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This chapter explains how to start up the printing system and test the printer.
Make sure the system queue manager is running before creating queues. |
If this is a new installation, you can use the startup template file to help you set up your queues. Copy the printer startup template file as follows:
$ COPY SYS$COMMON:[SYS$STARTUP]DCPS$STARTUP.TEMPLATE - SYS$COMMON:[SYS$STARTUP]DCPS$STARTUP.COM |
If you are upgrading from CPS to DCPS, convert your CPS$STARTUP.COM file as follows:
$ @SYS$STARTUP:CPS_TO_DCPS_STARTUP.COM |
Enter filename of CPS startup file to be converted;
Default filename is SYS$SYSROOT:[SYS$STARTUP]CPS$STARTUP.COM
[default]:
disk$manager:[cps_conversion]cps$startup.com
Enter filename of DCPS startup file to be created;
Default filename is SYS$SYSROOT:[SYS$STARTUP]DCPS$STARTUP.COM
[default]:
disk$manager:[cps_conversion]dcps$startup.com
Please read or run DIFFERENCES on the output file,
DISK$MANAGER:[CPS_CONVERSION]DCPS$STARTUP.COM,
to be sure the new file meets your needs.
|
The procedure creates a startup file that DECprint Supervisor recognizes, but does not change your existing queue definitions. If you need to add new queues, see Section 3.3
If you have a DCPS--Plus license
If your system has a DCPS--Plus license, then you have the automatic data type detection feature. Therefore, you no longer need to specify the data type as a queue default or in the PRINT command.
If you defined generic queues for default data types, edit
DCPS$STARTUP.COM and remove them.
3.3 Setting Up Execution Queues
You must create an execution queue for each PostScript printer. Execution queues schedule jobs for processing and deliver the print jobs to a printer. An execution queue is associated with a particular printer.
When you create an execution queue, you supply information about the queue, including its name and default parameters. Example 3-1 shows creation of an execution queue for a PrintServer printer. Example 3-2 shows creation of an execution queue for a serial printer. These commands are placed in DCPS$STARTUP.COM.
Configure your system so that required software is started before you start your execution queues. For example, for a networked printer, ensure that the corresponding TCP/IP, LAT, DECnet, AppleTalk, or PrintServer Supporting Host software is started first. Also, if you invoke DCPS$EXECUTION_QUEUE.COM directly, and neglect to add the same command to DCPS$STARTUP.COM, some DCPS queues may not work after your OpenVMS system reboots. |
| Example 3-1 Creation of an Execution Queue Entry for a PrintServer Printer |
|---|
$ @SYS$STARTUP:DCPS$EXECUTION_QUEUE - LPS20$BULL09 - ! P1 - Execution queue name "DECNET/BULL09" - ! P2 - Device name (PrintServer DECnet node name) DCPS_LIB - ! P3 - Logical name for your library search list "SIDES=2" - ! P4 - Defines a default queue parameter "" - ! P5 - Value to override/add to default qualifiers "" - ! P6 - Communication speed "" - ! P7 - Set device qualifier "" ! P8 - Verify on/off |
| Example 3-2 Creation of an Execution Queue Entry for a Serial Printer |
|---|
$ @SYS$STARTUP:DCPS$EXECUTION_QUEUE -
2UP - ! P1 - Execution queue name
"SERIAL/TTB4" - ! P2 - Device name
DCPS_LIB - ! P3 - Logical name for your library search list
"NUMBER_UP=2" - ! P4 - Defines a default queue parameter
"/DEFAULT=(FLAG,FORM=MYFORM,NOFEED)" -
! P5 - Value to override or add to default qualifiers
"" - ! P6 - Communication speed
"/SPOOL=(2UP,DISK1$:)" -
! P7 - Set device qualifier
"" ! P8 - Verify on/off
|
The following sections describe each item of information you need to
supply to DCPS$EXECUTION_QUEUE.COM.
3.3.1 Supplying the Name of the Execution Queue (P1)
An execution queue name can have 1-31 characters, including uppercase
and lowercase alphabetical characters, digits, the dollar sign ($), and
the underscore character (_). The queue name must include at least one
alphabetical character and cannot have intervening spaces.
