topic Re: Printing several files as one job in Operating System - Linux

Printing several files as one job

Slava Mushiyev — Fri, 09 Sep 2005 10:37:49 GMT

Hello,
Anyone can suggest how to print several files as one print job from HP-UX. The problem is I need to set different font size for each file.
Let's say I have two files that I need to print. I can use following:

lp -o font=thames-bold-italic-24 banner.txt
lp -o font=thames-12 users.txt

How to make sure those files printed one after another (no files sent by other users printed between them) ?

Thank you.

Re: Printing several files as one job

Alan Meyer_4 — Fri, 09 Sep 2005 10:48:19 GMT

I would put both those lines in a script file and execute the script.

It would not guarantee that no jobs would come between them, but the chances would be extremely remote.

Re: Printing several files as one job

Sanjay_6 — Fri, 09 Sep 2005 10:50:39 GMT

Hi,

Don't see how you can do that. There is always a possibility that another print job can get fired in between these two print jobs.

Why is it so improtant that these two print jobs be one after the other only without a remote possibility of another print job in between if there are fired one after the other.

Thanks
Sanjay

Re: Printing several files as one job

Mel Burslan — Fri, 09 Sep 2005 10:53:47 GMT

You can make use of priority switch by inserting a -p7 (7 being the highest priority) in your command lines. Unless someone else has the same trick up their sleeve, your jobs will take precedence over other jobs and will print one after the other, even passing the other jobs waiting in the queue to be printed.

Re: Printing several files as one job

Bill Hassell — Fri, 09 Sep 2005 13:03:58 GMT

The only possibility is to write a custom printer script to replace 'normal' printer script. In the /etc/lp/interface directory you'll find the printer scripts. Now the one you need to modify depends on whether the printer is connected with an HP JetDirect LAN card or directly connected to the computer with a serial or parallel cable.

For serial/parallel printers, the printer name is the file and you can edit the section that has the banner page details. For HP JetDirect printers, the printer script is in model.orig in the /etc/lp/interface directory. You can customize the banner page in that script. Make sure in both cases to turn on the banner page option so the script will activate that section.

Re: Printing several files as one job

Slava Mushiyev — Fri, 09 Sep 2005 14:01:35 GMT

Thanks everyone for your suggestions.