Release Notes
Revision/Update Information: These release notes supersede all other documentation.
Operating System & Versions:
OpenVMS Alpha Version 6.1 or higher
OpenVMS VAX Version 5.5-2 or higher
Software Version: , Version 1.7
Compaq Computer Corporation makes no representations that the use of its products in the manner described in this publication will not infringe on existing or future patent rights, nor do the descriptions contained in this publication imply the granting of licenses to make, use, or sell equipment or software in accordance with the description.
Possession, use, or copying of the software described in this publication is authorized only pursuant to a valid written license from Compaq or an authorized sublicensor.
Compaq conducts its business in a manner that conserves the environment and protects the safety and health of its employees, customers, and the community.
Copyright © Compaq Computer Corporation 1999. All Rights Reserved.
Copyright © GENICOM Corporation 1999. All Rights Reserved.
DCPS is a trademark of GENICOM Corporation.
The following are trademarks of Compaq Computer Corporation: Alpha, DEC, DEClaser, DECnet, DECprint, DIGITAL, LN03Q, OpenVMS, PATHWORKS, PrintServer, ReGIS, VAX, VMS, and the Compaq logo.
PostScript is a trademark of Adobe Systems Incorporated, which may be registered in certain jurisdictions.
AppleTalk, EtherTalk, LaserWriter, LocalTalk, and Macintosh are registered trademarks of Apple Computer, Inc.
MultiNet is a registered trademark of Process Software Corporation.
Hewlett-Packard, PCL and LaserJet are trademarks of Hewlett-Packard Company.
Proprinter is a registered trademark of International Business Machines Corporation.
Optra is a registered trademark of Lexmark International, Inc.
Colormate is a trademark of NEC.
TEKTRONIX is a trademark of Tektronix, Inc.
All other trademarks and registered trademarks are the property of their respective holders.
This document was prepared using DECdocument V3.2A.
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The primary source of information about , Version 1.7 is the following set of software manuals:
These release notes provide detail on the following:
For information on licensing requirements and the features available with each license, see the DECprint Supervisor Software Product Description (SPD 44.15.xx).
This section describes changes made to DCPS V1.7. You can find more
information for several of these changes elsewhere in these release
notes.
1.1 DCPS Version 1.7 Changes
1.1.1 OpenVMS V7.2 and Extended File Specifications Supported
Systems running OpenVMS Alpha or VAX V7.2 are supported by DCPS. DCPS V1.7 provides default support for systems with Extended File Specifications, including ODS-5 volumes and deep directories.
Any file in any directory on an ODS-5 volume can be printed. The file
name may be truncated on file separator pages and in the heading when
printing with the LIST translator. If the file name is truncated, it is
so indicated with an ellipsis (...).
1.1.2 New Printer Support
DCPS V1.7 adds support for the following printers:
You can find more information in Chapter 5 of these release notes.
1.1.3 TCP/IP Jobs Terminate with BADPARAMS Error
Under certain conditions, jobs printed over TCP/IP would terminate, the queue would stop and a message similar to the following would be sent to OPCOM:
%%%%%%%%%%% OPCOM 25-FEB-1998 17:09:53.38 %%%%%%%%%%%
Message from user SYSTEM on HUMANE
Queue LN32_LAB: %DCPS-F-BADPARAM, bad parameter value
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Changes to eliminate this problem under some conditions was made in DCPS V1.6-1. Additional changes have been made in DCPS V1.7 to eliminate this problem when DCPS is establishing a network connection to a printer.
This section describes changes made to DCPS V1.6-1. You can find more
information for several of these changes elsewhere in these release
notes.
2.1 DCPS Version 1.6-1 Changes
2.1.1 ISO Latin-9 Character Set Added to ANSI Translator
Support for the ISO Latin-9 (ISO 8859-15) character set has been added to the DCPS ANSI translator. This character set includes the Euro symbol.
One way to print the Euro symbol is to include the following ANSI escape sequences in your ANSI file:
<ESC>.b selects ISO Latin-9 character set
<ESC>n$ prints Euro symbol
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In order to add the ISO Latin-9 character set, the DCPS ANSI translator
has been updated. If you are upgrading to DCPS V1.6-1 from a previous
version and want to print characters from the ISO Latin-9 character
set, you must power cycle your printer(s) after upgrading DCPS. This
needs to be done only once, and allows the new version of the ANSI
translator to be loaded into the printer's memory.
