DECprint Supervisor (DCPStm) for OpenVMS
System Manager's Guide
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7.5 Including Setup Modules in Print Job

You can specify setup modules using the /SETUP qualifier in the PRINT command.

To include an ANSI setup module in a print job using the /SETUP qualifier, use the following command format: 


$ PRINT/QUEUE=queue-name/SETUP=your-module-name print-file.TXT

If you enter the command wrong, the error is not detected until the file prints. To enable the software to detect the error immediately, you can include the setup module in a form. See Chapter 8 for instructions.

If users access a setup module frequently, you can associate the setup module with a queue, so that all print jobs submitted to that queue are printed with the setup module automatically. See Chapter 8 for instructions.

7.6 Persistently Loading PostScript Resources

Note
This feature applies only to desktop printers; PrintServer printers are loaded with persistent resources using the PrintServer software.

Downloading PostScript code with every print job can adversely affect printing performance. To resolve this problem, you can load a module that permanently resides in the printer.

The module LPS$PERSISTENT_RESOURCES loads persistently to desktop printers. To create a persistent PostScript module, follow these steps:

  1. Create a new device control library for site-specific PostScript setup modules, using the following command: 


    $ LIBRARY/CREATE/TEXT SYS$COMMON:[SYSLIB]library-name.TLB

  2. Edit the SYS$STARTUP:DCPS$STARTUP.COM file to include the new device control library in the search list. Use the following command in the DCPS startup file: 


    $ DEFINE/SYSTEM/EXECUTIVE/NOLOG DCPS_LIB DCPS$DEVCTL, "library-name/DATA=POST"

  3. In the execution queue definition for each PostScript printer to which you want to load the setup module, ensure that the logical name DCPS_LIB is entered in parameter 3 as the device control search list logical name.
  4. Save the DCPS$STARTUP.COM file.
  5. Stop the queues for the printers affected by the change, using the STOP/QUEUE/RESET command for each queue.
  6. Execute the new DCPS$STARTUP.COM file.
  7. Test each print queue by sending two print jobs to the printer. The setup module is loaded with the first print job sent to the printer. The setting should be effective for the second print job, as well.

CAUTION
Problems can occur from the misuse of the persistent setup feature. Keep the following in mind when using this feature:
  • Only PostScript setup modules can be persistently loaded. Other data types cannot be persistently loaded.
  • A setup module can exceed the printer's virtual memory. Different models of printers have different capacities. For example, a setup module can overwhelm a printer with too many fonts.
  • A shared network printer can be used from several nodes in the network. Make sure the same setup module is loaded from all the nodes that access the printer to ensure consistent print results. If you required different setup modules load the setup module with each print job, using either the /SETUP or /FORM qualifier.
  • Improper PostScript coding in a persistently loaded setup module can cause unexpected results that are difficult to analyze. Also, because the code remains in the printer until the printer is turned off, users from different systems may have print jobs fail with unexpected results, but would not be able to determine the cause of the problem.

7.7 Changing the Default Character Set for PCL and Proprinter Print Jobs

The default character set for PCL files is Roman-8. The default character set for Proprinter files is code page 437, character set 1. To change the default character set, use the following procedure:

  1. Create one device control library for PCL setup modules, one for Proprinter modules, and another library for PostScript modules. Use the following commands: 


    $ LIBRARY/CREATE/TEXT SYS$COMMON:[SYSLIB]PCL_LIB
$ LIBRARY/CREATE/TEXT SYS$COMMON:[SYSLIB]PRO_LIB
$ LIBRARY/CREATE/TEXT SYS$COMMON:[SYSLIB]PS_LIB

  2. Edit DCPS$STARTUP.COM to include these libraries, as follows: 


    DEFINE/SYSTEM/EXECUTIVE/NOLOG DCPS_LIB DCPS$DEVCTL, 
                                "PCL_LIB/DATA=PCL", 
                                "PRO_LIB/DATA=PRO", 
                                 PS_LIB)

    The PostScript device control library (PS_LIB) must be last in the search list.

