[OpenVMS documentation]
[Site home] [Send comments] [Help with this site] [How to order documentation] [OpenVMS site] [Compaq site]
Updated: 11 December 1998

OpenVMS System Manager's Manual


Previous Contents Index

13.6.8 Using Device Control Libraries

A device control library is a text library that contains user-written modules consisting of text or escape sequences. A device control library module can be used for the following purposes:

The three types of device control library modules, distinguished by their placement in a print job, are:
Module Type Placement
Setup Inserted at the beginning of a file.
Page setup Inserted at the beginning of each page.
Reset Inserted at the end of each job. Use reset modules to reset a printer to a known state at the end of a job.

How to Perform This Task

To use device control library options, perform the following steps:

  1. Create a library and insert modules.
  2. Assign the device control library to a queue. (This step is not necessary if you use the default library name SYSDEVCTL.TLB.)
  3. Create one or more forms with setup or page setup modules.
  4. Assign reset modules to a queue.

Commands for Processing Print Jobs

You can use the following commands to set up device control library modules for processing print jobs:
Command Description
DEFINE/FORM/SETUP Specifies one or more modules that set up the device at the start of each file of a job.
DEFINE/FORM/[NO]PAGE_SETUP Specifies one or more modules that set up the device at the start of each page of a job.
INITIALIZE/QUEUE/LIBRARY
START/QUEUE/LIBRARY
Specifies the file name of the device control library.
INITIALIZE/QUEUE/SEPARATE=[NO]RESET
START/QUEUE/SEPARATE=[NO]RESET
SET QUEUE/SEPARATE=[NO]RESET
Specifies one or more device control library modules that contain the job reset sequence for the queue.
PRINT/FORM Specifies the name or number of the form to be associated with the print job.

13.6.8.1 Understanding the Order of Device Control Module Output

Device control modules are sent to the printer within a print job in the following order:

  1. Reset modules assigned to the queue. (Reset modules are only used at this point for the first job printed after a queue is started.)
  2. Setup modules specified in the form definition.
  3. Page setup modules specified in the form definition.
  4. Setup modules specified with the PRINT command.
  5. Page 1 of file 1.
  6. Page setup modules specified in the form definition.
  7. Page 2 of file 1, and so forth.
  8. Page setup modules specified in the form definition.
  9. Last page of file 1.
  10. Setup modules specified in the form definition.
  11. Page setup modules specified in the form definition.
  12. Setup modules specified with the PRINT command.
  13. Page 1 of file 2.
  14. Page setup modules specified in the form definition.
  15. Page 2 of file 2, and so forth.
  16. Page setup modules specified in the form definition.
  17. Last page of file 2.
  18. Reset modules assigned to the queue.

The following sections describe how to manage device control libraries.

13.6.8.2 Creating a Device Control Library and Inserting Modules

To create a device control library and insert modules, perform the following steps:

  1. Create a device control library by entering a command in the following format:

    LIBRARY/CREATE/TEXT SYS$COMMON:[SYSLIB] filename.TLB 
    

  2. Determine the contents of the module---either the text to be inserted or the escape sequences needed for the printer setup you want. To determine the proper escape sequences for a printer option, refer to the operation guide for the specific printer.
  3. Create a module file and enter the appropriate escape sequences, carriage control characters, or text. Create and edit a module file as you would any other text file. Make sure your text editor does not insert a carriage return or line feed at the end of your file. This will affect your printer output.
  4. Insert the module into the device control library by entering a command in the following format:

    LIBRARY/INSERT/TEXT library-file module-file 
    

Note

To add a module to or delete it from a library, you must stop all output queues assigned to that library.

Refer to the OpenVMS Command Definition, Librarian, and Message Utilities Manual for more information about creating libraries and inserting modules.

13.6.8.3 Assigning a Library to a Queue

To assign a device control library to an output queue, use the /LIBRARY qualifier with INITIALIZE/QUEUE or START/QUEUE in the following format:

INITIALIZE/QUEUE/LIBRARY=filename queue-name 

where filename is the name of the library file that contains the selected modules.

