Printing an extra blank page

[Bob Bean]

I have an HP A-class server running HPUX 11i that is connected to several different serial printers (either LexMark 2380/2400 or Okidata 320/321/520). The printer interface file is exactly the same for each of the printers, and right now, they all display the same problem. When printing out reports from a program that is running, the printers will insert a blank page between each individual report. I had opened a case with HP and the fix that they had sent me did not work( The fix in question was to comment out a single line that was echoing a form feed). The command in the script that is producing this is:

lp -c $maildir/mail.mgr1/*

I have attached the /etc/lp/interface file that I am currently testing with. I have commented all the 'echo \o14\c' lines in the script. Any help or suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

[Mark Grant · Accepted solution]

well, HP's advice is what I would have suggested but looking through the interface file, it looks OK to me. The only think I would do, just to be safe is to strip all the ^M's off the end of the lines. I don't think it's an issue but it's worth removing.

Generally, I'd start looking elsewhere. Many printers automatically do a formfeed at the end of a print. This often needs to be turned off by configuring the printer itself according to it's manual.

I would also check the reports themselves. If you can print to a file and "vi" it, see if there is a ^L or funny characters at the end. If you can't print to a file, try disabling the printer with "disable . One will be a small file but the other will be the actual data you print. Again, see if there is anything funny at the end.

[James V. Ryan]

Just a quick check, have you stopped and restarted the spooler since you changed the printer script. The change to the printer script will NOT take effect until you do.

[Bob Bean]

Thanks Mark. The ^L characters were indeed the problem. We have turned this problem over to our programming department, as they are the ones who actually generate the reports.