  3. Create the following setup modules:
  4. Put these modules in the appropriate device control libraries, using the LIBRARY command as shown in the following example: 


    $ LIBRARY/INSERT/TEXT SYS$COMMON:[SYSLIB]PCL_LIB DEF_CHAR_SET.PCL
 
$ LIBRARY/INSERT/TEXT SYS$COMMON:[SYSLIB]PRO_LIB DEF_CHAR_SET.PRO
 
$ LIBRARY/INSERT/TEXT SYS$COMMON:[SYSLIB]PS_LIB DEF_CHAR_SET.PS

  5. Create a form definition that includes DEF_CHAR_SET as the setup module. You can associate this form with your printer execution queue as follows: 


    $ DEFINE/FORM DEF_CHAR_SET form_number -   /SETUP=DEF_CHAR_SET/STOCK=DEFAULT

    To make this change to the queue permanent, specify this form in the execution queue definition in the DCPS$STARTUP.COM file.

7.8 Specifying Printer Resolution with Setup Module

These setup modules allow you to manipulate the resolution of PostScript Level 2 printers.

Table 7-1 Printer Resolution Setup Modules
Setup Module Description
RES_300X300 300 dpi horizontal and vertical
RES_600X300 600 dpi horizontal and 300 dpi vertical
RES_600X600 600 dpi horizontal and vertical - default
RES_1200X600 1200 dpi horizontal and 600 dpi vertical
RES_1200X1200 1200 dpi horizontal and vertical

Note
Not all resolutions are supported by all printers. To have the printer notify you if it cannot print at a specified resolution, add the /NOTIFY switch to the PRINT command. If the printer cannot print at the requested resolution, it prints at a lower resolution.

7.9 Modifying DECimage Parameters with Setup Modules

There following setup modules invoke DECimage or modify the DECimage parameters. They are grouped into the following categories:

Enabling and Disabling DECimage

These setup modules leave all current parameters intact, and turn DECimage on or off. It is not necessary to use these modules if you use other DECimage setup modules. The DECimage setup modules automatically invoke DECimage for the current print job.

Table 7-2 Enabling and Disabling DECimage
Setup Module Description
DI_ON Turns DECimage ON
DI_OFF Turns DECimage OFF

Combined Parameters

These setup modules adjust two DECimage parameters simultaneously.

Table 7-3 DECimage Setup Modules---Combined Parameters
Setup Module Description
DI_HICONTRAST Punch0 = 0.2, Punch1 = 0.8
DI_LOCONTRAST Punch0 = -.1, Punch1 = 1.1
DI_BRIGHTER Punch0 = -.2, Punch1 = 0.8
DI_DARKER Punch0 = 0.2, Punch1 = 1.2
DI_NORMAL Punch0 = 0, Punch1 = 1

Individual Parameters

When you specify one of these setup modules, all other parameters remain at the default value or the value most recently modified by another setup module. The setup modules have no order dependency, so they may appear in any order on the print command line.

Table 7-4 DECimage Setup Modules---Individual Parameters
Setup Module Description
DI_PUNCH0_0 Punch0 = 0
DI_PUNCH0_0P1 Punch0 = 0.1
DI_PUNCH0_0P2 Punch0 = 0.2
DI_PUNCH0_M0P1 Punch0 = -.1
DI_PUNCH0_M0P2 Punch0 = -.2
DI_PUNCH1_1 Punch1 = 1
DI_PUNCH1_0P8 Punch1 = 0.8
DI_PUNCH1_0P9 Punch1 = 0.9
DI_PUNCH1_1P1 Punch1 = 1.1
DI_PUNCH1_1P2 Punch1 = 1.2
DI_SHARP_0P5 Sharpness = 0.5
DI_SHARP_1 Sharpness = 1.0
DI_SHARP_1P5 Sharpness = 1.5
DI_SHARP_2 Sharpness = 2.0
DI_SHARP_2P5 Sharpness = 2.5

DECimage Setup Module Example

The following example adds sharpening and shifts the gray levels: 


$ PRINT/NOTIFY/QUEUE=queue/SETUP=(DI_SHARP_2,DI_DARKER) file

7.10 Providing Access to Font Cartridge Emulation

The DECprint Supervisor software can emulate physical font cartridges. Use the FONTS_USED parameter with the PRINT command to specify one or more soft font modules from the device control library SYS$LIBRARY:CPS$ANSI_FONTS.TLB.

This feature, which is available for ANSI files only, supports documents that require font cartridges to print on DIGITAL ANSI printers. Just as with these printers, the document must contain escape sequences that select the desired fonts.

