How to print a .prn file

[Nachiketa]

I have a HP printer connected to my laptop running with Windows XP. I received some file from my office in .prn format. I wanted to know whether it is possible to print these files by dragging them to printer icon? If not, then please let me know some alternate way of getting the job done.

Many thanks

[Eduards$]

Nope, you cannot print .prn in that way. Instead you can use the copy. Do you have USB printer? If yes, then first share it, then copy the file to
\\machine\printershare

for LPT printer

copy filename lpt1

Hope it helps.

[Nachiketa]

Thank you very much for the help buddy. I understood that i printed successfully. But many times when i am not a home i give these tasks to my brother who is a layman in computers. Hence can you please provide me a simple way for end users to print those .prn files. For example, any kind of script where when prm files are dragged they should be printed.

[MikeY007]

yes there is a possibility for crating a batch file for this task. You can create a batch-file with the text between the dashed lines below, and save in e.g. "C:\Windows\SendLpt1.bat". Change "lpt" in the filename and the script to whatever you setup is (as per Alan Morris' note).
-------------------------------------------
:loop
@echo Printing %1
@copy /b %1 lpt1 >nul
@shift
@if not !%1==! goto loop
-------------------------------------------

Create a shortcut for the batch file on your desktop and drag the prm files on the same to print it out. In order to print files by right-clicking and using the SendTo-option: In "C:\Documents and Settings\{username}\SendTo", add a shortcut to the script you just created.

[Nachiketa]

I appreciate your help buddy. Thats exactly what i wanted to know.

Thanks a lot!