topic Re: lprsetup parameters to print to HP Laserjet in Operating System - OpenVMS

lprsetup parameters to print to HP Laserjet

timpckt — Mon, 07 Jun 2004 10:15:09 GMT

I need to print from OpenVms 7.2-1 on an alpha to Windows hosted printers (normaly HP Laserjets)

Using lprsetup I can create the queue and successfully print to a PDFwriter printer queue, on a Windows 2000 server, from both OpenVms and from a Windows 2000 client. So the basic setup works !!

When printing to a HP Laserjet 1012 (cheap USB printer being used a proof of concept) the prints go on the vms queue and then disappear.

The only way I can get a printout from a Windows client is by using the binary command line option.

I have tried all the advanced printing options on the Windows laser setup (RAW, IMP, TEXT etc type input formats but no improvement)

Looking at what other people have found, it would seem that I have to give the lprsetup some additional parameters that send it to the Windows print queue with the correct attributes (printcap in UNIX terms)

... an ideas or suggestions ?

I am a vms admin newbie, having used the vax for many years, now I have to take on an admin role...Help

Re: lprsetup parameters to print to HP Laserjet

Antoniov. — Mon, 07 Jun 2004 11:31:35 GMT

Mhm,
if you will print from OpenVms on a printer que served by windows 9x or win2k or winxp you have two choices:
a) create a client lpd queue on vms and configure server queue on win;
b) use server process pwprint on windows and client software on vms.
In 1.st case you have already created a client queue on vms but, perhaps, you haven't configured a server queue on windows.
However, I don't hint you use of lpr/lpd because windows doesn't accept neither control code neither line over 80 chars.
In 2.nd case you must buy pathwork32 and then install printer service on PC.
I used both solution and I prefer pwprint.
Now I'm searching my documentation about both solution, so I'll post more detailed info.

Antonio Vigliotti

Re: lprsetup parameters to print to HP Laserjet

Hakan Zanderau ( Anders — Mon, 07 Jun 2004 12:22:06 GMT

I assume you have setup a "remote" queue using lprsetup, right ?

In that case you need to check the parameters "rm" and "rp" in the printcapfile. (use lprsetup option "view")

:rm=ipadress or hostname of the PC:\
:rp=printershare on the PC:\

If you use ipadress make sure there is an
entry in the hosttable. LPD makes a hostlookup.

Re: lprsetup parameters to print to HP Laserjet

Hakan Zanderau ( Anders — Mon, 07 Jun 2004 12:34:21 GMT

One more thing......
Try "pausing" the PC-queue and then print
from VMS again. Does the job end up in the
PC-queue ??

Re: lprsetup parameters to print to HP Laserjet

timpckt — Mon, 07 Jun 2004 12:53:39 GMT

sorry, i didnt make it completely clear in my question

using lprsetup i have successfully created a queue that prints to a Windows hosted printer (a PDFwriter printer) this queue works... i can print from the vax, the job appears on the vax queue and then appears on the lpr queue and the pdf file appears on the windows PC...great !!

thus proving that the rp and rm entries are correct to access a remote queue. i had to make sure the there was an entry in the host file and the windows share name was in the same case as the rp entry. i managed to work that much out myself, then i go and try it with a real printer and it doesnt work... thus grabbing defeat from the jaws of victory

the help i am after is that this does not work for a hp laserjet although it is setup the same as the pdfwriter printer.

also i found that the laserjet will not work when printing using the windows lpr command unless i specify the "-ol" binary command line option. how do i do the same on the vax ?

in the lprsetup you can provide a number of optional parameters that ,i think, are sent to the remote printer.

other people must print from a vax to a windows hosted hp laserjet printer... did they get the lpr method to work ?

if so, did they use optional parameters or change the printer setup...HELP

thanks for the suggestion of using pathworks, i do not know anything about that product. our printing needs are very simple, just text reports and i am hoping that the lpr choice is the simple solution

Re: lprsetup parameters to print to HP Laserjet

Hakan Zanderau ( Anders — Mon, 07 Jun 2004 13:15:52 GMT

I'm a bit rusty regarding all parameters,
but I think you want /PASSALL

There is a logical

$ DEFINE/SYS/EXEC TCPIP$LPD_STREAM_PASSALL TRUE

Then restart the queue. All logicals are red
by the sysmbiont at image-activation.

