Limiting Buffer thru put on Network Printing

[mcater]

Hi,
Using Jet i have setup a network printer from my HPUX 11 unix server.
It works fine.
Problem is if a large print goes thru, the printer buffer fills up and the print stops.
If you print from windows then it works - but then thats what windows was made for ;-)
Is there any value i can change to make the unix server only send small amounts of data at a time, rather than the entire print?

[RAC_1]

The problem may be from printer side. There is no such setting in hp-ux. Why the print requet stops may have many reasons. Did you check log file??

You can split the file with split command and then print as an alternative.

[mcater]

I got someone to look at printer and its lcd says something like buffer full.
Unix appears to get reply from printer saying it didnt receive everything so sends again.
Log file just shows lots of start/ends.
Small files work ok, but the very large ones fail.
Im assuming its because the printer doesnt have enough buffer. The fact that it works ok from windows server located in same area at the unix server - to me - indicates network is ok?

[mcater]

also the print is requested via application so not sure how i could use the split commmand

[Eric Antunes]

Hi Mark,

You can try it with jetadmin:

#jetadmin

Here select the printer name or IP and the following options:

3) Administration (super-user only):
1) Color LaserJet 4500 Remote Configuration Utility
4) Input/Output Configuration

If you don't have jetadmin, install it.

Best Regards,

Eric Antunes

[mcater]

i have jet but not jetadmin ( not sure what the difference is)
Could you check for me and see if it gives the option to limit the amount of data thet goes thru.

[Eric Antunes]

Hi Mark,

After choosing option "4) Input/Output Configuration", you can define the buffering size options:

1) I/O Buffering..............[Auto]
Maximum IOBM Available.....[39833600]
2) I/O Buffering Size.........[102400]

I've just tried with a 100Mb job and the HP 4500 printer prints ok (just with 64Mb of memory).

But this depends of the printer: for the HP 9000's, I don't get those options...

Best Regards,

Eric Antunes

[Bill Hassell]

HP LaserJet printers do not stop when they get a buffer full. They accept data until there is no more space, then pause the network transactions. Most likely this is a setting issue such as TRUE-EOJ. However, there is no such command as "Jet" on HP-UX so someone must have installed special software for you. Or perhaps "Jet" is actually a script. Use this command:

type Jet

and see where this command is located. If the printer is connected directly to the LAN, you would use the command: hppi to configure the printer. All HP LaserJets work without any regards to buffer sizes in the printers. But there is a special handshake called TRUE-EOJ that is set by default in hppi that can cause problems and restart print jobs.

[mcater]

there is a link from jet to hppi - i should have been more speific.
I have had a look on the jet screen, particulary the modify printer, and cannot find mention of TRUE-OEJ.
Could could tell me what option turns it on/off

[Bill Hassell · Accepted solution]

When you start hppi, choose these items:

1) Spooler Administration
3) Modify existing spooler queue(s)
(type in your printer queue name)
4) Additional printer changes . . .
2) True End-of-Job [ON]

Select 2) True End-of-job and it will toggle [ON] to [OFF]. You might also turn off Job Recovery (option 1) to prevent reprinting a job that had an error. Or you can do all of this on one line:

/opt/hpnpl/bin/modifyqueue -q ljet_queue_name -r off -t off

That should clear up the problem.

[mcater]

I checked and it was already turned off.
I have turned it on to see if it makes a difference.
will report back tomorrow

[Mark Ellzey]

Mark,

You may have to add more memory to the printer itself. I should think that 64MB would be enough, but who knows? A lot of it depends on the type of print jobs you are sending to the printer.

You may also want to check your network parameters for the printer. A duplex or speed mismatch between the printer and the switch can wreak havoc with the printer.

Regards,
Mark