose, milk.)
   bloggy blog: http://lars.ingebrigtsen.no

Message #45 received at 3332 <at> debbugs.gnu.org (full text, mbox):

From: Eli Zaretskii <eliz <at> gnu.org>
To: Lars Ingebrigtsen <larsi <at> gnus.org>
Cc: f.j.wright <at> qmul.ac.uk, arash <at> gnu.org, 3332 <at> debbugs.gnu.org,
 4275 <at> debbugs.gnu.org
Subject: Re: bug#3332: bug#4275: 23.1; Printing
Date: Wed, 02 Feb 2022 19:07:51 +0200

> From: Lars Ingebrigtsen <larsi <at> gnus.org>
> Cc: Arash Esbati <arash <at> gnu.org>,  f.j.wright <at> qmul.ac.uk,
>   3332 <at> debbugs.gnu.org,  4275 <at> debbugs.gnu.org
> Date: Wed, 02 Feb 2022 17:50:59 +0100
> 
> Eli Zaretskii <eliz <at> gnu.org> writes:
> 
> > See the node "Windows Printing" in the Emacs manual, which explains
> > that the default setting of the printer on MS-Windows isn't guaranteed
> > to work, and provides a few alternative suggestions for setting up the
> > printer.
> >
> > I don't think we can do anything with these problems beyond describing
> > the various tricks of the trade.
> 
> Could this command output a message (on Windows) that points the user to
> this manual node when you get this error?

Which command? lpr-buffer?

The error comes from very low-level code, but I guess anything's
possible if we want it badly enough.

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