Re: lprsetup parameters to print to HP Laserjet

timpckt — Mon, 07 Jun 2004 13:18:15 GMT

after pausing the queue on the win2000 server the vms submitted job DOES appear on the windows print queue

unfortunately a printout does not appear on the printer, it just disappears into the ether

as i said i tried changing the advanced printer settings on the printer within windows but none of them helped, even the setting the print processor to "text"

Re: lprsetup parameters to print to HP Laserjet

Hakan Zanderau ( Anders — Mon, 07 Jun 2004 13:31:59 GMT

Ok, if the PASSALL command or logical doesn't work. Pause the queue again and analyze the content of the received datafile on the PC.

/WINDOWS/System32/spool/something.SPL

every job gets two files .SPL and .SHD

Re: lprsetup parameters to print to HP Laserjet

timpckt — Mon, 07 Jun 2004 13:54:57 GMT

the PASSAL logical did not do anything ;-(

looking the windows spooler files
the .spl files contain the printout text and look good
the .shd appear to be binary and are a different sizes compared to coming from the vax or windows for the same file

the files are being created even when the printout does not physicaly appear

Re: lprsetup parameters to print to HP Laserjet

Hakan Zanderau ( Anders — Mon, 07 Jun 2004 14:23:47 GMT

Is it plain text in the .SPL ?

Is the printer a PS or PCL or both.
What driver is used ?

try changing "rp" to another printqueue with a different printer. Do we have a specific queue problem ?

Re: lprsetup parameters to print to HP Laserjet

timpckt — Mon, 07 Jun 2004 15:10:59 GMT

the spl file is plain text

when printing to a similarly setup pdfwriter ( print queuequeue it works fine from both a wms and a windows client

to start with , i searched the web and used this article to get me going

http://www-jerry.oit.duke.edu/dec/vms_remote_printing_readme.html

the particular paragraph that seems to point in the direction of my problem is:

===== start quote ===

In some cases (e.g. HP Laserjets,... :-( you may have to define additional printcap parameters. Basically, look at the printcap file on the machine it's connected to, or look at a printcap file on some UNIX box that's printing to it already (or to someone else running UCX and lpd) and TRY those definitions. It can be a real trip trying to figure it out!

===== end quote ===

is this just a red herring or do i need some other parameters to get a HP laserjet to work as a lpr ?

the pdfwriter works fine as an lpr with no extra parameters

Re: lprsetup parameters to print to HP Laserjet

Hakan Zanderau ( Anders — Mon, 07 Jun 2004 15:41:03 GMT

I don't think that (the quote) will help.

Hope you're not in a hurry.........
It's 22:30 in Sweden now.
I will download the HP Laserjet 1012 driver
tomorrow to see what happens if I send jobs
from VMS trough it.

Re: lprsetup parameters to print to HP Laserjet

Antoniov. — Tue, 08 Jun 2004 02:32:20 GMT

using lprsetup i have successfully created a queue that prints to a Windows hosted printer (a PDFwriter printer)

The PDFwriter is not a real printer queue. HP Laserjet need more detailed info to print and you'll meet a few trouble to solve.
1.HP LJ has PS and PCL standard; using PCL (PCL5, PCL5e or PCL6) you must start print with start print control code that's E (escape followed by uppercase E).
2.HP LJ driver on windows accept only windows image format (EMF); most common LJ printers have a DOS based driver: you need install DOS driver on PC, becuase lpr/lpd (called unix printer service in windows) require a RAW format;
3.In windows printer queue you have to select RAW format instead EMF; this means you have to format layout before sending data to print (this means your application have to write usign PS or PCL code)
4.The prior requirements, need PASSALL quilifier as posted by Hakan.

if you will understand how file are printed on windows queue make a text file beginning E, followed by text and ended by form-feed. Then print it, could start (if you have installed DOS driver).

Antonio Vigliotti

Re: lprsetup parameters to print to HP Laserjet

Anton van Ruitenbeek — Tue, 08 Jun 2004 03:25:34 GMT

Timpckt,

Are you sure you want to use LPR ?
I know it's maybe a strange question, but in my opinion you must go to TCPIP$TELNETSYM.
For VMS printing, using printerlibrarys you got a problem using plain LPR. Main reason: LPR prints every setupmodule as a new print. So using librarys and setup modules every part is printed seperatly. Telnetsym opens a port (On HP this is 9100) and sends the job using all the library modules in correct sequence and after the job closes the port.

