Compaq DECprint Supervisor (DCPS) for OpenVMS
System Manager's Guide
Previous Contents Index

3.6 Activating Changes to the Queue Definitions

When you create or modify the DCPS$STARTUP.COM file, you must activate the changes for the DECprint Supervisor to use the new queue definitions. You can wait until you stop and restart the system, or you can execute the DCPS$STARTUP.COM file, as follows:

  1. Stop the print queues that you modified. If any of the modified queues are running on a multistreamed symbiont, stop all other queues that are using that same symbiont (see Section 3.4.1.2). To stop the queues, enter the following command for each print queue: 


    $ STOP/QUEUE/NEXT queuename

  2. Edit the system startup file SYS$MANAGER:SYSTARTUP_VMS.COM to include a command that invokes DCPS$STARTUP.COM.
    Look for the following command in the system startup file: 


    $ @SYS$STARTUP:DCPS$STARTUP

    If this command is not in the system startup file, add it to the file. Use the following guidelines:

  3. Execute the printer startup command file: 


    $ @SYS$STARTUP:DCPS$STARTUP.COM

If the queues are on a VMScluster system, you should execute the command above from all nodes in the cluster.

The print queues are started by the printer startup command file. See Section 3.7 for information on testing your new queue definitions.

3.7 Testing the Printing System

Note
Execution of the IVP ( @SYS$TEST:DCPS$IVP ) does not cause anything to print.

You can test the printing system by printing the IVP files from SYS$COMMON:[SYSTEST.DCPS]. The IVP files represent the different data types that DCPS supports. The IVP files are listed in Table 3-3.

Table 3-3 IVP Files with Different Data Types
File Name File Type
DCPS$IVP_ANSI.DAT ASCII files
DCPS$IVP_LIST.DAT Simple ASCII
DCPS$IVP_PCL.DAT PCL Level 4 files
DCPS$IVP_POST.DAT PostScript files
DCPS$IVP_PROPRINTER.DAT Proprinter files
DCPS$IVP_REGIS.DAT ReGIS files
DCPS$IVP_TEK4014.DAT Tektronix 4010/4014 files

DCPS can automatically detect the file's data type. You do not have to specify the data type on the command line. For example, you can enter the following PRINT command: 


$ PRINT/QUEUE=queuename/NOTIFY DCPS$IVP_data-type.DAT

If the print queue is linked to a specific data type, or you are testing the LIST data type, specify the data type of the file.

For example, to print DCPS$IVP_POST.DAT, use the following PRINT command: 


    $ PRINT/QUEUE=queuename -       /PARAMETERS=DATA_TYPE=POSTSCRIPT/NOTIFY -       SYS$COMMON:[SYSTEST.DCPS]DCPS$IVP_POST.DAT

Chapter 4
Providing Automatic Data Type Detection

DECprint Supervisor software can determine the data type of the file to be printed. This chapter explains how you can customize your printing system to print the types of files that users need to print.

4.1 How DCPS Automatically Detects Data Type

If a user does not specify the data type and the print queue has no default data type, DCPS examines each file in the print job. DCPS attempts to determine the data type of the file from instructions in the file, or from the file name extension.

If DECprint Supervisor software cannot determine the file data type by any of these methods, the file is printed as a text file. Text files are handled as ANSI files unless another default text file data type (PCL or Proprinter) has been defined by the system manager for the queue or for the system.

When files are treated as text files in this way, the DECprint Supervisor software can detect PostScript data after the text, so a file that starts with text followed by PostScript is printed properly.

The process of determining the file data type is repeated for each file in a print job, so a single print job can contain different types of files.

4.2 Specifying Automatic Data Type Detection

You can control how the DECprint Supervisor software determines the data type of files as they are printed. You can:

If necessary, you can create generic queues that have default data types, so that every file sent to the queue is assumed to be that data type. Only the user's PRINT parameters can override the queue default data type.

4.2.1 Linking File Extensions with Data Types

The DECprint Supervisor software uses a data file to link file extensions to data types. Use the following procedure to create a local data file of your system's file extensions and the associated data types.

  1. If your system does not have a customized data file, use the sample file supplied with your software. Copy the file, and change the file's extension, as shown in the following command: 


    $ COPY
_From: SYS$LIBRARY:DCPS$FILE_EXTENSION_DATA_TYPE.DAT_DEFAULT
 
_To: SYS$COMMON:[SYSLIB]DCPS$FILE_EXTENSION_DATA_TYPE.DAT

    If the .DAT file is not in variable or stream format, DCPS cannot read it when the queues are started. OPCOM will report the error, and the symbiont process may be terminated. You should save the .DAT file in the appropriate format, and then restart the printing system using the DCPS$STARTUP.COM file.

