Compaq DECprint Supervisor (DCPS) for OpenVMS
User's Guide
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Appendix B
PRINT Command Qualifiers

With the DECprint Supervisor, you can print files on PostScript printers using the OpenVMS PRINT command. The PRINT command qualifiers are documented in this appendix and in the OpenVMS DCL Dictionary.

Table B-1 lists the PRINT command qualifiers and describes the functions of the qualifiers.

Several qualifiers apply only to print jobs for ANSI files; if you supply this type of qualifier on a PRINT command line for printing non-ANSI files, the qualifier is ignored and the file is printed.

Table B-1 PRINT Command Qualifiers
Qualifier Description
/[NO]AFTER Indicates the print job will be held in the queue until the specified time.
/[NO]BACKUP Selects files for printing based on their last backup date and time.
/[NO]BEFORE Specifies a date and time for the file selection qualifiers (/BACKUP, /CREATED, /EXPIRED, or /MODIFIED) and selects files with dates before the specified date and time.
/[NO]BURST Controls file burst pages.
/[NO]BY_OWNER Selects files to print based on the user identification code (UIC).
/CHARACTERISTICS Specifies printer characteristics for the print job.
/[NO]CONFIRM Prompts you for each file in the print job.
/COPIES Specifies the number of copies of the file to print.
/[NO]CREATED Selects files for printing based on the file creation date and time.
/[NO]DELETE Deletes the print files automatically after the print job has been processed.
/[NO]EXCLUDE Excludes a file or files from a print job.
/[NO]EXPIRED Selects files for printing based on the file expiration date and time.
/[NO]FEED Controls whether form feed characters are inserted at the end of pages.
/[NO]FLAG Controls file flag pages.
/FORM Specifies a form type whose characteristics will be applied to the print job.
/[NO]HEADER Prints a header line at the top of each printed page.
/[NO]HOLD Holds the print job until specifically released with SET ENTRY/RELEASE.
/[NO]IDENTIFY Displays the print queue and print job number on your terminal when the print job is submitted.
/JOB_COUNT Specifies the number of times to print the job.
/[NO]LOWERCASE Specifies printing on a printer with lowercase printing capability.
/[NO]MODIFIED Selects files for printing based on the date and time the file was last modified.
/NAME Specifies a print job name.
/NOTE Specifies a message to print on job separation pages.
/[NO]NOTIFY Sends messages to your terminal when the print job starts and ends and when printer errors occur.
/OPERATOR Sends the specified message to the operator when the print job is started.
/PAGES Specifies a range of pages in the print job to print.
/PARAMETERS Specifies one or more PRINT parameters for controlling the print job.
/[NO]PASSALL Specifies whether to bypass DECprint Supervisor formatting of output.
/PRIORITY Specifies a priority for the print job.
/QUEUE Specifies the print queue for the print job.
/REMOTE Creates a print job on a remote node in the network.
/[NO]RESTART Enables the print job to be restarted after it has been interrupted.
/RETAIN Specifies the circumstances under which you want your jobs to be retained in a queue.
/SETUP Specifies a setup module to control printing of the print job.
/SINCE Specifies a date and time for the file selection qualifiers (/BACKUP, /CREATED, /EXPIRED, or /MODIFIED) and selects files with dates after the specified date and time.
/[NO]SPACE Controls double-spaced output.
/[NO]TRAILER Controls file trailer pages.
/USER Specifies the user name for the print job.

Each qualifier is described in more detail with examples on the following pages.

/AFTER=time

/NOAFTER (default)

Specifies a time at which the print job should be released from the queue and printed. Without this qualifier, a print job is printed immediately or as soon as a printer becomes available.

For example, the following print job will be started after 6:00 p.m.: 


$ PRINT/AFTER=18:00 FARM.DAT

/BACKUP

/NOBACKUP (default)

Selects files to print based on the time that the files were last backed up. Use this qualifier with the /BEFORE or /SINCE qualifier to specify the backup time. Other file selection qualifiers are /CREATED, /EXPIRED, and /MODIFIED. If /BEFORE or /SINCE is used without any file selection qualifier, the file creation time is used.

