Problem with output on a SUBST drive

[emendelson]

I use SUBST to assign drive letters to folders, like this:

SUBST w: d:\work

This has been perfectly legal in DOS and Windows since DOS 3.0

If I set BullZip PDF Printer output to w:\test.pdf, then Adobe Reader complains that it can't find the file when I ask to view it (or have settings.ini set to show=yes). There is no problem if I use the "truename" d:\work\test.pdf.

Is this an Adobe Reader problem, or does BullZip PDF Printer pass the filename in a way that causes problems?

This is important because I'm trying to set up a system for WordPerfect for DOS users that will automatically set an output filename, then print to the PDF Printer - and many WP for DOS users use SUBST.

[jr]

Hi,

I do not have a solution for you but I think I know what is causing the problem. You SUBST command probably only runs in the context of the logged in user whereas the printer is running in the context of the spooler service. Because of this it will not be able to see your subst'ed drives.

Jacob

[emendelson]

Yes - I'm certain that you're right about that. I should have thought of it myself! Maybe I can figure out how to run SUBST as a service and solve the problem that way...

[emendelson]

Yes - it turns that this was easy to solve by putting the subst commands in an autoexnt.bat file and running that file at startup by using the AutoExNT service as described here:

http://support.microsoft.com/Default.aspx?kbid=243486

This has the advantage of getting all the Subst commands out of my normal startup sequence, and of course it makes the subst drives accessible to everything. Thank you!

I hope the problem about the output setting that I described in another forum is just as easy to fix...!