Libraries must be in SYS$LIBRARY and must have the file type .TLB. The default library is SYS$LIBRARY:SYSDEVCTL.TLB. Use the /LIBRARY qualifier to specify an alternate device control library. For example:


$ INITIALIZE/QUEUE/LIBRARY=LN03DEVCTL LN03_A_QUE

Note

If you specify a value for the /LIBRARY qualifier, do not include the directory, file type, or version number. The system assumes that the file is in SYS$LIBRARY and has the type .TLB. If you copy a library file from another node, be sure that the new library has a unique file name.

Operations that request a particular device control library module use the module from the library specified for the queue. Guidelines for using libraries follow:

Example

If three libraries contained modules that set up a printer for landscape orientation, these modules might be named LANDSCAPE in all three libraries. This allows you to use the same form on any queue for which a library contains a module of the specified name, even though the modules might contain different device-specific sequences.

Use the following command format to display a listing of all modules contained within a specified library:

LIBRARY/LIST/FULL SYS$LIBRARY:library-name.TLB 

13.6.8.4 Creating Forms for Setup and Page Setup Modules

To specify a setup or page setup module for a queue, use the /SETUP=module or /PAGE_SETUP=module qualifier with DEFINE/FORM. The modules you specify with /SETUP are sent to the printer when the form is mounted, before each file of a job is printed. Similarly, the modules you specify with /PAGE_SETUP are sent to the printer before each page of a job.

Users can request the module by using one of the following qualifiers with the PRINT command:

13.6.8.5 Assigning a Reset Module to a Queue

To assign a module to an output execution queue to reset the printer to a known state at the end of each job, use the /SEPARATE=RESET=module qualifier with INITIALIZE/QUEUE, START/QUEUE, or SET QUEUE.

Because the /SEPARATE qualifier specifies mandatory queue options, the RESET module you specify is sent to the queue at the end of every job. The user cannot override this option.

Examples

In the following example, the reset sequence contained in the module resets the printer at the end of each job. It also resets the printer when the queue is started to ensure that the first job prints correctly.


$ INITIALIZE/QUEUE/LIBRARY=MYDEVCTL/SEPARATE=RESET=MODULE2 PDQ_QUE

The following example uses device control library modules to process a print job. Two device control modules are created and inserted into the library file MYDEVCTL.TLB. The escape sequence or text in the setup module named MODULE1 is sent to the printer to set up the printer before REPORT.TXT is printed and again before MEMO.TXT is printed. The escape sequence or text in the reset module named MODULE2 is sent to the printer only once after both files in job REPORT have printed.


$ LIBRARY/CREATE/TEXT SYS$LIBRARY:MYDEVCTL.TLB
$ EDIT MODULE1.TXT
    !enter printer escape sequences or text for module1
$ EDIT MODULE2.TXT
    !enter printer escape sequences or text for module2
$ LIBRARY/INSERT SYS$LIBRARY:MYDEVCTL.TLB/TEXT MODULE1
$ LIBRARY/INSERT SYS$LIBRARY:MYDEVCTL.TLB/TEXT MODULE2
$ INITIALIZE/QUEUE/START/ON=TTA9:/LIBRARY=MYDEVCTL PDQ_QUE
$ SET QUEUE/SEPARATE=RESET=MODULE2 PDQ_QUE
$ SHOW QUEUE/FULL PDQ_QUE
Terminal queue PDQ_QUE, idle on TOAD::TTA9, mounted form DEFAULT
   /BASE_PRIORITY=4/DEFAULT=(FEED,FORM=DEFAULT)/LIBRARY=MYDEVCTL
   /OWNER=[1,4]/PROTECTION=(S:M,O:D,G:R,W:R)/SEPARATE=(RESET=(MODULE2))
$ DEFINE/FORM/SETUP=MODULE1/STOCK=DEFAULT FORM1 1
 
$ PRINT/FORM=FORM1 REPORT.TXT,MEMO.TXT/QUEUE=PDQ_QUE
 
Job REPORT (Queue PDQ_QUE, entry 619) started on PDQ_QUE

13.7 Maintaining Queues

Once you set up your queues, you must monitor and modify them according to the needs of your site.

