Compaq DECprint Supervisor (DCPS) for OpenVMS
User's Guide


Previous Contents Index

2.2 Displaying Print Queues

You can display a list of all of your print jobs in a queue and the status of the print queue, by using the SHOW QUEUE command.

Note

Remote nodes in the network may have print queues sending jobs to the same printer, but queues on those nodes are not displayed.

To see all of your print jobs in a queue, enter the SHOW QUEUE command followed by the name of the print queue:


$ SHOW QUEUE LPS40$A10


Printer queue LPS40$A10, on LEVEL::A10, mounted form DCPS$DEFAULT 
(stock=DEFAULT) 
Entry        Jobname         Username  Blocks  Status 
-----        --------        --------  ------  ------ 
96           MEMO            MSMITH    114     Holding until 27-MAR-2002 17:00 

If you wish to see print jobs belonging to all users, and you have sufficient privileges to do so, use the SHOW QUEUE/ALL command.

You can list all the queues in the system by entering the SHOW QUEUE command with no queue name.

You can use the following qualifiers to specify the type of information to display about a queue or queues:
SHOW QUEUE Qualifier Displays ...
/ALL_JOBS All the print jobs in a queue. If you do not include this qualifier, the SHOW QUEUE command displays your print jobs in the queue.
/BRIEF A short summary about one or more print jobs. This is the default display if you do not include the /FULL qualifier.
/BY_JOB_STATUS=( keyword,...) Print jobs that have the status you specify for the keyword. The status types are listed in Table 2-1.
/FILES The file names of the files in each print job displayed.
/FORM Information about the forms that are defined (see Chapter 12).
/FULL Information about the print job, including job status and files to be printed.
/SUMMARY A short message about the status of the queue and the print jobs in the queue.

2.3 Deleting a Print Job

You can remove a print job from the queue by using the DELETE/ENTRY command. If the print job is being printed, this command terminates printing and deletes the print job.

If the system manager sets up the queue to retain print jobs, your print job remains in the queue after you use the DELETE/ENTRY command. In this case, use the DELETE/ENTRY command twice to remove the job from the queue.

Include the job number of the print job to be deleted after the DELETE/ENTRY command. For example:


$ DELETE/ENTRY=96


Job MEMO (queue LP40$A10, entry 96) terminated with error status 
%JBC-F-JOBDELETE, job deleted before execution 
%DELETE, entry 96 aborting or deleted 

2.4 Modifying a Print Job

You can modify a print job that has not started printing. You can change the queue for the print job, or any of the print job attributes that you specified in the PRINT command. You cannot modify a print job that has begun printing.

Use the SET ENTRY command to modify the status, queue, or attributes of a print job. Specify the job number and any qualifiers in the SET ENTRY command. The following example shows how to change the print queue for print job number 318. To specify the new queue, use the SET ENTRY command with the /REQUEUE qualifier.


$ PRINT *.MSG/AFTER=17:00/QUEUE=PS40$A10


Job AUTO (queue PS40$A10, entry 318) holding until 27-MAR-2002 17:00 


$ SET ENTRY 318/REQUEUE=LP40$A10
$ SHOW QUEUE LP40$A10


Printer queue LP40$A10, on MOON::A10::, mounted form DCPS$DEFAULT 
(stock=DEFAULT) 
Entry          Jobname         Username  Blocks  Status 
-------        --------        --------  ------  ------ 
318            AUTO            MSMITH     368    Holding until 27-MAR-2002 17:00 

Use the SET ENTRY command to release a print job that is Holding. Include the /RELEASE qualifier in the SET ENTRY command to release the print job. For example:


$ SET ENTRY 318/RELEASE


%DCPS-I-JOBSTART, Job AUTO (queue LP40$A10, entry 318) started 
on LP40$A10 

You can change the qualifiers and print parameters for a print job using SET ENTRY. Include the job number and the new qualifier or parameter values in the SET ENTRY command.

If your PRINT command included more than one print parameter, you must include them all in the SET ENTRY command. You cannot modify only one of the print parameters without affecting the others that you included in the PRINT command. If you modify only one parameter, the others are reset to default values. For example, you could submit a print job with the following command:


$ PRINT/PARAMETERS=(SIDES=2,PAGE_ORIENTATION=LANDSCAPE) MYFILE.RPT
Job MYFILE (queue PS40$A10, entry 329)

To modify the page orientation setting for this print job, you must include the SIDES parameter, as well:


$ SET ENTRY 329/PARAMETERS=(SIDES=2,PAGE_ORIENTATION=PORTRAIT)
$ SHOW ENTRY 329/FULL


Entry        Jobname         Username  Blocks  Status 
-----        --------        --------  ------  ------ 
329          MYFILE          MSMITH       4    Holding until 27-MAR-2002 17:00 
    On Printer queue PS40$A10 
    Submitted 27-MAR-2002 11:50 /FORM=DCPS$DEFAULT (stock=DEFAULT) /NOTIFY 
    /PARAMETERS=("SIDES=2","PAGE_ORIENTATION=PORTRAIT") /PRIORITY=100 
    File: _$1$DUA10:[MSMITH]MYFILE.RPT;2 


Chapter 3
Specifying Input and Output Trays

3.1 Selecting the Input Tray

Some printers have more than one input tray. You can use different trays for various types of media, such as transparencies, envelopes, and paper.