2.1.2 New Printer Support
DCPS V1.6-1 adds support for the Compaq Laser Printer LN16.
You can find more information in Chapter 5 of these release notes.
2.2 DCPS Version 1.6-1 Fixes
The following problems have been fixed in DCPS V1.6-1.
2.2.1 TCP/IP Jobs Terminate with BADPARAMS Error
Under certain conditions, especially on a busy or slow network, jobs printed over TCP/IP would terminate, the queue would stop and a message similar to the following would be sent to OPCOM:
%%%%%%%%%%% OPCOM 25-FEB-1998 17:09:53.38 %%%%%%%%%%%
Message from user SYSTEM on HUMANE
Queue LN32_LAB: %DCPS-F-BADPARAM, bad parameter value
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Starting with DCPS V1.6, printing a VFC file sometimes caused the DCPS print symbiont to fail with an OPCOM message similar to the following:
%%%%%%%%%%% OPCOM 7-JAN-1999 14:47:04.60 %%%%%%%%%%%
Message from user SYSTEM on FUNYET
Process SYMBIONT_90: Message number 0800800C
Message number 20000000
-TSU
-NONAME
-TSU
%%%%%%%%%%% OPCOM 7-JAN-1999 14:47:05.46 %%%%%%%%%%%
Message from user QUEUE_MANAGE on FUNYET
%QMAN-E-SYMDEL, unexpected symbiont process termination
%%%%%%%%%%% OPCOM 7-JAN-1999 14:47:05.47 %%%%%%%%%%%
Message from user QUEUE_MANAGE on FUNYET
-NONAME-F-NOMSG, Message number 0800800C
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The following sections identify the current restrictions that exist
with DECprint Supervisor. See System Manager's Guide and User's Guide for
printer-specific restrictions.
3.1 Symbiont Terminates for TCP/IP Queue
When using DCPS with DIGITAL TCP/IP Services for OpenVMS, V5.0, on Alpha systems, the DCPS print symbiont can fail. OPCOM messages similar to the following are displayed:
%%%%%%%%%%% OPCOM 3-MAR-1999 15:38:25.08 %%%%%%%%%%%
Message from user SYSTEM on FUNYET
Process SYMBIONT_407: %SYSTEM-F-STKOVF, stack overflow, PC=00000000003237A4, PS=0000001B
%%%%%%%%%%% OPCOM 3-MAR-1999 15:38:25.14 %%%%%%%%%%%
Message from user SYSTEM on FUNYET
%QMAN-E-SYMDEL, unexpected symbiont process termination
%%%%%%%%%%% OPCOM 3-MAR-1999 15:38:25.17 %%%%%%%%%%%
Message from user SYSTEM on FUNYET
-SYSTEM-F-STKOVF, stack overflow, PC=0000000000000000, PS=00000000
%SYSTEM-F-STKOVF, stack overflow, PC=0000000000032F1C, PS=0000001B
Improperly handled condition, image exit forced.
Signal arguments: Number = 0000000000000003
Name = 0000000000000554
0000000000032F1C
100000000000001B
Register dump:
R0 = 0000000000000000 R1 = 0000000000000554 R2 = 0000000000010220
R3 = 0000000000020018 R4 = 0000000000000000 R5 = 0000000000011588
R6 = 0000000000000000 R7 = 000000000000000B R8 = 000000007AF2EFD8
R9 = 0000000000FB132C R10 = 000000007AF2F169 R11 = 000000007AF2F5E0
R12 = 00000000000230D8 R13 = 000000007B022330 R14 = FFFFFFFF8101A7C0
R15 = 0000000000000554 R16 = 0000000000000554 R17 = 0000000000000000
R18 = 000000000000000C R19 = 0000000000000001 R20 = FFFFFFFF83BB0000
R21 = FFFFFFFDFF7FE000 R22 = FFFFFFFF800D5160 R23 = 000000007FFA1FC0
R24 = 000000007AF2EFD8 R25 = 0000000000000001 R26 = 0000000000032F1C
R27 = 000000007B562E00 R28 = 100000000000001B R29 = 000000007AF2EFA0
SP = 000000007AF2EF90 PC = 0000000000032F1C PS = 100000000000001B
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This problem occurs when the TCP/IP host name is resolved to an address by a DNS server. To avoid the problem, use the printer's TCP/IP address when creating the queue or put the printer's TCP/IP name in the local host file.