3.3.2 Supplying the Printer Device Name (P2)
The printer device name specifies the interconnect and device used to access the printer, and the VMScluster member node on which it resides.
Specify the device name in the following format:
node::"interconnect/interconnect_specific_device_address" |
where:
| For ... | Specify ... |
|---|---|
| Printers that connect through raw TCP/IP sockets | IP_RAWTCP |
| Printers that connect directly or through LAT | SERIAL |
| PrintServer printers using CPAP protocol and DECnet | DECNET |
| PrintServer printers using CPAP protocol and TCP/IP | IP_CPAP |
| Printers that connect through EtherTalk and LocalTalk protocols | APPLETALK |
The following sections have specific instructions:
| For Printer using this interconnect... | See ... |
|---|---|
| IP_RAWTCP | Section 3.3.2.1 |
| Serial | Section 3.3.2.2 |
| IP_CPAP | Section 3.3.2.3 |
| DECnet | Section 3.3.2.4 |
| AppleTalk | Section 3.3.2.5 |
Enter the device information in the following format:
"IP_RAWTCP/address:port" |
where:
address is the IP address of your NIC, print server, or terminal server in either a named or numeric format.
port is the number of the raw TCP port for your network device. Check the documentation for your NIC, print server, or terminal server to determine what number to use. Table 3-1 shows the port numbers for some commonly-used devices.
| 20nn | DECserver terminal servers, where "nn" is the physical port number | |
| 2501 | DIGITAL LN17ps and DIGITAL Laser Printer LN17+ps | |
| 2501 | Emulex NICs | |
| 3001 | RapidPrint 500 print server | |
| 3001 | DIGITAL Laser Printer LN15 and LN15+ | |
| 6869 | DIGITAL Laser Printer LN20, LN40, and LNC02 | |
| 9100 | Compaq Laser Printer LN16 and LN32 | |
| 9100 | Hewlett-Packard JetDirect, XCD, and Lexmark NICs |
For example, a raw TCP/IP printer could be specified by either of the following:
"IP_RAWTCP/ln17ps.my.org:2501" "IP_RAWTCP/8.9.10.11:2501" |
If you specify the wrong port number for the printer, DCPS is unable to communicate with the printer. However, because the symptoms are no different than if the printer were busy, offline, etc., you do not receive any indication that the port number is illegal. |
Use the following format for serial printers:
| If Your Serial Printer Is On... | Use This Format ... | Where ... |
|---|---|---|
| A local serial line | "SERIAL/T xyn" | x is the printer type code, y is the controller name, and n is the host system unit number. |
| A LAT port | "SERIAL/LTA n" | n is the host system unit number. |
The SET TERMINAL and SET DEVICE commands translate the name of the printer for serial printers. To prevent the commands from translating the printer name, prefix the printer name with an underscore (_). |
Enter the device information in the following format:
"IP_CPAP/address" |
where address is the IP address of your DIGITAL PrintServer printer in either a named or numeric format.
For example, a PrintServer TCP/IP node could be specified by either of the following:
"IP_CPAP/garmnd.dsg.dec.com" "IP_CPAP/16.128.144.11" |
Enter the device information in the following format:
"DECNET/nodename" |
where nodename is the DECnet node name of your DIGITAL PrintServer printer.
For example, a PrintServer DECnet node could be specified by:
"DECNET/GARMND" |
You can include printers in your printing system that are connected to an AppleTalk network. To make an AppleTalk printer a network sharable device, the PATHWORKS AppleTalk for VMS software component must be running on the same node that is running the DCPS queue.
The configuration of this type of network is described in the PATHWORKS for VMS (Macintosh) Introduction to the AppleTalk Network System manual.
Enter the device information in the following format:
"APPLETALK/printername@zone@type" |
where:
When only printername is required, the information provided for P2 would be just "APPLETALK/printername".
For example, an AppleTalk printer could be specified by any of the following:
"APPLETALK/Paul's Printer" "APPLETALK/Paul's Printer@MRO" "APPLETALK/Paul's Printer@MRO@LaserWriter" |
The name of the standard device control library is DCPS$DEVCTL. This is
the default library name if this parameter is blank. Refer to
Chapter 7 for more information about creating device control
libraries and defining the device control library logical name.
