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This tip from our customer support group explains how to print a text file from SecureCRT using a Windows Generic/Text Only configured printer. An abbreviated version of this tip appeared in the November 2004 newsletter. If you'd enjoy receiving tips like this every month, sign up today.

How to Print to a Text File with SecureCRT

There are any number of times when it is useful to be able to print to a text file from SecureCRT:

You need to send a report generated by your billing software as an e-mail attachment, and your billing software only generates printed reports using pass-through printing.
You need to print a hard copy of a specific, time-sensitive report and your printer is temporarily inoperable.
You have a UNIX application that can generate postscript output using pass-through printing, but your printer cannot handle PostScript. You need to capture the output as a file that can be shipped to a colleague in another department where the file can be printed.

Although you can't print directly to a text file from SecureCRT, you can configure SecureCRT to print to a Windows Generic/Text Only configured printer. Below are the steps necessary to set up the ability to print to a text file. These instructions assume that you are using Windows XP, and the steps may vary from computer to computer.

Add a new Generic/Text Only configured printer:

In the Windows Control Panel and open "Printers and Faxes".
Click on "Add a Printer" to start the Add Printer Wizard. Click "Next".
Select "Local printer attached to this computer". Click "Next".
In the "Use the following port" entry box, select "FILE". Click "Next".
Select "Generic" as the Manufacturer and "Generic/Text Only" as the Printer. Click "Next".
If prompted, you may wish to select "Keep Existing Driver".
Give the printer a name and click "Next". When asked if you want to use this printer as the default printer, select "Yes" or "No" depending upon your needs.
Do not share the printer unless you want someone to be able to add files to your computer. Click "Next".
Select "Yes" to print a test page. Click "Next".
Review your settings. If the settings are correct, click "Finish".
Specify a path and filename for the test page. Click "OK".
Verify that the printer test page file is there.

Configure SecureCRT print to a Generic/Text Only configured printer:

In SecureCRT you can either print to the file for all sessions or just for particular sessions.
To print to file in all sessions open "Global Options / Printing" and click "Print Setup".
Select the Generic/Text Only printer in the drop down box and click "OK".
To print to file for only a particular session, open Session Options for that session and follow the same steps as above.
When you connect to a session and try to print, you should be prompted with a "Print to File" popup window that asks for the filename. Be sure to specify the full path to the file that you want to print to.

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