  2. Edit the file. The file has the default file extension and data types listed. For example: 


    POSTSCRIPT: 
        EPS 
        EPSF 
        POST 
        PS 
        ;

    The example shows that files with extensions of .EPS, .EPSF, .POST, and .PS are linked to the PostScript data type.
    Add extensions that are specific to your site, or modify any that have a different local meaning.
    You can specify any valid DATA_TYPE value, except AUTOMATIC. Do not abbreviate the data type names. The valid data type names are:

    ANSI
    ASCII
    DDIF
    LIST
    PCL
    POSTSCRIPT
    PROPRINTER
    REGIS
    TEK4014

4.2.2 Specifying Default Data Types for the System and Queues

You can specify a system wide default text data type and queue-specific default text data types. If DCPS software cannot determine the data type, the file is processed as the default data type you specify.

The factory default data type is ANSI. If users regularly print PCL or Proprinter text files instead of ANSI files, you should change the default from ANSI to PCL or Proprinter.

Define one or both of the following logical names:

Valid values for the text-data-type are:

Do not abbreviate the data type name.

If the system wide data type differs from the queue-specific data type, the queue-specific data type takes precedence.

The queue-specific logical name is useful when a queue is used by PATHWORKS clients. Text files printed from PCs may be PCL or Proprinter files. The following example specifies the PCL data type for the queue named PATHWORKS: 


$ DEFINE/SYSTEM/EXECUTIVE DCPS$PATHWORKS_DEFAULT_TRANSLATOR PCL

The DECprint Supervisor software attempts to determine the file data type for each file sent to the PATHWORKS queue. If a file data type cannot be determined, the file is processed as a PCL file. If the file contains PCL text followed by PostScript, it is printed properly.

4.2.3 How Users Control Data Type Detection

Users control the way print jobs are processed for automatic data type detection by specifying:

Chapter 5
Manipulating Print Jobs and Print Queues

This chapter describes the commands for maintaining and controlling print jobs, print queues, and the queue manager.

Some of the commands described in this chapter require privileges.

5.1 Displaying Print Job Status

You can use the SHOW ENTRY command to display the status of a print job. You do not need privileges to use this command to display your own print jobs, but privileges are required to display another user's print jobs.

The SHOW ENTRY command lists all your print jobs. To display the status of another user's print job, you must supply the job number with the SHOW ENTRY command or specify the user using the /USER qualifier. You can display the job numbers for all print jobs in a designated queue using the SHOW QUEUE/ALL command, as follows: 


$ SHOW QUEUE/ALL PS40$A12



Printer queue PS40$A12, busy, on LEVEL::PS40, mounted form DCPS$DEFAULT 
(stock=DEFAULT) 
 
  Entry  Jobname         Username     Blocks  Status 
  -----  -------         --------     ------  ------ 
   304      MEMO         MSMITH            5  Printing

You can use the SHOW ENTRY/FULL command to display information about a specific print job. For example: 


$ SHOW ENTRY 304/FULL



Entry  Jobname         Username     Blocks  Status 
-----  -------         --------     ------  ------ 
  304  MEMO            MSMITH            5  Printing 
       On busy printer queue PS40$A12 
       Submitted 14-MAR-2001 10:41 
       /FORM=DCPS$DEFAULT (stock=DEFAULT) /NOTIFY 
       /PRIORITY=100 
       File: _$1$DUA10:[MSMITH]MEMO.TXT;1 (printing)

Note
Print job status may be shown as "Printing" when the file has not yet actually started printing on the printer.

5.2 Deleting a Print Job

You can delete a print job using the DELETE/ENTRY command. You can delete you own print job without privileges. However, you must have privileges to delete another user's print jobs.

The DELETE/ENTRY command accepts the print job number as an argument. For example: 


$ DELETE/ENTRY=569

This command deletes print job 569. The system sends messages indicating the successful print job deletion.

The print job is terminated in a method that depends on the status of the print job when you issue the DELETE/ENTRY command.
If you issue DELETE/ENTRY... DCPS software...
when the print job is printing, may take several seconds to stop the print job. The printer prints data in its buffers, plus any required job trailer pages and job log pages. During this time, a SHOW QUEUE command displays the job's status as Aborting.
before a connection is established with a network printer, prints no pages.
after the connection is established, prints the job trailer page with a message indicating the fact that you deleted the print job.
before the job burst or job flag pages are printed, may not print the job burst or job flag page. However, job trailer and job log pages are printed if the queue is set up to print them.