For example, the following print job includes only the files named GROTON that were backed up before March 20, 2002: 


$ PRINT/BACKUP/BEFORE=20-MAR-2002 GROTON.*

/BEFORE=time

/NOBEFORE (default)

Prints files dated before the specified time of file creation, backup, expiration, or modification. You can enter a keyword (TODAY, TOMORROW, or YESTERDAY) instead of a time. Use this qualifier with one of the following qualifiers to change the file selection mode:
/BACKUP Selects files based on the time they were last backed up.
/CREATED Selects files based on the file creation time. (This is the default if no file selection qualifier is included.)
/EXPIRED Selects files based on the file expiration time.
/MODIFIED Selects files based on the time the file was last modified.

If you omit the /BEFORE qualifier, the specified files are printed, regardless of file creation, backup, modification, or expiration times.

For example, to print only the files named GROTON that were created before March 23, 2002, use the following command: 


$ PRINT/CREATED/BEFORE=23-MAR-2002 GROTON.*

/BURST[=keyword]

/NOBURST (default)

Specifies file burst pages printed before each copy of each file. The keyword ALL prints a burst page before each file; the keyword ONE prints a burst page before the first file in the job. This qualifier does not affect job burst pages. Refer to the DECprint Supervisor for OpenVMS System Manager's Guide for more information about job separation pages.

For example, to include a burst page before GROTON.DAT but not before FARM.DAT, use the following command: 


$ PRINT GROTON.DAT/BURST FARM.DAT

/BY_OWNER=uic

/NOBY_OWNER (default)

Prints only files with the specified UIC (user identification code). The default action is to print files regardless of the UIC.

For example, to print the files named FARM.DAT that have the UIC [MACDONALD], use the following command: 


$ PRINT/BY_OWNER=[MACDONALD] FARM.DAT

/CHARACTERISTICS=characteristic

Prints files on a printer that has been defined with the specified characteristics. Use the SHOW QUEUE/FULL command to list the characteristics for the print queue.

For example, to print FARM.DAT on a printer with a characteristic defined as REDINK, use the following command: 


$ PRINT/CHARACTERISTICS=REDINK FARM.DAT

/CONFIRM

/NOCONFIRM (default)

Sends a confirmation prompt for each file, to which you can reply Yes or No to allow or disallow printing of that file. If you do not include this qualifier, you receive no prompts to confirm printing of each file in the request.

For example, to print files named GROTON with confirmation of each file, use the following command: 


$ PRINT/CONFIRM GROTON.*
PRINT DISK:[MACDONALD]GROTON.TXT.3 ? [NO]Y

/COPIES=n

Allows you to request multiple copies of a file. If you include this qualifier before the file specification, each file is printed n times. To obtain copies of a single file in a print job with multiple files, include this qualifier after the file specification. The default action if you do not include this qualifier is to print one copy of each file.

For example, to print two copies each of FARM.DAT and GROTON.DAT, use the following command: 


$ PRINT/COPIES=2 FARM.DAT,GROTON.DAT

When you use the /COPIES qualifier in a print job for DECprint Supervisor, the software must translate your file and transmit the file in PostScript form for each copy of the file that you request, if translation is required. This process increases the load on the computer system and can slow down your print job.

If you encounter problems when printing multiple copies of the files, use the /JOB_COUNT qualifier or separate PRINT commands to create a print job for each copy of the file.

/CREATED

/NOCREATED (default)

Selects files to print based on the file creation time. Use this qualifier with the /BEFORE or /SINCE qualifier to specify the time. Other file selection qualifiers are /BACKUP, /EXPIRED, and /MODIFIED. If /BEFORE or /SINCE is used without any file selection qualifier, the file creation time is used.

For example, to print only the files named FARM that were created after March 4, 2002, use the following command: 


$ PRINT/CREATED/AFTER=4-MAR-2002 FARM.*

/DELETE

/NODELETE (default)

Determines whether the system deletes the print file after printing. If you omit this qualifier, the default action is /NODELETE.

For example, to delete the file FARM.DAT after printing, use the the following command: 


$ PRINT/DELETE FARM.DAT

CAUTION
When you specify the /DELETE qualifier with the DECprint Supervisor software, the job controller always deletes the requested files, regardless of whether the print job was completed successfully.

For example, the following print job is not printed because the user entered an invalid SHEET_SIZE parameter (GREEN). Although the file is not printed, the job controller deletes the file. 


$ PRINT/DELETE/PARAMETERS=(SHEET_SIZE=GREEN) GROTON.TXT


Use the /DELETE qualifier with discretion.

/EXCLUDE=file-spec

/NOEXCLUDE (default)

Specifies files to be excluded from the print job (not printed with others that match the file specification). This qualifier is useful when wildcards are used in the file specification. The default action when you omit this qualifier is to print all files that match the file specification.

