HP OpenVMS Systems Documentation

HP DECprint Supervisor (DCPS) for OpenVMS
System Manager's Guide

This chapter provides management information about using DCPS with specific printers. Printer-specific information that might be of interest to general users is in the User's GuideUser's Guide rather than in this manual. The Release NotesRelease Notes may also contain additional printer-specific information.

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 3-2. If no port number is specified, 9100 is used.

10.1 Apple LaserWriter Plus Printer

The DCPS feature to load the module LPS$PERSISTENT_RESOURCES outside the PostScript server loop for desktop printers is not supported for the LaserWriter Plus.

10.2 Compaq Laser Printer LN16 and GENICOM microLaser 170

DCPS requires the printer's PERSONALITY be set to POSTSCRIPT. If the PERSONALITY is set to AUTO or PCL, DCPS jobs will remain in a Starting state and never print. This setting is in the printer console's CONFIG menu.

Setting the PERSONALITY to POSTSCRIPT will still allow PCL jobs coming from Windows PCs to print correctly.

10.2.2 LAT and AppleTalk Configuration

To create a LAT device for use by a DCPS queue, you can use either of the following sets of values for LATCP qualifiers:

• /NODE=nodename /PORT=PORT_1
• /SERVICE=service

where nodename is the printer's NIC nodename and service is the name of a valid service on the printer. These values can be obtained from the printer NIC's status page or by logging in to the NIC via Telnet or LAT. For example, this command shows the printer NIC's nodename to be PRQ_00001F:

    Local_4> show server
       NET16 Version V1.0/1(990126)           Uptime:                 23:17:07
       Hardware Addr: 00-50-27-00-00-1f       Name/Nodenum:      PRQ_00001F/ 0
       Ident String: NET16

To create a DCPS queue using AppleTalk, you must use a service name. You can use one of the default services, modify a default service or create your own. The following is an example of a service that can be used by both LAT and AppleTalk. In this example, DCPS_LN16 is the AppleTalk name.

    Local_4> list service dcps_ln16

    Service:  DCPS_LN16         Ident:  DCPS Compaq Laser Printer LN16
      Rating: N/A               Ports:  1
      Characteristics:          Queueing  Binary  Rtel  Connections  AppleTalk
                                Lat
      SOJ: <none>     EOJ: <none>
      Enabled Groups: 0

Create AppleTalk services with caution, as creating the same service name on more than one printer will result in multiple printers using the same AppleTalk name on your network.

Refer to the printer's Ethernet Network Interface Card (NIC) Reference Manual for more information about setting characteristics of printer services.

10.3 Compaq Laser Printer LN32 and LNM40; GENICOM Intelliprint mL, LN and microLaser Series

DCPS can print to these printers when the printer is in PostScript mode or automatic language-sensing mode. Make sure the INTERPRETER and FORMAT settings are set as described in Table 10-1. These values are set in the INTERFACE menu on the printer's console.

The factory default value for the printer's Delayed Output Close setting may cause DCPS queues to stall. The default value is OFF and is intended to improve performance by controlling how quickly the printer ends one job and starts another. However, if you also print from environments other than DCPS, this value may cause DCPS queues to stall. Therefore, if you also print from multiple environments, set the value to ON. If you print only from DCPS, you may leave the value of Delayed Output Close at OFF.

The setting for Delayed Output Close is found on the printer's console as DELAY OUT CLOSE in the NETWORK section of the INTERFACE menu. ^*

10.3.2 LAT and AppleTalk Configuration

When using TCPware with these printers, it is possible to receive numerous userdata messages on the screen and have the queue fail with an OPCOM message similar to the following:

  %%%%%%%%%%%  OPCOM  21-APR-1999 15:09:53.22  %%%%%%%%%%%
  Message from user SYSTEM on ZIPPY
  Queue LN32_RAW: %DCPS-F-EXQUOTA, process quota exceeded

This problem occurs when running TCPware V5.3-3 and network firmware V1.0/4 (990323). To avoid this problem, the system manager should perform one of the following steps:

• Issue the following TCPware commands:

  $ NETCU STOP /TCP
  $ NETCU START /TCP /NOPATH_MTU_DISCOVERY

• Upgrade TCPware to a version later than V5.3-3
• Apply TCPware patch kit DRIVERS_V533P020
• Upgrade the printer's network firmware

10.4 DIGITAL Colorwriter LSR 2000 Printer

DCPS cannot communicate with the Colorwriter LSR 2000 via a Raw TCP/IP connection because the NIC does not support Raw TCP/IP communication.

DCPS can use LPD or AppleTalk to communicate with the Colorwriter LSR 2000 printer. If you use LPD to print to this printer, specify the internal queue name 'xjprint' when creating the queue.

10.5 DIGITAL DECcolorwriter 1000 Printer

You can use the files listed in the table below to alter the persistent state of the printer, affecting all subsequent jobs that the printer receives from your system and from other systems in the network until the printer is turned off and back on. The files are located in the SYS$COMMON:[SYSHLP.EXAMPLES.DCPS] directory.

