how to open prn files

Hi Janglel,

Thank you for posting your query in Microsoft Community and giving us opportunity to assist you.

Here’s some information which will help you understanding the issue better:

What is a PRN file?

A PRN file is a special type of file which contains instructions for a printer, it tells the printer what to print on the page and where as well as which paper tray to use, what the paper size is and a number of other controls.

PRN files are usually created automatically by a printer driver, in fact this is the primary purpose of the printer driver, to translate the generic output from an application such as Word or Notepad into something the printer can understand and interpret.

How to Print From a PRN File?

When you print to a file the program outputs whatever it would have sent to the printer you have attached to your computer to a file instead. The idea is that later you might want to send this file to a similar printer on a different computer. So, the main use for a .PRN file is to copy it to a printer in order to get the output. You can open a .PRN file in any text editor but what you'll likely see is your text surrounded by a whole bunch of "junk" which represents all the various printer codes necessary to set margins, special spacing, graphics, etc.

Printing this file successfully requires a few assumptions:

a.       The two printers are identical or, at least take the exact same commands to do the exact same things.

b.      The printer you want to print on is set to be the default printer for the machine it is connected to. If it's not, use the Control Panel to set the printer to be the default.

c.       The printer is connected to a physical port and not via USB (read on even so; the solution to this is at the end).

For this example, we'll assume that the .PRN file is named OUTPUT.PRN and is located on a floppy disk in the A: drive. Substitute the proper path for whatever filename and drive you are using. Here are the steps...

a.       Create the .PRN file on the first computer. Open the application, select print, select the proper printer, check the Print to File box, and give the file a name.

b.      Copy the file to removable media so you can carry it to the second computer (or use a network to transfer the file there in a location you can later find.

c.       Open a Command Prompt: Start | Programs | Accessories | Command Prompt

d.      Use the CD command to navigate to the location of the file or know where it is so you can specify a path to it. Recall that in this example we're using A:\OUTPUT.PRN as the file you want to print.

**e.**Issue the following command: COPY A:\OUTPUT.PRN /B PRN

 This command does a binary (/B) copy of OUTPUT.PRN to the device PRN which is the system name for the default printer. A binary copy is used so nothing in the file is changed during the copy process.

Assuming the printers are the same and the output printer is the default device the file should now print. What you've basically done is to tell Windows to copy the output file to the default printer using a binary copy (i.e., don't add any carriage returns or line feeds and ignore all control codes; just passing them through as they are in the file).

You may also refer the following article for more information on printing issues:

Why can't I print?

**http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windows7/Why-cant-I-print**

Hope this information helps. For any further Windows related assistance, feel free to contact us and we will be happy to help.