Setting up such a queue, it advisable to set op minimal 2 logicals:
TCPIP$TELNETSYM_RAW_TCP = "TRUE"
TCPIP$TELNETSYM_SUPPRESS_FORMFEEDS = "35"

Advisable is to move the logfiles of the systemdisk:
TCPIP$TELNETSYM_SCRATCH = ":[TELNETSYM]"

Keep the logfiles small, so after testing set the logicals:
TCPIP$TELNETSYM_LOG_KEEP = "3"
TCPIP$TELNETSYM_NO_OPCOM = "TRUE"

A typical queue can be set op as:
Printer queue , idle on ::":9100" mounted form default
/AUTOSTART_ON=(,<...>)/BASE_PRIORITY=4 /DEFAULT=(FEED,FORM=DEFAULT) /LIBRARY=HP_PCL /PROCESSOR=TCPIP$TELNETSYM /SEPARATE=(RESET=(RESET))

Yes, we are using DNS names, so if these changes, we don't do anything.

We do have more then one flafour of printers. So per branche of printer (Nashua, OCE, HP, Digital, Kyocera) we do have a printerlibrary. The setupmodules are created in every library using general names. So all the printouts recardles of brache are the same .

AvR

Re: lprsetup parameters to print to HP Laserjet

Antoniov. — Tue, 08 Jun 2004 03:43:54 GMT

Anton,
I guess the problem is printer connected to PC via USB so it can't reachable directly with TCP/IP.
Major problem is not on vms but on windows that's not standard lpr/lpd!

Antonio Vigliotti

Re: lprsetup parameters to print to HP Laserjet

Hakan Zanderau ( Anders — Tue, 08 Jun 2004 03:46:04 GMT

YES, in this case I think LPR is the option.
HP Laserjet 1012 is connected to the PC using USB if I'm not all wrong.

I don't know much about this PDF-writer so I have two questions.....

(1) What kind of files do you want to print from VMS ?

(2) Is the PDF-writer a criteria for the VMS-files ?

Re: lprsetup parameters to print to HP Laserjet

Hakan Zanderau ( Anders — Tue, 08 Jun 2004 03:55:21 GMT

Using LPR/LPD to share queues between VMS and Windows is rarely a problem (my personal opinion).

I have setup a number of systems where all printjobs is sent through a Windows-server (using LPD) and the clients are VMS, UNIX.

Re: lprsetup parameters to print to HP Laserjet

Anton van Ruitenbeek — Tue, 08 Jun 2004 04:03:44 GMT

Maybe a wrong suggestion, but do you want to use the PC between ?
When using an external HP Jetdirect 175x (J6035C) the printer is at once for the whole network accessible ?
Whe got a lot of problems using Windows IP because Micro$oft is implementing not always the standards as they suppose to be ....

AvR

Re: lprsetup parameters to print to HP Laserjet

timpckt — Tue, 08 Jun 2004 10:51:28 GMT

being a vms admin newbie, with no real admin training ;-) and unaware of all the options and possabilities. i am open to suggestions. i am able to follow instructions and willing to try things as long as they are non-destructive

we will be moving to a new building soon and the current direct (parellal device LRA0) will not work with the new office layout. i am trying to prove if the new setup will work before i have to implement it

remote printing to new printers over tcpip will be the only practical option. the type of printers is not known at the moment, probably HP. the new printers will probably be network printers rather than printer shared by a windows server

the printouts are text file reports from an inventory db system. landscape and portrait printouts as seperate print queues or by the user changing the device directly

the lpr route works okay for the pdfwriter printer, which is great for creating electronic copies of the reports

the lpr route for the hp laserjet 1012 does not work, this may be because it is a USB device shared by a windows pc

thanks for you help so far, and i welcome your suggestions

Re: lprsetup parameters to print to HP Laserjet

Ian Miller. — Tue, 08 Jun 2004 11:45:37 GMT

have you read
http://forums1.itrc.hp.com/service/forums/questionanswer.do?threadId=466247
particularly the link to
http://h18000.www1.hp.com/support/asktima/dec_third_party/00999001-9AFF3077-1C007A.html
and my posting with attached notes