This problem does not occur with TCP/IP Services V5.0 on VAX systems,
nor with TCP/IP Services V4.2 or earlier.
3.2 Job Remains in Starting State for Raw TCP/IP Queue
If you set up a DCPS queue that uses a raw TCP/IP connection and specify an incorrect TCP port number for the printer, any print jobs that you submit to the queue will remain in a starting state. DCPS cannot determine that you have provided an incorrect port number, because the network failure that it receives is no different than if the printer had been busy or offline.
Note that a print job in a raw TCP/IP queue may remain in a starting state for other reasons as well.
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 A-1, or in the
System Manager's Guide.
3.3 Connection Terminations for Raw TCP/IP Queue
You may get CONTERMINATED errors for long print jobs when using raw TCP/IP connections. For jobs that consist of a single file or only use the native PostScript capability of the printer (for example, they do not use native PCL), these errors are most likely to occur at the end of the job, with job trailer pages (if specified for the queue) and print job accounting (if enabled) being lost. For other jobs, these errors may occur in the middle of the job, with subsequent documents as well as the trailer pages and accounting information being lost. DCPS requeues the terminated jobs, placing them in a Holding state so that you can reprint them once you resolve the termination problem.
Some network devices, including the Hewlett-Packard JetDirect cards, drop a TCP/IP connection if they do not receive any input from the host system within a specified amount of time. This is a feature, meant to prevent host software from monopolizing the device. DCPS, however, waits for the printer to acknowledge that previous documents are printed before switching from PostScript to some other native printer language and also before printing a trailer page and gathering accounting information. Even though the printer may be busy, the NIC may not receive any more input from DCPS before the timeout is reached.
If your NIC allows you to alter the TCP/IP idle timeout value, you can work around this problem by disabling or increasing the timeout. Check your NIC documentation to determine if this is possible, and how to do it. Then release any requeued jobs for which desired output was lost, and delete the other requeued jobs.
Note that it is the length of a job in time (versus size) that is
important. For example, a very small PostScript program can take a very
long time to print. Hence, it is difficult to predict how large a
timeout is adequate.
3.4 NOT_READY Warnings for Unavailable Raw TCP/IP Printer
If a job is queued to a printer that uses a raw TCP/IP connection, and the printer is busy or offline, you will get NOT_READY warning messages for the printer.
If you believe or determine that the printer is busy, you can ignore
these messages. DCPS cannot, unfortunately, differentiate between the
printer being busy, offline, or otherwise unavailable.
3.5 Translators do not Generate Color PostScript
The translators provided with DCPS (for example, ReGIS) do not generate
color PostScript commands, even if your source file contains color
information. The colors are instead translated to various shades of
gray.
3.6 Job Trailer Page Jogs with Certain Printers
With certain printers, when job jogging is enabled to separate jobs by offsetting them, jogging occurs between the body of a job and its trailer page. This is because the printer treats the trailer page as though it were a separate print job.
Printers known to exhibit this behavior are:
An attempt to print an ANSI file containing a tray selection escape sequence might fail, depending on which printer you are using. If so, the job aborts with a PostScript configuration error, with the offending command being "setpapertray".
A workaround to this problem is to create and subsequently invoke a setup module that redefines the settoptray, setbottomtray, and setlcittray PostScript commands within the TRN$XLATE_DICT dictionary.
For example, for an HP LaserJet 4M Plus, you should create a setup module that contains the following definitions for settoptray, setbottomtray and setlcittray:
TRN$XLATE_DICT begin
/settoptray { statusdict begin 3 setpapertray end } def
/setbottomtray { statusdict begin 0 setpapertray end } def
/setlcittray { statusdict begin 1 setpapertray end } def
end
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The first print queue in the process to use AppleTalk fails with the following error and the queue does not start:
%DCPS-W-ATK_FOR_VMS, Error connecting to AppleTalk for VMS driver |
If other queues using the AppleTalk interconnect are started on that same process this error is not reported. These queues will start, but jobs on these queues remain in the "starting" state.
If a queue using the AppleTalk interconnect is started before the AppleTalk network software is running, then the queue might start but will not be functional. This occurs when DCPS is running as a multistreamed symbiont and another print queue is running in the same process.
