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This chapter describes the accounting information that is supplied to the OpenVMS accounting files by the DCPS software.
The OpenVMS Accounting Utility reads information about the use of
system resources from the file SYS$MANAGER:ACCOUNTING.DAT. The
DCPS software records information in this file about printer
usage. For information about the OpenVMS Accounting Utility, see the
OpenVMS System Management Utilities Reference Manual.
9.1 Accounting Information Supplied by the DCPS Software
The print symbiont supplies the following information in the accounting file for each print job:
When a print job has been completed successfully, the print symbiont sends a request to the job controller to insert certain accounting data fields into the accounting log file. For successful jobs and jobs terminated by the DELETE/ENTRY command, the accounting file also includes the following message:
%SYSTEM-S-NORMAL, normal successful completion |
If the print job terminates abnormally, the information the print symbiont supplies in the accounting log may be incomplete. To filter out such jobs, count only the jobs that receive the successful completion status message. Any of the following may cause the job to terminate abnormally:
The job controller supplies the following information in the accounting file for print jobs:
$ PRINT/QUEUE=LN03R$SCRIPT4/NOTIFY TEST.MEM Job TEST (queue LN03R$SCRIPT4, entry 222) started on queue SCRIPT4 |
%JBC-S-NORMAL, Normal successful completion |
The job controller fills the following fields with blanks in the accounting file for print jobs:
The job controller fills the following fields with zeros in the accounting file for print jobs:
The page count reported by DCPS in the accounting file and on the DCPS trailer page relies on information returned by the printer. Some printers do not report accurate information, due to different methods for:
No other printer is guaranteed to supply correct accounting information. In addition, these Compaq and DIGITAL printers do not supply correct accounting information:
Compaq Laser Printer LN20
Compaq Laser Printer LN40
Compaq Laser Printer LNC02
DIGITAL Laser Printer LNC02
The PrintServer printers have mechanical page counters.
The mechanical page counter is different from the counter accessible through the PostScript pagecount operator.
Under normal use, the totals of both counters increase at a similar rate, but there can be a significant difference between them. Print engine test pages, initiated with the test button on the printer, are recorded on the mechanical counter but not on the PostScript counter. Also, replacing components can affect the counters. For example, replacing the nonvolatile memory of the controller resets the PostScript counter, but it does not affect the mechanical counter.
Because the counters record different events, they should be used for different purposes:
This chapter provides management information about using DCPS with specific printers. Printer-specific information that might be of interest to general users is in the User's GuideUser's Guide rather than in this manual. The Release NotesRelease Notes may also contain additional printer-specific information.
Check the documentation for your printer, network interface card, print
server, or terminal server to determine the correct TCP port number to
use. The TCP port number may also be listed in Table 3-2. If no
port number is specified, 9100 is used.
10.1 Apple LaserWriter Plus Printer
10.1.1 LPS$PERSISTENT_RESOURCES Not Supported
The DCPS feature to load the module LPS$PERSISTENT_RESOURCES outside
the PostScript server loop for desktop printers is not supported for
the LaserWriter Plus.
10.2 Compaq Laser Printer LN16 and GENICOM microLaser 170
10.2.1 Printer Configuration Setting
DCPS requires the printer's PERSONALITY be set to POSTSCRIPT. If the PERSONALITY is set to AUTO or PCL, DCPS jobs will remain in a Starting state and never print. This setting is in the printer console's CONFIG menu.
Setting the PERSONALITY to POSTSCRIPT will still allow PCL jobs coming
from Windows PCs to print correctly.
10.2.2 LAT and AppleTalk Configuration
To create a LAT device for use by a DCPS queue, you can use either of the following sets of values for LATCP qualifiers:
where nodename is the printer's NIC nodename and service is the name of a valid service on the printer. These values can be obtained from the printer NIC's status page or by logging in to the NIC via Telnet or LAT. For example, this command shows the printer NIC's nodename to be PRQ_00001F:
Local_4> show server NET16 Version V1.0/1(990126) Uptime: 23:17:07 Hardware Addr: 00-50-27-00-00-1f Name/Nodenum: PRQ_00001F/ 0 Ident String: NET16 |
To create a DCPS queue using AppleTalk, you must use a service name. You can use one of the default services, modify a default service or create your own. The following is an example of a service that can be used by both LAT and AppleTalk. In this example, DCPS_LN16 is the AppleTalk name.