Some printers support special trays, such as manual-feed input slots and envelope feeders. To list the input trays supported by your printer, enter the HELP PRINT_PARAMETER INPUT_TRAY command and select the subtopic that describes your printer.

Use the INPUT_TRAY parameter in the PRINT command to select the input tray from which the media is drawn for the print job.

For example:


$ PRINT /PARAMETERS=INPUT_TRAY=TOP MYFILE.PS

Some printers do not support multiple input trays. If you specify /PARAMETERS=INPUT_TRAY on print jobs for these types of printers, your print job is terminated and the following message is displayed:


NOINPTRAY, INPUT_TRAY selection not supported for printer-name

Selecting the wrong input tray with certain printers terminates the print job. When you specify an input tray that is not supported by the printer, the following error message is displayed:


INTRAYNOTSUP, No tray-name on printer-name

Some printers have optional input trays. If you specify an optional input tray that is not currently available on the printer, the job is terminated and the following error message is displayed:


INTRAYNOTAVL, No tray-name is installed on printer-name

3.1.1 Specifying the Type of Media

Use the INPUT_TRAY parameter to specify an input tray that has the required media loaded in the tray.

You can also specify a paper size with the SHEET_SIZE or PAGE_SIZE parameter.

For example:


$ PRINT /QUEUE=PS40$A14 /PARAMETERS=(SHEET_SIZE=A4,INPUT_TRAY=TOP) FILE.PS

If you specify both the input tray and the paper size, the specified input tray must contain the requested paper size for the job to print, or the print job is terminated and the following error message is displayed:


SIZNOTRAY, paper-size size medium is not in the tray-name tray in printer-name

For example:


SIZNOTRAY, A4 size medium is not in the TOP tray in PS40$A14 

3.1.2 Selecting Manual Feed

To select the manual feed slot, use the parameter INPUT_TRAY=MANUAL_FEED. You must also specify the paper size with the SHEET_SIZE or PAGE_SIZE parameter. For example:


$ PRINT /QUEUE=PS40$A14 /PARAMETERS=(SHEET_SIZE=A4,INPUT_TRAY=MANUAL_FEED) FILE.PS

If you omit the page size from a print job that specified manual feed, your print job terminates and the following error message is displayed:


NO_SHEET_SIZE, Sheet_size must be specified for Manual_Feed 

When you specify manual feed, job separation pages are printed on the paper that is loaded in the printer's default input tray. Then the input tray is changed to MANUAL_FEED for printing the file.

3.1.3 Using the Envelope Feeder

You must specify the paper size with the SHEET_SIZE or PAGE_SIZE parameter when you specify the ENVELOPE_FEEDER input tray. Otherwise, your print job terminates and the following message is displayed:


NO_SHEET_SIZE, Sheet_size must be specified for Envelope_Feeder 

3.2 Selecting the Output Tray

Some PostScript printers have multiple output trays.

You can list the output trays available with your type of printer by entering the HELP PRINT_PARAMETER OUTPUT_TRAY command and selecting the subtopic that describes your printer.

You can select the output tray for print jobs destined for these printers using the OUTPUT_TRAY parameter in the PRINT command.

For example:


$ PRINT /PARAMETERS=OUTPUT_TRAY=SIDE MYFILE.PS

If you select an unsupported output tray, the print job may be printed and sent to another output tray, and the following message displayed:


TRAYSUBST, Output will be delivered to the output-tray tray on printer-name

Alternatively, your print job may be terminated and the following message displayed:


NOOUTTRAY, OUTPUT_TRAY, tray-name, not supported on printer-name

Some printers have optional output trays. If you specify an optional output tray that is not currently available on the printer, your output will be directed to a similar tray if one exists. If there is no similar output tray, the job is terminated and the following error message is displayed:


OUTTRAYNOTAVL, No tray-name is installed on printer-name

3.2.1 Manually Selecting Output Trays

If you manually select the output trays on your printer, you cannot change trays with the OUTPUT_TRAY parameter. You must select the output tray by using the controls on the printer. Refer to the operator's guide to your printer for information about output tray selection.