Notes:

• When you send the DCW1000_DEVPARAM.PS file to the printer, the communications settings change and the queue hangs. You must STOP/RESET the queue and change the corresponding settings on the DECserver or other LAT device to which the printer is connected. Also, be sure that the printer is running in PostScript mode.
• By default, the DIP switches on the back of the printer are in the down position, indicating that the serial interface can be adjusted and that no color correction is set. The factory default is 9600 baud, 8 bits, and no parity. See the DECcolorwriter 1000 documentation for further information on how setup files and DIP switches interact.
• To check the current configuration of the printer, toggle DIP switch 4 from down to up, then to down (with the other three DIP switches in the down position). The printer prints a configuration page. Make sure that the printer is running in PostScript mode.

When using DCPS with the DEClaser 3500 printer with the optional serial port, the job may remain in a starting state. If this is the case, you must choose one of the following options:

1. Lock the printer to PostScript mode. (On the front panel: Serial, Printer Type = STD PostScript). Do not use the DCPS$queuename_NO_SYNC logical name. In this mode, native PCL is not available because the printer does not respond to PJL sequences. You should use the workaround described in Section 10.7.1 to force use of the PCL 4 translator.
2. Set the serial port language sensing mode to Automatic. (On the front panel: Serial, Printer Type = PS/PCL Sensing) and define the DCPS$queuename_NO_SYNC logical name as described in Section 3.5.3. In this mode, the printer responds to PJL sequences and switches to native PCL 5 or PostScript as indicated by the datastream.

The optional network card supports switching to native PCL; however, the protocol must be set to autosensing.

10.6.3 NIC Does Not Work with Raw TCP/IP

DCPS cannot communicate with the printer via a Raw TCP/IP connection because the NIC does not support bidirectional TCP/IP communication.

As an alternative, you can use LAT or LPD with the printer's NIC or connect the printer to a print server (for example, the Rapidprint 500) or a terminal server. If you use LPD to print to this printer, specify the internal queue name 'PORT1' when creating the queue.

10.7 DIGITAL DEClaser 5100 Printer

Because of a problem with the Network Interface Card (NIC), DCPS cannot switch the printer into native PCL when using the EtherTalk protocol. Users will see the error:

%DCPS-W-UNDEF, undefined: Name not known - offending command is <1B>
%DCPS-E-FLUSHING, Rest of Job (to EOJ) will be ignored

A partial workaround is possible by specifying a default print job parameter of PAGE_LIMIT=999999 for the queue when you create it in DCPS$STARTUP.COM. This parameter forces any PCL files to be printed through the PCL translator. Remember, though, that the PCL translator is PCL 4 rather than PCL 5.

10.7.2 NIC Does Not Work with Raw TCP/IP

DCPS cannot communicate with the printer via a Raw TCP/IP or LPD connection because the NIC does not support bidirectional TCP/IP or LPD communications.

As an alternative, you can connect the printer to a print server (for example, the Rapidprint 500) or a terminal server, or use a LAT connection instead.

10.7.3 Downloading and Deleting Fonts

You may download or delete fonts from the DEClaser 5100 printer's optional hard drive using the FONT_DOWNLOADER.COM procedure described in Appendix C.

10.7.4 Error Page Feature

The DEClaser 5100 printer has a feature that ejects the current sheet and then prints a PostScript Error information sheet when a PostScript interpreter error occurs. While this feature provides a powerful means for analyzing PostScript problems, it is not recommended for everyday use with the DCPS software for the following reasons:

• PostScript error pages are printed when a user enters DELETE/ENTRY to abort a print job.
• PostScript error pages are printed after a not ready condition is cleared (paper supplied, jam corrected, etc.) if a job was submitted on the serial port while the printer was not ready to print.

You should disable the feature called "Print Errors" through the DEClaser 5100 front panel before starting print queues with DCPS. Enable the feature only when you are interested in analyzing PostScript problems.

If a job fails to print because of a "limitcheck" error, check to see if "page protection required" is part of the error message. If so, the job failed because the printer could not compose the page fast enough to keep up with the printer's engine. Turning on the printer's page protection feature will probably fix the problem.

10.8 DIGITAL Laser Printer LN15+

The DIGITAL Laser Printer LN15+ is an upgrade to the DIGITAL Laser Printer LN15. References in the DCPS documentation to the DIGITAL Laser Printer LN15 also apply to the DIGITAL Laser Printer LN15+.

10.8.1 Printer Configuration Settings

DCPS requires certain LN15 printer characteristics to be set. If these values, described in Table 10-2, are not set, DCPS jobs will remain in a Starting state and never print.

The DIGITAL Laser Printer LN17+ps is an upgrade to the DIGITAL LN17ps printer. References in the DCPS documentation to the DIGITAL LN17ps printer also apply to the DIGITAL Laser Printer LN17+ps.