Note
DECprint Supervisor software does not include any soft font modules. You may obtain soft font kits from Compaq separately.

You can associate one or more default soft font modules with a print queue, so that users do not have to specify this parameter on the PRINT command line. For example, to establish CGTRIUM24_ISO1 as the default soft font module for the queue, include the following line in DCPS$STARTUP.COM: 


FONTS_USED=CGTRIUM24_ISO1

(Add the line to p4 in the execution queue definition or as p3 in the generic queue definition.)

You can combine soft font modules for user convenience, at the expense of disk space and loading time. For example, if users need to load all three DEC Multinational CG Times soft font modules together, create a new module using the following sequence of commands: 


$ LIBRARY SYS$LIBRARY:CPS$ANSI_FONTS.TLB/EXTRACT=CGTIMES8-10-12_MCS
 
$ LIBRARY SYS$LIBRARY:CPS$ANSI_FONTS.TLB/EXTRACT=CGTIMES14-18_MCS
 
$ LIBRARY SYS$LIBRARY:CPS$ANSI_FONTS.TLB/EXTRACT=CGTIMES24_MCS
 
$ COPY CGTIMES8-10-12_MCS.TXT,CGTIMES14-18_MCS.TXT,- CGTIMES24_MCS.TXT ALLCGTIMES_MCS.TXT
 
$ LIBRARY/INSERT SYS$LIBRARY:CPS$ANSI_FONTS.TLB ALLCGTIMES_MCS.TXT

Users can specify the new module with the print parameter FONTS_USED=ALLCGTIMES_MCS.

7.11 Device Control Library Cache Feature

DCPS includes a device control library caching feature that optimizes the retrieval of certain commonly-used PostScript device control modules.

The caching feature causes modules with names beginning with LPS$$ to be read only the first time they are requested. Those modules reside in the symbiont's cache. Jobs that follow can quickly access those modules until you reset the queue or restart the system. This minimizes access to the primary device control library, saves CPU time, reduces disk activity.

The device control library caching feature is disabled by default. To enable the device control library caching feature for a specific queue, enter the following command before you start a print queue: 


$ DEFINE/SYSTEM/EXECUTIVE DCPS$queuename_DEVCTL_CACHE 1

Caching device control library modules can decrease the total CPU time consumed by the symbiont by as much as 17 percent. I/O activity on the part of the symbiont is also reduced by as much as 50 percent.

You can define the system logical DCPS$DEVCTL_CACHE (with no queue name specified) to specify that device control library caching is enabled for all DCPS print execution queues on that system.

7.12 Printing on Unrecognized Printers

The DCPS software automatically obtains a printer's product name before printing jobs. It uses the product name to select and download device control modules that are specific to the particular printer.

If you use the DCPS software with a printer whose product name it does not recognize, and the system has the DCPS--OPEN license loaded, the product name defaults to "UNRECOGNIZED" and the supervisor downloads device control modules associated with that name. Although this configuration is unsupported, the modules associated with the unrecognized printer may be sufficient to permit simple printing with that device.

A system manager can also modify the corresponding device control modules as needed without affecting the characteristics of any of the supported printers. By following the comments contained within the LPS$$UNRECOGNIZED modules, along with some knowledge of PostScript and the specifics of the printer, and examination of device control modules for similarly programmed printers (if any), the system manager may be able to get tray and sheet size selection working for the printer.

Note
Your use of an unrecognized printer with DCPS, and any use or modification of the LPS$$UNRECOGNIZED device control modules, is without support or assistance from Compaq Computer Corporation. Further, Compaq makes no commitment to maintain the same contents of or interface to these modules for different versions of DCPS.

Your system must have a valid DCPS--OPEN license for you to use an unrecognized or third-party printer with DCPS.

Device control modules are located in the following device control library: 


  SYS$COMMON:[SYSLIB]DCPS$DEVCTL.TLB

The device control modules associated with an unrecognized printer are: 


  LPS$$UNRECOGNIZED_INITPSDEVICE 
  LPS$$UNRECOGNIZED_SETCONTEXT 
  LPS$$UNRECOGNIZED_SETINPUTTRAY 
  LPS$$UNRECOGNIZED_SETOUTPUTTRAY

If you modify these modules for a certain printer, you should always place the modified modules in a site-specific device control library (see Section 7.4).

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