If you specify the OUTPUT_TRAY parameter for this type of printer, be sure that the appropriate output tray is selected manually. Otherwise, the print job is terminated and the following message may be displayed:


OUTTRAYMISMATCH, Printer printer-name output tray setting does not 
match requested output-tray on printer-name


Part II
Advanced Printing Techniques

The following chapters explain advanced techniques you can use to produce custom documents.
This Chapter ... Explains How To ...
Chapter 4 Print PostScript files
Chapter 5 Print ANSI files
Chapter 6 Print DDIF image files
Chapter 7 Print PCL files
Chapter 8 Print Proprinter files
Chapter 9 Print with the LIST data type
Chapter 10 Use advanced page layouts
Chapter 11 Use layup
Chapter 12 Use forms
Chapter 13 Use setup modules
Chapter 14 Specify file separation pages
Chapter 15 Select finishing options
Chapter 16 Use error handler to debug problems
Chapter 17 Troubleshoot printing errors


Chapter 4
Printing PostScript Files

4.1 Printing Jobs with Multiple PostScript Files

The PostScript file created by your application modifies the state of the PostScript interpreter in the printer. The DECprint Supervisor software resets the printer state for each new print job, but not for each file in the print job. Therefore, files that are meant to be printed together, such as a data file with an application prologue or a font, will print successfully. But in a print job with a set of unrelated files, the state of the printer after completing printing of a file may adversely affect the printing of subsequent files.

This can cause PostScript errors and unexpected changes in the appearance of the printed documents. If you need to print multiple PostScript files, or multiple copies of a PostScript file, submit them using separate print jobs.

4.2 Printing Files that Contain Text and PostScript

DECprint Supervisor software can detect PostScript data after the text at the beginning of the file. This is useful for printing PostScript files sent to you by an electronic messaging system that places text in front of the PostScript file.

For example, if you receive a message in a software utility that creates ANSI text, and that message includes a PostScript file, you can print the file without specifying the data type.

4.3 Printing Files Created on Other Operating Systems

When creating PostScript files on systems running other operating systems for eventual printing through DECprint Supervisor for OpenVMS software, you should keep the following points in mind:

  1. Use of Printer-Specific Code
    Windows and Macintosh printer drivers often create PostScript code that is specific to a printer and to the set of printer options for which you configured the driver (for example, printer brand and model, trays available, whether the printer can perform duplex printing, how much memory is available in the printer, etc.). If you later attempt to print such a file on a different type of printer or a printer with a different set of options, the file may not print correctly.
    Try to create a file that is specific to the printer and printer options that you ultimately intend to use. Alternatively, attempt to select a generic printer, optimized for portability, with few options, to increase your chances of being able to print the file on multiple printer configurations. (Also see Section 4.5.)
  2. Use of Feature-Specific PostScript Code
    Windows and Macintosh applications and printer drivers often create PostScript code that is specific to a set of printer features that you select when you create the file (for example, which tray to use, the number of uncollated copies, simplex or duplex, etc.). When your PostScript file contains explicit requests for such features, the corresponding DCPS parameters (for example, INPUT_TRAY, OUTPUT_TRAY, SHEET_COUNT, SIDES, etc.) have no impact on your print job.
    If your application and printer driver allow you to default certain settings (for example, the input tray) to the current printer setting, do so and then specify the desired setting using a DCPS parameter. Otherwise, use your application or driver to specify the feature and omit the corresponding DCPS parameter.
  3. Assumptions about Printer-Specific Setup
    The physical setup of a printer can vary from printer to printer, and over time. For example, you might create a PostScript file to print to the top input tray because you know that the top tray on your printer contains yellow paper and you want to print on yellow paper. However, if you then send the file to another printer of the same brand and model, or even the same printer at a later date, the top tray may contain other media.
    For printer features that DCPS does not allow you to specify and that your application and printer driver also do not allow you to specify (for example, media type), verify that the physical setup of the target printer is as you desire before sending your file to it. If not, you may have to recreate the file for the reasons given in items number 1 and 2 above.

4.4 Creating Printer-Specific PostScript Documents

Each model of PostScript printer recognizes some unique operators that are not part of the standard PostScript language. The PostScript extensions for each PostScript printer may be described in the printer owner's manual.

Many commercial applications, and printer drivers on PC and Macintosh systems, allow you to specify printer features that depend on printer-specific extensions (see Section 4.3). For example, you can create a PostScript file that requires the use of the top input tray on a particular printer. If you try to print the file on another type of printer, the file may print from a different tray, or may even fail to print.

4.5 Creating Portable PostScript Documents

To create documents that are independent of printer type, make sure the application that you use to create the PostScript file has printer setup options that do not conflict with the PRINT parameters that you specify with the DECprint Supervisor for OpenVMS software. Use option settings to ensure that your PostScript document is as portable as possible.

To ensure that your application creates documents that are printable on the widest variety of printers, select "printer's default" for all printer-specific options such as input and output trays. Or, select a generic printer or one without duplex printing or multiple input trays. Then, choose the feature in your application that allows you to print to a file.

4.6 Resolving Unrecognized PostScript Operator Errors

If you try to print a file that contains a PostScript extension operator that is not defined in your printer, you get the following error message:


%DCPS-W-UNDEF, undefined: Name not known - offending command is operator

Operator is the PostScript extension operator that is not recognized by the printer.

You may be able to resolve this problem by doing the following:

  1. Re-create the PostScript file from the application. Examine the print setup options and disable any options that are not generic to all PostScript printers (see Section 4.5).
  2. If you must print the PostScript file that fails, see Section 4.7 for information about modifying the print job.


Previous Next Contents Index