Also, setting up queues is not restricted to startup time. During normal operation, you can create and start queues as your needs dictate. If you decide to set up queues at a later time, refer to the instructions in Section 13.4.

If you create additional output queues at a later time, make sure to perform the following actions:

13.7.1 Using Queue Management Commands

Table 13-4 lists commands for creating and controlling queues and tells whether they have the same effect on all queues or if they have different effects on autostart and nonautostart queues.

Table 13-4 Effects of Queue Commands
Command Effect on
  Autostart Queues Nonautostart Queues
ASSIGN/MERGE Moves jobs from one queue to another. Moves jobs from one queue to another.
ASSIGN/QUEUE Redirects jobs in a logical queue to an execution queue. Redirects jobs in a logical queue to an execution queue
DELETE/QUEUE Deletes a queue. Deletes a queue.
DISABLE AUTOSTART/QUEUES After allowing jobs to complete, fails over all autostart queues to the next available node in each queue's node list. If a queue has no list specified, the queue is stopped. No effect.
ENABLE AUTOSTART/QUEUES Starts all stopped, active autostart queues capable of running on the node. No effect.
INITIALIZE/QUEUE Creates the queue. The /AUTOSTART_ON qualifier specifies one or more nodes or nodes and devices on which the queue can run. Creates the queue. The /ON qualifier specifies a single node or node and device on which the queue is to run.
INITIALIZE/QUEUE/START Creates the queue and activates it for autostart. The /AUTOSTART_ON qualifier specifies one or more nodes or nodes and devices on which the queue can run. Creates and starts the queue. The /ON qualifier specifies a single node or node and device on which the queue is to run.
SET QUEUE Modifies a queue. Modifies a queue.
SHOW QUEUE Displays information about a queue. Displays information about a queue.
START/QUEUE Activates the queue for autostart. Starts the queue.
STOP/QUEUE Pauses a queue. Pauses a queue.
STOP/QUEUES/ON_NODE Aborts current jobs and stops all queues on a node without stopping the queue manager. Aborts current jobs and stops all queues on a node without stopping the queue manager.
STOP/QUEUE/NEXT Stops a queue after allowing the current jobs to complete, and deactivates the queue for autostart. Stops a queue after allowing the current jobs to complete.
STOP/QUEUE/RESET Stops a queue abruptly and deactivates the queue for autostart. Stops a queue abruptly.

The following sections describe these tasks for managing queues:
Task For More Information
Monitoring queue information Section 13.7.1.1
Modifying a queue Section 13.7.1.2
Pausing a queue Section 13.7.1.3
Closing a queue Section 13.7.1.4
Stopping a queue Section 13.7.1.5
Preventing autostart queues from starting Section 13.7.1.6
Disabling autostart on a node Section 13.7.1.7
Stopping all queues on a node Section 13.7.1.8
Stopping queues before shutting down a system Section 13.7.1.9
Assigning a logical queue Section 13.7.1.10
Moving all jobs from one queue to another Section 13.7.1.11
Deleting a queue Section 13.7.1.12

13.7.1.1 Monitoring Queue Information

Use the SHOW QUEUE command to monitor the status of queues. To display queue information, enter SHOW QUEUE in the following format:

SHOW QUEUE [/qualifier,...] [queue-name] 

If you do not specify a qualifier or a queue name, the system displays the status of all queues on the system and all jobs you own. The SHOW QUEUE qualifiers let you select the type of queue and the amount of information you want to display.

Use the following qualifiers to select the information you want to display:
Qualifier Description
/BY_JOB_STATUS[= keyword-list] Displays queues that contain jobs of the specified status. You can specify one or more of the following keywords:
  • EXECUTING
  • HOLDING
  • PENDING
  • RETAINED
  • TIMED_RELEASE

If no keyword is specified, by default the jobs of all status are displayed. For more information about job status, see Table 13-6.

/BATCH Displays batch execution queues.
/DEVICE[= keyword-list] Displays output execution queues. You can select a specific type of execution queue by entering one or more of the following keywords:
  • PRINTER
  • TERMINAL
  • SERVER

If no keywords are specified, all types of output queue are displayed.

