How to Print to a Text File with SecureCRT®

Note: This tip is for use with SecureCRT for Windows®.

This tip explains how to print a text file from SecureCRT using a Windows Generic/Text Only configured printer.

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.