PRINT - CMD

Overview

The PRINT command in Windows CMD is used to print a text file to a printer connected to your computer. Essentially, it sends the text content of specified files directly to the default printer. This command is most effectively used in simple scripting tasks where automated printing of documents is needed, like batch printing text files in a business environment.

Syntax

The basic syntax for the PRINT command is:

PRINT [/D:device] <filename> [<filename2> ...]
  • /D:device : Specifies the print device. If not provided, the command prints to the default printer.
  • <filename> : The name of the file you want to print. Multiple filenames can be specified to print several files at once.

Options/Flags

  • /D:device: This flag is used to define a specific printer device. The device name should be the name that is recognized by the system, for example, /D:LPT1 or /D:\\server\printername. If omitted, the PRINT command will send the document to the default system printer.

Examples

  1. Basic Printing
    Print a single file to the default printer:

    PRINT example.txt

  2. Printing Multiple Files
    Print multiple text files simultaneously:

    PRINT doc1.txt doc2.txt doc3.txt

  3. Specifying a Printer
    Print a file to a printer connected on LPT1:

    PRINT /D:LPT1 invoice.txt

Common Issues

  • Printer Not Recognized: This issue can occur if the specified device is not correctly named or not configured properly. Ensure that the printer device name matches exactly with what is configured in Windows.
  • File Not Found: The PRINT command will fail if it cannot locate the file specified. Ensure that the file paths are correct and accessible to the user running the command.

Integration

The PRINT command can be combined with other commands for more complex tasks. For example, to print all .txt files in a directory:

FOR %G IN (*.txt) DO PRINT %G

This script uses the FOR command to iterate through all .txt files in the current directory and prints each using the PRINT command.

  • COPY: Can be used to send files to a printer device by copying a file directly to a printer’s device interface.
  • TYPE: This command can display the contents of a text file, which can be piped into PRINT for printing.

For more details on using the PRINT command, consult the official Microsoft documentation.

By understanding and utilizing these components, users can effectively manage printing tasks directly from the command line interface in Windows.