10.9.1 Job Remains in Starting State

If you use a Raw TCP/IP or LAT-connected LN17ps printer with DCPS, the associated DCPS print job may remain in a Starting state.

You must either set the Ethernet port to use the PostScript language and disable automatic language sensing, or define a DCPS$queuename_NO_SYNC logical name for the associated queue as described in Section 11.1.1.

• If all the print jobs that the printer receives from its Ethernet port come from DCPS, including PCL jobs that use the printer's native PCL 5e interpreter, do the following:
  Set the printer's Ethernet port System Language to PostScript and turn off Language Sensing. You change these settings from the interface menu on the printer console, as described in the LN17ps User Guide.
• If any of the print jobs that the printer receives from its Ethernet port do not contain PostScript data (for example, they contain PCL or ASCII data) and DCPS is not the source of such data, do the following:
  Enable Language Sensing on the the printer's Ethernet port. Define a DCPS$queuename_NO_SYNC logical name for the associated queue as described in Section 11.1.1.

If you use LPD to print to this printer, specify the internal queue name 'PASSTHRU' when creating the queue.

10.9.3 Incorrect Sheet Count

The sheet count reported on the job trailer page and in the OpenVMS accounting file may be several sheets too few due to a limitation with the LN17ps printer. There is no known workaround.

10.9.4 Downloading and Deleting Fonts

You may download or delete fonts from the LN17ps printer's optional hard drive using the FONT_DOWNLOADER.COM procedure described in Appendix C.

10.9.5 Colored Separator Pages and Tray Switching

The LN17ps can switch between input trays when a specified tray becomes empty. By default, tray switching is disabled. If you currently specify colored separator pages by using the DCPS$queuename_SEPARATOR_PAGE logical, you may want to ensure that tray switching is disabled.

You disable tray switching from the printer console, under the PostScript menu. See the LN17ps User Guide for more information.

Use one of the following PostScript tray numbers as the value of the DCPS$queuename_SEPARATOR_PAGE logical:

The sheet count reported on the job trailer page and in the OpenVMS accounting file is incorrect due to a limitation with the LN20 printer. There is no known workaround. The LN20 has, however, an accounting feature that can be used to track printer utilization.

10.11 DIGITAL Laser Printer LN40

The sheet count reported on the job trailer page and in the OpenVMS accounting file is incorrect due to a limitation with the LN40 printers. There is no known workaround. The LN40 has, however, an accounting feature that can be used to track printer utilization.

10.12 Compaq and DIGITAL Laser Printer LNC02

To use the LNC02 with the Raw TCP/IP protocol from DCPS, the printer must be running a minimum firmware version of System Release 1.1.1, Revision 3.11. This firmware version number is displayed on the printer's startup page.

10.12.2 Incorrect Sheet Count

The sheet count reported on the job trailer page and in the OpenVMS accounting file is incorrect due to a limitation with the LNC02 printer. There is no known workaround. The LNC02 has, however, an accounting feature that can be used to track printer utilization.

10.13 DIGITAL PrintServer 17 Printer

PrintServer Software, Version 5.0, adds input tray failover to the PrintServer 17 series printers. This feature allows the printer to automatically switch to another input tray containing the same size media when the current tray becomes empty. This feature is enabled by default.

If you currently use colored flag pages, you may want to disable this feature. To disable input tray failover, perform the following steps:

1. Edit LPS$SUPPORT:LPSDEFAULTS.<printer name>
2. Search for the /TraySwitch parameter:

   /TraySwitch true % Controls input tray failover. % false = disable % true = enable

3. Change the value of the TraySwitch parameter from "true" to "false". PostScript is case sensitive; the only valid values are "true" or "false".

   /TraySwitch false % Controls input tray failover. % false = disable % true = enable

4. Enable the changes by issuing the reconfigure command from the remote console facility.

   $ MCR LPS$CONSOLE <printer name> LPS> PRIV Password: <password> LPS> RECONFIG LPS> EXIT

To print to this printer over TCP/IP, use the Raw TCP protocol. The Direct Queue must also be enabled on the printer, which uses port 9101.

It is not possible to use the LPD protocol to this printer for DCPS print jobs. This restriction is expected to be lifted in future DCPS versions.

10.14.2 Problems Starting Queues

This printer does not respond to the DCPS synchronization request at the beginning of a job. Therefore, you must define the logical name DCPS$queuename_NO_SYNC before queues to this printer are started, or DCPS jobs will not start. See Section 11.1.1 for more information.

10.15 HP LaserJet IIID Printer

The DCPS$queuename_NO_SYNC logical name can be used to solve reported problems printing to HP LaserJet IIID printers with HP-supplied PostScript Level 2 cartridges. Those cartridges have a known problem where they corrupt status messages they send to a host. This can cause jobs to get stuck in the "starting" state when DCPS tries to use its synchronization sequence. See Section 3.5.3 for more information.