5.3 Releasing a Print Job in the Holding State

When a print job is in the Holding state, you must release it for it to print. The user can put a job in the Holding state using the PRINT/AFTER or PRINT/HOLD command. The user or system operator can put a print job in the Holding state using the SET ENTRY/HOLD command.

Use the SET ENTRY/RELEASE command to release the print job to be printed. You must specify the job number in the SET ENTRY command. This command does not require privileges if you are releasing a print job that you submitted. Privileges are required to release another user's print jobs.

For example: 


$ SET ENTRY/RELEASE 569

In this example, print job 569 was in the Holding state and was released for printing.

5.4 Requeuing Print Jobs

You can change the print queue for one or more print jobs, as described in the following sections.

5.4.1 Requeuing Pending Print Jobs

You can requeue a print job that has not started printing using the SET ENTRY/REQUEUE command. Without privileges, you can requeue your jobs. With privileges, you can requeue any print job that has not started printing. You must supply the job entry number with the SET ENTRY command. The /REQUEUE qualifier requires the name of the new print queue. For example: 


$ SET ENTRY/REQUEUE=POSTSCRIPT$DUPLEX 596

This command changes the print queue for job 596. The print job is sent to the POSTSCRIPT$DUPLEX queue.

5.4.2 Requeuing the Currently Printing Job to Another Queue

When a printer problem prevents completion of the printing job, you can requeue the print job to another printer. Use the STOP/QUEUE/REQUEUE command to send the print job to another print queue. You supply both the old queue name and the new queue name for this command. For example: 


$ STOP/QUEUE/REQUEUE=POSTSCRIPT$DUPLEX POSTSCRIPT$SIMPLEX

In this example, the print job that is currently printing on the queue POSTSCRIPT$SIMPLEX is stopped and requeued to POSTSCRIPT$DUPLEX. The POSTSCRIPT$SIMPLEX queue is not stopped and continues with printing the next job in the queue.

5.4.3 Requeuing Current and Future Print Jobs in a Queue

The ASSIGN/MERGE command allows you to specify that all print jobs in a certain queue, and those submitted later for that queue, are to be sent to another queue. The ASSIGN/MERGE command requires privileges. You must supply the old queue name and the new queue name. Use the following procedure:

  1. Use the STOP/QUEUE/NEXT command to stop the malfunctioning print queue after the current print job has finished.
  2. Use the STOP/QUEUE/REQUEUE command to requeue the currently printing job to the new queue.
  3. Use the ASSIGN/MERGE command to cause all pending and future print jobs to be requeued. For example: 


    $ STOP/QUEUE/NEXT PRINTER$NOTABLE
$ STOP/QUEUE/REQUEUE=PRINTER$ABLE PRINTER$NOTABLE
$ ASSIGN/MERGE PRINTER$ABLE PRINTER$NOTABLE

5.5 Modifying the Attributes of a Print Job

The SET ENTRY command allows a user to modify the attributes of a pending print job. You cannot modify a print job that has begun printing. If you have privileges, you can modify the attributes of print jobs submitted by other users. The SET ENTRY command requires that you specify the job number and allows you to specify one or more PRINT command qualifiers, which are listed in Appendix A. For example: 


$ SET ENTRY 596/PARAMETERS=PAGE_ORIENTATION=LANDSCAPE

This example changes a print job from portrait orientation to landscape orientation. If the original PRINT job contained any PRINT parameters, you must specify them all again when you modify any print parameters with the SET ENTRY/PARAMETERS command. If you do not respecify the PRINT parameters, the print job will be printed using the default parameter values for those not included in the SET ENTRY command.

5.6 Displaying a Queue

You can display a print queue, including its status, its attributes and the print jobs in the queue, using the SHOW QUEUE command. This command does not require privileges, unless you wish to view queue security information or view print jobs belonging to other users.

To display a specific queue, supply the queue name. To display all of the queues, omit the queue name from the SHOW QUEUE command. Use the commands in Table 5-1 to display information about queues.

Table 5-1 Commands to Display Queues
To list: Enter:
The name and description of every print and batch queue SHOW QUEUE
The names of all the print queues SHOW QUEUE/DEVICE=PRINTER
All the jobs in all the queues SHOW QUEUE/ALL
All the jobs in the specified queue SHOW QUEUE/ALL queue-name
The attributes of all the queues SHOW QUEUE/FULL
The attributes of a certain queue SHOW QUEUE/FULL queue-name

Previous Next Contents Index