3.3.4 Assigning Default PRINT Command Parameters to the Queue (P4)
You can specify default PRINT command parameters to associate with the queue. Any PRINT parameter can be associated by default with a queue. Default PRINT parameters are used when the print job prints on the specified queue, unless the user specifies different parameter values in the PRINT command line. The parameter values specified in the PRINT command line override the default queue parameters.
Place quotes around default PRINT parameters, as shown in the following example:
$ @SYS$STARTUP:DCPS$EXECUTION_QUEUE - 2UP - ! P1 - Execution queue name "SERIAL/TTB4" - ! P2 - Device name DCPS_LIB - ! P3 - Logical name for your library search list "NUMBER_UP=2" ! P4 - Defines a default queue parameter |
How DECprint Supervisor Prioritizes PRINT Parameters
Parameters set by the /PARAMETERS qualifier of the PRINT command override any defaults set for the queue. DECprint Supervisor uses default values for parameters, from highest to lowest priority, as follows:
Some parameter values are controlled by the printer hardware and can be
set through means other than the DECprint Supervisor software. DIGITAL
PrintServer printers are affected by the PrintServer Software. Other
printers are controlled through the printer control panel or switches.
3.3.5 Supplying Default Queue Attributes (P5)
You can supply a value to override or add to the default queue attributes. Do not use the INITIALIZE/QUEUE command to set these qualifiers. Enter them into the queue definition instead.
By default, the printer startup command procedure creates print queues with the following INITIALIZE/QUEUE qualifier settings:
/DEFAULT=(FORM=MYFORM,NOFEED) |
If you include more than one qualifier in the queue definition, enclose the values in quotation marks. |
You can set the communications speed for serial printers attached
directly to your OpenVMS system. If this parameter is blank, the
default is 9600 baud. To change the speed, replace the null string
("") with a value, such as "19200". For printers
that utilize network connections, this parameter is ignored.
3.3.7 Supplying SET DEVICE Qualifiers to the Queue (P7)
You can specify the SET DEVICE command qualifiers for this queue. For example, to enable error logging, include the following string:
"/ERROR_LOGGING" |
Now, all error messages reported by the printer are recorded in the error log file, SYS$ERRORLOG:ERRLOG.SYS. You can read this file using the ANALYZE/ERROR command.
This parameter is valid for serial printers only.
3.3.8 Enabling SET VERIFY when Initializing the Queue (P8)
You can specify the setting of the SET VERIFY command for the DCPS$EXECUTION_QUEUE.COM command procedure. The default setting is NOVERIFY, to save log file space and console log space. If P8 contains 1, then SET VERIFY is enabled, which is useful for diagnosing problems in the printer startup file. (Refer to the OpenVMS DCL Dictionary for more information about the SET [NO]VERIFY command.)
¹ These settings depend on the setting of the printer's PostScript interpreter. |
3.4 Customizing Execution Queue Behavior
You can alter the behavior of DCPS print symbionts and their
corresponding execution queues in a number of ways, several of which
are described in this section. Other options are listed in
Appendix B, along with general guidelines for making the changes.
Some customizations apply to all DCPS queues while others apply only to
queues that you specify.
3.4.1 Running DCPS as a Multistreamed Process
A DCPS symbiont is capable of running as a multistreamed process. As a multistreamed symbiont process, one DCPS process can run more than one DCPS execution queue. A new DCPS process is not started every time a DCPS print queue is started, but only when all current processes are supporting a specified maximum number of queues ("streams"). The number of queues that a DCPS symbiont process will support is determined by the value of the logical DCPS$MAX_STREAMS when the process is started.
DCPS can be configured to support up to 32 execution queues per DCPS symbiont process. The logical DCPS$MAX_STREAMS is used to specify the number of queues per DCPS symbiont process. To define this logical, specify the following command in your DCPS$STARTUP.COM file (a template is provided in DCPS$STARTUP.TEMPLATE) and substitute the number of queues per process to use. If this logical is not defined, a DCPS process will support only one (1) execution queue.
$ DEFINE/SYSTEM/EXECUTIVE DCPS$MAX_STREAMS max-number |
Execute your DCPS$STARTUP.COM file to enable this logical and start your queues with DCPS as a multistreamed process.
A DCPS process terminates only when all queues associated with the process are stopped.
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