For example, to print all the files named FARM, except FARM.DAT, use the following command: 


$ PRINT/EXCLUDE=FARM.DAT FARM.*

/EXPIRED

/NOEXPIRED (default)

Selects files to print based on the file expiration time. Use this qualifier with the /BEFORE or /SINCE qualifier to specify the time. Other file selection qualifiers are /BACKUP, /CREATED, and /MODIFIED. If /BEFORE or /SINCE is used without any file selection qualifier, the file creation time is used.

For example, to print files named GROTON that are dated to expire before January 10, 2000, use the following command: 


$ PRINT/EXPIRED/BEFORE=10-JAN-2000 GROTON.*

/FEED

/NOFEED (default)

Controls whether form feed characters are inserted into the data stream when the bottom margin is reached. Use /NOFEED to specify no insertion of form feed characters into the print job. If you omit this qualifier, the default action is /FEED.

For example, to print FARM.DAT with form feed characters inserted at the bottom of each page, use the following command: 


$ PRINT/FEED FARM.DAT

/FLAG[=keyword]

/NOFLAG (default)

Controls printing of a file flag page preceding the file. The keyword ALL prints a file flag page before each copy of each file in the print job; the keyword ONE prints a file flag page before the first file in the print job. When you omit this qualifier, the default action is the action determined by the system manager for the queue. (This qualifier does not affect job flag pages. Refer to the DECprint Supervisor for OpenVMS System Manager's Guide for more information about job separation pages.)

For example, to print a flag page before each file in the print job, use the following command: 


$ PRINT/FLAG=ALL FARM.DAT,GROTON.DAT

/FORM=form-name

Specifies that your print job requires a form with a specific set of form characteristics, as described in Chapter 12. You can specify only form names that have been defined by the system manager.

If the stock type required for the form is not mounted, the print job is placed in a pending state and is released when the printer has the required stock type loaded.

For example, to print GROTON.RPT with form type SHORT$REPORT, use the following command: 


$ PRINT/FORM=SHORT$REPORT GROTON.RPT

/HEADER

/NOHEADER (default)

Prints a header line, with file name, page number, and file creation date, at every page break.

The header information is not inserted automatically; you must specify /HEADER to obtain header lines in the output. You can disable header line insertion using the /NOHEADER qualifier.

For example, to print FARM.DAT with header lines, use the following command: 


$ PRINT/HEADER FARM.DAT

/HOLD

/NOHOLD (default)

Specifies whether the print job should begin immediately or be held until a SET ENTRY/RELEASE command releases the job for printing. If you omit this qualifier, the print job is not held automatically.

To hold a print job until the SET ENTRY/RELEASE command releases the job, use the following command: 


$ PRINT/HOLD FARM.DAT

/IDENTIFY (default)

/NOIDENTIFY/

Specifies whether to display the print queue and print job's entry number when the print job is queued. /IDENTIFY is the default action.

For example, to suppress the display of the print queue and print job entry number when printing FARM.DAT, use the following command: 


$ PRINT/NOIDENTIFY FARM.DAT

/JOB_COUNT=n

Prints the job n times. The value of n is 1--255. If you omit this qualifier, one copy of the print job is printed. You can use the /COPIES qualifier to specify multiple copies of a specific file in the multiple-file print job.

For example, to print FARM.DAT followed by GROTON.DAT three times, use the following command: 


$ PRINT/JOB_COUNT=3 FARM.DAT,GROTON.DAT

When you use /JOB_COUNT in a print job for the DECprint Supervisor, the software must translate your file and transmit the file in PostScript form for each copy of the file that you request, if translation is required. This process increases the load on the computer system and can slow down your print job.

/LOWERCASE

/NOLOWERCASE (default)

Specifies that the print job requires lowercase printing. This qualifier does not apply to PostScript printers. If you include it in your print request, this qualifier is ignored and the print job is printed.

/MODIFIED

/NOMODIFIED (default)

Selects files for printing based on the time the file was last modified. Use this qualifier with the /BEFORE or /SINCE qualifier to specify the time. Other file selection qualifiers are /BACKUP, /CREATED, and /EXPIRED. If /BEFORE or /SINCE is used without any file selection qualifier, the file creation time is used.

