printer queue hung

[Todd McDaniel_1]

Hey,

I have a new printer that i have created and it seems to hang up. it isnt the first one that I have created but for some reason it wont print.

Here is the output I get.

==============================================
# lpstat
-3235 root priority 0 Aug 28 13:03 on
(standard input) 188 bytes

printer queue for

: waiting for queue to be enabled on xx.xx.xx.xx
===========================================


That last bit is what Im curious about. How to enable the queue???

[Rick Garland]

To enable the queue, 'enable

Also check it is accepting. If not, 'accept

[Todd McDaniel_1]

Both of those are already active.

[Rick Garland]

But your message says "waiting to be enabled"?

Check the print log files
/var/adm/lp/log

Should see some indication in there.

[Rick Garland]

Is this a remote printer?
If so, check to see if the printer queue on the remote server is enabled.

[MarkSyder]

Is this a remote printer? (The reference to an ip address suggests it is.) If so, perhaps it needs to be enabled on the remote box rather than the local one.

Mark Syder (like the drink but spelt different)

[Todd McDaniel_1]

Yes, all printers are remote. I should note that this same printer is already being used by another host with no issues.

Is there a different print queue for each remotely attached server?

[Rick Garland]

The answer to your question depends on how you configured it.

Are you using the same prt_name going to the same prt_queue on the same remote server?

What is different between this remote printer on hostA and the configuration of the remote printer on this host you are working on now?

[Zinky]

Todd,

Welcome back..

Where is your "remote printer" hosted and what is its OS? Is it hosted on a Windows (NT/2K/2003/Longhorn Beta) machine or another *NIX/Linux machine?

If on Windows:
Make sure the Windows admin has enabled UNIX Printing Services (aka LPD/LPR services) on the windows server it is hosted on.

If on a *NIX/Linux:
Make sure your HP-UX boxen is authorised to use (rlpdaemon) printing services on the "print server".

Hope this helps good sir.

NELSON@HopefullyTheSameShopThatUrWorking

[Zinky]

Or try recreating the queue if the print server hosting the printer is okay and can be used by other UNIX print clients..

Note however that this scheme is plagued with problems as we hav efound out. The best printing scheme is to always have UNIX print direct to the printer using the printer's native print/communications software as follows:

HPs -- JetDirect
QMS - CrownNet Software
Xerox - XPADMIN
LexMark - LexPrint Software

All these major printer vendors have a version fot HP-UX or any other *NIX and most Linux distros...

Hope this helps sir.

[Todd McDaniel_1]

The printer in question is already running and has no issues on the other UNIX host it is currently accepting requests from. I dont know what type of printer it is.

So far as my setup in my UNIX host. I created it and as I have any other printer I have setup. under printers and plotters > lp spooler > printers and plotters.

I do have to modify the config file /var/spool/lp/interface/(printer_name) to change rlp to rlp.hp for our configuration.

[Todd McDaniel_1]

Rick,

Q: Are you using the same prt_name going to the same prt_queue on the same remote server?

A: The printer name is different on my host in relation to the other host but the IP is the same.


Would that mess up the print queue?

[Rick Garland]

When you do 'lpstat -t' on the other HPUX host, it will display the prt_name, the queue name, and the remote server name for the particular printer.

When you go into SAM and 'printer & plotters --> lp spooler --> printer & plotters' and 'Add Remote Printer', you are using the same values as the lpstat output from the other host?

The rlp.hp config file. Any hardcoded values in it?

[Zinky]

You have not confirmed where the printer is "hosted"/"served"..

It really appears it is hosted from a Windows machine.. Have a quick check from whoever admins that box to see if the LPD/LPR service (aka UNIX Print services) is up and running ...

Have you checked lately if that "other" UNIX actually can still print? Maybe it is reporting the same :

: waiting for queue to be enabled on xx.xx.xx.xx
===========================================

message.

[Todd McDaniel_1]

Nelson,

No the other printer is fine.

Rick,

I didn't install it that way. I dont use JetDirect on this host and it isn't even installed on this host. I added it as a remote printer via the IP address.

[Zinky]

Todd,

Then simply recreate it... This was our only fix in the past which is a common problem with Windows-served printers.

Can you confirm that indeed this printer is served on a Windoze machine?

[MarkSyder]

Are you using DNS? Whenever I have this scenario, I print remote to raw on the printer name.

Mark

[Rick Garland]

The remote printer you define on hostA will goto the same print queue and same remote server and the remote printer you define on hostB.

You can make them different but this means that you have multiple print queues defined on the remote server for the same printer.

Example, on a WINS server you have a printer defined as prt_1. On HPUX hostA you define a remote printer PRT1 to go to the queue prt_1 on remote server WINS.

Do the same on HPUX hostB. The print queues on each of the HPUX systems will remain separate and the WINS will be the print queue manager for all incoming requests.

[Todd McDaniel_1]

Rick,

sorry I mistyped... you never referred to jetdirect I was thinking of somethign else.

I did add it as a remote printer...


LPstat -t on the other host shows:

==========================
printer 10_3 is idle. enabled since May 31 11:29
fence priority : 0
no entries


LPstat -t on my host shows: hmmm. I dont get a good output b/c i have quite a few print jobs at the moment from multiple printers running.

But the printer name isnt the same on my host.

===========================

[Rick Garland]

The printer name itself doesn't have to be the same, you could name them prtA on hostA and prtB on hostB. But you want them to go to the same remote printer defined on the remote server. Correct?

[Bill Hassell]

You wrote:

"I added it as a remote printer via the IP address"

There is a huge difference between a "remote" printer which is really another computer (like a PC or a Linux box) that really talks to the printer and 'shares' this printer, and a non-HP network printer where the LAN card appears to be a remote print server.

So when you added the printer using SAM, you had to supply 3 values and check a box. The 3 values are the local queue name , the remote printer's IP address, the internal name inside the LAN card for this prinbter and then check the BSD box. The internal name is documented in the LAN card's technical manual, and you must always select BSD printer except when the remote print server is another HP-UX box.

Delete the printer and add it back again using the 4 items mentioned above.

[Zinky]

Rick,

Am actually wondering how Messer Todd is printing? Is he printing Direct to the printer's print server card or NIC or is that printer served elsewhere?

The enterprise I am managing have around 2500 printers and we've avoided printservers (windows) and direct printing w/o the printer's software (ie. JetDirect, etc.)

Todd, is there a problem responding to this inquiry so others after you may be helped?

Danke!

[Zinky]

Thanks Bill!!

Now we're gettig somewhere!

[Todd McDaniel_1]

i will delete and recreate the printer. however, i cant do that till this evening since we have active print jobs running all day.

I will check back tomorrow and let you know what happened.

[Zinky]

And what syntax do you use to create this printer?

Note that certain printserver cards/printers are strict as to the name of the name of the remote queue IF one is printing direct remote (w/o Jetdirect/XPADMIN,etc..)

HP's like "AUTO" or "lp" as the name of the remote queue inside its printer server card (JetDirect EX or the Internal ones..) Other options are "text" or "raw".

Note that ALL printers with NIC's (aka Print Server Cards) have a subset of the UNIX "lpd/lpr" daemon as part of its OS... This is what allow UNIX/Linux machines to print "direct" w/o the need for JetDirect, etc. software to the printer...