Local_4> list service dcps_ln16 Service: DCPS_LN16 Ident: DCPS Compaq Laser Printer LN16 Rating: N/A Ports: 1 Characteristics: Queueing Binary Rtel Connections AppleTalk Lat SOJ: <none> EOJ: <none> Enabled Groups: 0 |
Create AppleTalk services with caution, as creating the same service name on more than one printer will result in multiple printers using the same AppleTalk name on your network.
Refer to the printer's Ethernet Network Interface Card (NIC)
Reference Manual for more information about setting
characteristics of printer services.
10.3 Compaq Laser Printer LN32 and LNM40; GENICOM Intelliprint mL, LN and microLaser Series
This section does not apply to the GENICOM microLaser 170 printer. |
DCPS can print to these printers when the printer is in PostScript mode or automatic language-sensing mode. Make sure the INTERPRETER and FORMAT settings are set as described in Table 10-1. These values are set in the INTERFACE menu on the printer's console.
Printer Settings | ||
---|---|---|
Printer Mode | Interpreter | Format |
PostScript/PCL sensing | Auto Switch | Raw |
PostScript | PostScript | Normal |
The factory default value for the printer's Delayed Output Close setting may cause DCPS queues to stall. The default value is OFF and is intended to improve performance by controlling how quickly the printer ends one job and starts another. However, if you also print from environments other than DCPS, this value may cause DCPS queues to stall. Therefore, if you also print from multiple environments, set the value to ON. If you print only from DCPS, you may leave the value of Delayed Output Close at OFF.
The setting for Delayed Output Close is found on the printer's console
as DELAY OUT CLOSE in the NETWORK section of the INTERFACE menu.
*
10.3.2 LAT and AppleTalk Configuration
Please see Section 10.2.2 for information about configuring LAT and
AppleTalk queues.
10.3.3 Queue Aborts When Using TCPware
When using TCPware with these printers, it is possible to receive numerous userdata messages on the screen and have the queue fail with an OPCOM message similar to the following:
%%%%%%%%%%% OPCOM 21-APR-1999 15:09:53.22 %%%%%%%%%%% Message from user SYSTEM on ZIPPY Queue LN32_RAW: %DCPS-F-EXQUOTA, process quota exceeded |
This problem occurs when running TCPware V5.3-3 and network firmware V1.0/4 (990323). To avoid this problem, the system manager should perform one of the following steps:
$ NETCU STOP /TCP
$ NETCU START /TCP /NOPATH_MTU_DISCOVERY
* This setting does not appear on LN32 and LNM40 printers with firmware earlier than version 3.03. |
10.4 DIGITAL Colorwriter LSR 2000 Printer
10.4.1 NIC Does Not Work with Raw TCP/IP
DCPS cannot communicate with the Colorwriter LSR 2000 NIC via a raw
TCP/IP connection because the NIC does not support raw TCP/IP
communication.
AppleTalk is the only network protocol that DCPS can use to communicate
with the Colorwriter LSR 2000 printer.
10.5 DIGITAL DECcolorwriter 1000 Printer
10.5.1 Printer-Specific Setup Files
You can use the files listed in the table below to alter the persistent state of the printer, affecting all subsequent jobs that the printer receives from your system and from other systems in the network until the printer is turned off and back on. The files are located in the SYS$COMMON:[SYSHLP.EXAMPLES.DCPS] directory.
Setup File | Description |
---|---|
DCW1000_CONFIG.PS | Sets the printer timeouts |
DCW1000_DEVPARAM.PS | Changes configuration of the serial port |
DCW1000_STARTPG.PS | Enables the start page |
DCW1000_NOSTRTPG.PS | Disables the start page |
DCW1000_PRNTCNFG.PS | Enables a software-selected information page |
DCW1000_PSCRIPT.PS | Changes the port to PostScript and default on all ports |
Notes:
When using DCPS with the DEClaser 3500 printer with the optional serial port, the job may remain in a starting state. If this is the case, you must choose one of the following options:
The optional network card supports switching to native PCL; however,
the protocol must be set to autosensing.