/GENERIC Displays the status of generic queues.

Use the following qualifiers to select the amount of information you want to display:
Qualifier Description
/ALL_JOBS Displays information about all jobs for the selected queues.
/BRIEF Displays a brief listing of information about job entries in the queue. The brief listing is the default for the SHOW QUEUE command.
/FILES Adds a list of files associated with each job to the display.
/FULL Displays complete queue and job information (also displays any ACLs set for the queues).
/SUMMARY Displays the total number of executing, pending, holding, retained, and timed release jobs. The jobs themselves are not displayed.

You can also combine certain qualifiers to further delineate the queue information you want to display.

Table 13-5 defines queue statuses returned by SHOW QUEUE.

Table 13-5 Queue Statuses Displayed in the SHOW QUEUE Command
Queue Status Description
Aligning Queue manager is processing a START/QUEUE/ALIGN command.
Autostart inactive Queue was stopped and needs to be activated. For more information, see Section 13.8.4.
Available Queue is processing at least one job but is capable of processing additional concurrent jobs.
Busy Queue cannot process additional jobs because of one or more jobs in progress.
Closed Queue is closed and will not accept new jobs until it is set open. For more information, see Section 13.7.1.4.
Device unavailable Device to which the queue is assigned is not available.
Idle Queue is not processing any jobs and is capable of doing so.
Paused A STOP/QUEUE command has been executed.
Pausing Queue manager is processing a STOP/QUEUE command.
Remote Queue is assigned to a physical device that is not connected to the local system.
Resuming Queue manager is processing a START/QUEUE command on a paused queue.
Server Queue processing is directed to a server symbiont.
Stalled Symbiont processing temporarily halted due to device-related problem.
Starting Queue has been started, but the symbiont process is not yet active.
Stopped Queue is stopped and will not process work until started.
Stop pending Queue will be in the stopped state when current jobs have finished executing.
Stopping Queue is being stopped.

To display the forms or characteristics available on a system, use the SHOW QUEUE/FORM or SHOW QUEUE/CHARACTERISTICS command.

You can further customize the type of queue information you want to monitor by writing a command procedure that uses the F$GETQUI lexical function. F$GETQUI invokes the $GETQUI system service to return information stored in the queue database.

You can use the F$GETQUI lexical function to obtain information about the following types of objects:

For example, you could write a command procedure to display the total number of blocks of jobs in a pending state in all printer queues. You must have read access to the job or SYSPRV or OPER privilege to obtain job and file information.

For more information about the system service invoked by the F$GETQUI lexical function, refer to the description of the $GETQUI system service in the OpenVMS System Services Reference Manual.

Examples

  1. The following example displays summary information for all printer and terminal queues:


    $ SHOW QUEUE/SUMMARY/DEVICE=(PRINTER,TERMINAL)
    Printer queue HERA_LPA0, busy, on HERA::LPA0, mounted form DEFAULT 
      <Printer queue on node HERA for a line printer> 
     
        Job summary:  1 executing 
     
    Printer queue HERA_LPB0, busy, on HERA::LPB0, mounted form DEFAULT 
      <Printer queue on node HERA for a line printer> 
     
        Job summary:  1 executing 
     
    Generic printer queue CLUSTER_PRINT 
      <Generic printer queue for LPA0: and LPB0:> 
        Job summary:  1 holding 
     
    Terminal queue LQ_PRINT, stopped, on HERA::TXA7:, 
      <Letter quality printer in Bob's office> 
    mounted form PORTRAIT_INDENTED (stock=DEFAULT) 
     
        Job summary:  2 pending (445 blocks),  1 holding
    

  2. The following example displays the full status and options of all executing jobs:


    Previous Next Contents Index

    [Site home] [Send comments] [Help with this site] [How to order documentation] [OpenVMS site] [Compaq site]
    [OpenVMS documentation]

    Copyright © Compaq Computer Corporation 1998. All rights reserved.

    Legal
    6017PRO_061.HTML