For example, to print all the files named GROTON that were modified after March 19, 2002, use the following command: 


$ PRINT/MODIFIED/AFTER=19-MAR-2002 GROTON.*

/NAME=job-name

Specifies the print job's name, which is printed on the job separation pages. The job name can contain up to 39 alphanumeric characters. The default job name is the name of the first file in the print job.

For example, to print FARM.DAT with a job name AG_DATA, use the following command: 


$ PRINT/NAME=AG_DATA FARM.DAT

/NOTE=string

Specifies a message string of up to 255 characters to be printed on the job separation pages.

For example, to include a distribution location on the separation pages, use the following command: 


$ PRINT/NOTE="SEND TO SECOND FLOOR, BIN 7" FARM.DAT

/NOTIFY

/NONOTIFY (default)

Causes you to be notified when the job starts and finishes, and notifies you of errors that occur during the printing process and of messages returned by PostScript operators (such as print, pstack, =, and ==).

If you omit the /NOTIFY qualifier, the default action is not to display these print job messages.

For example, to ensure you are notified of print job status, use the following command: 


$ PRINT/NOTIFY FARM.DAT,GROTON.DAT

If you use Distributed Queuing Service (DQS) software to queue print jobs to a remote printer, /NOTIFY returns job start and finish messages that may or may not represent the actual time of starting and ending printing. DQS suppresses the display of printer error messages and other messages from the printer on the user's terminal.

/OPERATOR=string

Specifies a message string to be sent to the operator when the print job starts. The message can contain up to 255 characters. Include quotation marks around the message string.

For example, to send the distribution location to the operator's terminal, use the following command: 


$ PRINT/OPERATOR="FARM.DAT TO JONES" FARM.DAT

/PAGES=[lowlim,]uplim

Ignored by the DECprint Supervisor software. Use the PAGE_LIMIT parameter described in Section 1.7. If you include the /PAGES qualifier in a PRINT command to a PostScript printer, the qualifier is ignored and the print job is printed.

/PARAMETERS=parameter

Specifies values for the DECprint Supervisor printing features. The parameters are listed in Appendix C.

For example, to include the SIDES parameter to print on two sides of a sheet, use the following command: 


$ PRINT/PARAMETERS=SIDES=2 GROTON.DAT

/PASSALL

/NOPASSALL (default)

Maintains the original characteristics of the print job through printer processing, preventing /HEADER, margin processing, and tab emulation (described in Chapter 5). The /PASSALL qualifier does not prevent operations specified by the system manager with DEFINE/FORM/SETUP. If your print job uses a form definition, the form characteristics for that form type prevail. (Refer to Chapter 12 for more information.)

For example, to print the FARM.DAT file without the special processing described above, use the following command: 


$ PRINT/PASSALL FARM.DAT

/PRIORITY=n

Specifies a priority number to be assigned to the print job. You can use this qualifier to ensure that print jobs are printed in a specific order. The value of n is 0--255. To set this priority higher than the system value of MAXQUEPRI, you must have operator (OPER) privileges.

For example, to print FARM.DAT with a lower priority than GROTON.DAT, and ensure that GROTON is printed first, enter two PRINT commands, as shown: 


$ PRINT/PRIORITY=1 FARM.DAT
$ PRINT/PRIORITY=2 GROTON.DAT

/QUEUE=queue-name

Specifies a print queue for printing the job. You supply the name of the execution queue or generic queue for queue-name. If you omit this qualifier, the print job is placed in the SYS$PRINT default queue, defined by the system manager.

To list the print queues at your site, use the SHOW QUEUE command, as described in Section 2.2.

For example, to print FARM.DAT on the printer for queue PS$DUPLEX, use the following command: 


$ PRINT/QUEUE=PS$DUPLEX FARM.DAT

/REMOTE

Initiates a remote print request on another system.

When you include this qualifier, the file to be printed must exist on the remote node. You must include the host node name in the file specification portion of your print request. The file is queued on the default print queue (SYS$PRINT) of the other system and takes the printer characteristics defined for that system. The /QUEUE and /PARAMETERS qualifiers are ignored when you use the /REMOTE qualifier.

For example, to print GROTON.DAT on a printer on node AGRO::, use the following command: 


$ PRINT/REMOTE AGRO::[MACDONALD]GROTON.DAT

/RESTART

/NORESTART (default)

Requests that the print job be automatically restarted if the printer jams or stops.

A print job with multiple files or copies that depends on passing the PostScript parameters from one file to the next may not be restarted successfully. (See Section 1.5.)

Do not use /RESTART with printer jobs when you:

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