To recover from such an error, stop all queues supported by any currently running symbiont processes that have detected that the AppleTalk network software is not running (one error message is generated per symbiont process). Restart the AppleTalk software and the queues.
To avoid this problem, run the AppleTalk network software before
starting any DCPS print queues.
3.9 Some Printers Do Not Send Status Messages to the Host
Some PostScript printers, because of their internal architecture, report status information only to the printer console and not to the host system with which they are communicating. As a result, DCPS is not aware of some status conditions (for example, paper out, paper jam, page too complex, cover open, etc.) and cannot report them to you. Instead, the DCPS queue will enter the Stalled state if DCPS subsequently attempts to communicate with the printer. This subsequent attempt may come during the same job that first experienced the problem or in a later one.
The following is a list of some of the printers which exhibit this behavior:
When multinational characters are used in the PostScript
"printername", the printer name printed on the bottom of
separation pages may be printed in the wrong character set.
3.11 DDIF Printing Requires DECwindows Software or DECimage Application Services
To print DDIF encoded bitonal images, DCPS requires that either
DECwindows software or Version 3.1 of DECimage Application Services
(DAS) be installed on your system. DAS is only available on OpenVMS VAX
systems.
3.12 Compatibility of NUMBER_UP and PostScript Drivers
PostScript files created with the LaserWriter 8.0 or 8.1.1 driver or the Adobe 2.1.1 Windows driver in conjunction with the application may produce PostScript files that do not print as expected with NUMBER_UP greater than 1.
Symptoms include pages being clipped, printed outside of the NUMBER_UP
page spots, or being improperly scaled.
3.13 LIST Translator Ignores PAGE_SIZE Parameter
The LIST translator ignores the PAGE_SIZE parameter when formatting pages. It creates pages with maximum content at a size adequate for both A (Letter) and A4 paper:
It is still possible to use PAGE_SIZE and SHEET_SIZE parameters
together (with the DCPS-PLUS license) to scale the logical page onto a
different size sheet.
3.14 Embedded PJL Commands Discarded; Avoid Binary Mode
Drivers that create files for PJL printers, such as those for the DEClaser 5100 and the HP LaserJet IV family, include printer control commands in Hewlett-Packard Printer Job Language (PJL). DCPS filters out and discards that data. Therefore, printer options selected by such drivers do not affect the print job.
When using these drivers, do NOT select binary mode. It will insert
additional commands into the file that can cause incorrect behavior
when printing via DCPS. The exact form of behavior depends on which
printer is actually connected to the queue and whether or not the job
passes through a DCPS translator.
3.15 Unreliable Communication after Errors on Some Printers
Unexpected errors can occur at the end of a print job when printing to some printers using the AppleTalk interconnect. The printers which can exhibit problems include the LaserWriter Pro 600, LaserWriter Pro 630, the LaserWriter IIg, and the LaserWriter IIf. Generally, the unexpected error occurs when an explainable error occurred during the print job; for example, a PostScript error which causes the PostScript interpreter to "Flush to the EOJ", or a timeout error while waiting for manual feed. The behavior a user may see includes one of more of the following:
The user's part of the print job prints as expected. The unexpected
error occurs during the end of job processing (for example, getting the
page count or the job trailer page printed) done by the DECprint
Supervisor. Once the offending job is complete, subsequent jobs print
as expected. No system operator intervention is needed.
3.16 Deleting Job when Using AppleTalk
When printing using an AppleTalk interconnect, a request to delete a
job (DELETE/ENTRY) is accomplished by closing the connection to the
printer. The AppleTalk protocol does not provide for interrupting the
PostScript interpreter; therefore, the printer will continue to print
page descriptions that are contained in its buffer before it stops
printing the job. A job trailer page will not be printed.
3.17 Avoid STOP/QUEUE/RESET Usage for PrintServer Printer which is Rejecting Connections
If you issue a STOP/QUEUE/RESET command for a queue to a DIGITAL PrintServer printer while there is a job in the "Starting" state and while the printer is rejecting connections (because, for example, the PrintServer is powered off or is booting), the queue will stop. Occasionally the symbiont process will not terminate. Avoid issuing this command until the PrintServer printer becomes available. If the job is in the "Starting" state and also in the PrintServer printer's job queue, a STOP/QUEUE/RESET will execute correctly.
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