10.6.3 NIC Does Not Work with Raw TCP/IP
DCPS cannot communicate with the printer via a raw TCP/IP connection because the NIC does not support bidirectional TCP/IP communication.
As an alternative, you can connect the printer to a print server (for
example, the Rapidprint 500) or a terminal server, or use a LAT
connection instead.
10.7 DIGITAL DEClaser 5100 Printer
10.7.1 Native PCL Is Unavailable with EtherTalk Protocol on NIC
Because of a problem with the Network Interface Card (NIC), DCPS cannot switch the printer into native PCL when using the EtherTalk protocol. Users will see the error:
%DCPS-W-UNDEF, undefined: Name not known - offending command is <1B> %DCPS-E-FLUSHING, Rest of Job (to EOJ) will be ignored |
A partial workaround is possible by specifying a default print job
parameter of
PAGE_LIMIT=999999
for the queue when you create it in DCPS$STARTUP.COM. This parameter
forces any PCL files to be printed through the PCL translator.
Remember, though, that the PCL translator is PCL 4 rather than PCL 5.
10.7.2 NIC Does Not Work with Raw TCP/IP
DCPS cannot communicate with the printer via a raw TCP/IP connection because the NIC does not support bidirectional TCP/IP communication.
As an alternative, you can connect the printer to a print server (for
example, the Rapidprint 500) or a terminal server, or use a LAT
connection instead.
10.7.3 Downloading and Deleting Fonts
You may download or delete fonts from the DEClaser 5100 printer's
optional hard drive using the FONT_DOWNLOADER.COM procedure described
in Appendix C.
10.7.4 Error Page Feature
The DEClaser 5100 printer has a feature that ejects the current sheet and then prints a PostScript Error information sheet when a PostScript interpreter error occurs. While this feature provides a powerful means for analyzing PostScript problems, it is not recommended for everyday use with the DCPS software for the following reasons:
You should disable the feature called "Print Errors" through the DEClaser 5100 front panel before starting print queues with DCPS. Enable the feature only when you are interested in analyzing PostScript problems.
If a job fails to print because of a "limitcheck" error,
check to see if "page protection required" is part of the
error message. If so, the job failed because the printer could not
compose the page fast enough to keep up with the printer's engine.
Turning on the printer's page protection feature will probably fix the
problem.
10.8 DIGITAL Laser Printer LN15+
The DIGITAL Laser Printer LN15+ is an upgrade to the DIGITAL Laser
Printer LN15. References in the DCPS documentation to the DIGITAL Laser
Printer LN15 also apply to the DIGITAL Laser Printer LN15+.
10.8.1 Printer Configuration Settings
DCPS requires certain LN15 printer characteristics to be set. If these values, described in Table 10-2, are not set, DCPS jobs will remain in a Starting state and never print.
Setting | Value | Where Set | Documentation |
---|---|---|---|
PERSONALITY | PS | Printer console CONFIG menu | LN15 User Manual |
NPAP MODE | OFF | Printer console PARALLEL menu | LN15 User Manual |
PORT 1 BITRONICS | ENABLED | Ethernet card management | RapidPrint 600 Print Server Installation Guide |
The DIGITAL Laser Printer LN17+ps is an upgrade to the DIGITAL LN17ps
printer. References in the DCPS documentation to the DIGITAL LN17ps
printer also apply to the DIGITAL Laser Printer LN17+ps.
10.9.1 Job Remains in Starting State
If you use a raw TCP/IP or LAT-connected LN17ps printer with DCPS, the associated DCPS print job may remain in a Starting state.
You must either set the Ethernet port to use the PostScript language and disable automatic language sensing, or define a DCPS$queuename_NO_SYNC logical name for the associated queue as described in Section 11.1.1.
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