topic Re: LPD print to file? in Operating System - OpenVMS

LPD print to file?

Axel Parlow — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 13:29:04 GMT

Hello,
the goal is to print VMS output on an XEROX printer using "secure print" (printing on demand by entering PIN code). The idea is to put an LPD print file (which contains the needed username in its header) onto a Windows file share and let some Windows software do the processing. The question is how to get the file not printed but with the header to the file share. Any ideas?
Axel

Re: LPD print to file?

Hoff — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 13:45:45 GMT

http://labs.hoffmanlabs.com/node/1255
http://labs.hoffmanlabs.com/node/712
http://labs.hoffmanlabs.com/node/766

Easiest? Arguably, use EXECSYMB (referenced in most or all of the above) to get the file to a computer somewhere that supports IPP or related. Possibly with something as simple as a COPY /FTP, sftp, or such file transfer operation.

Conceivably, a remote relay queue could be used, too.

If you're inclined, create a symbiont that supports ipp, or whatever this unspecified Xerox printer uses. Or switch to a stack with ipp support.

Re: LPD print to file?

Robert Atkinson — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 06:47:59 GMT

I'd go for a TELNET relay queue, using PRINT/FLAG.

You can stop the target queue, then use a batch job to pick up the temporary relay file and do what you want with it.

It will contain all the usual VMS flag page info, including the username, etc.

Rob.

Re: LPD print to file?

Axel Parlow — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 09:09:57 GMT

Thanks for the hints. The problem is that the Windows processing software needs the file formatted as a LPD print file, so I assume I need the TCPIP$LPD_SMB to do this. But I have no idea to convince it to write to a file share instead of feeding a printer.

Re: LPD print to file?

Robert Atkinson — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 09:23:20 GMT

How about using the Windows 'Print To File' functionality when you create the queue. You can still use TELNET relay to create the flag page, LPD to send the file and get Windows to write it out to disk for you to pickup and process.

There's also commercial Windows LPD Daemons that will allow you write the file to disk, and manipulate it on the way, i.e. store LPD header info with the file. I can't remember what one I use off the top of my head - sorry.

Rob.

Re: LPD print to file?

Robert Atkinson — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 09:26:10 GMT

http://lpd.brooksnet.com/write-to-disk.html

Re: LPD print to file?

Hoff — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 12:07:44 GMT

Please determine what the unidentified Microsoft Windows and Xerox "secure print" software is, what software and configuration requirements exist, and what options are available to relay or to submit or to otherwise feed data into that software. None of these are OpenVMS-related details.

An alternative is to move to a submission path that generates whatever the Xerox printer requires here for this submission path; to configure and to operate direct printing on OpenVMS. To extricate the use of Windows from this print path. There are various vendor-specific protocols here, and there's stuff like IPP.

Re: LPD print to file?

Axel Parlow — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 10:39:41 GMT

Thanks again. It turns out that it is easier to just transfer the file (by copy/ftp). The processing on the Windows side is independent.

Re: LPD print to file?

Axel Parlow — Mon, 14 Sep 2009 07:54:11 GMT

Thread closed