Printing with ddfa

[Dermot Beirne]

Hello,
I use ddfa for printing to non HP printers using tcp/ip. I have one recurring problem that I cannot fix. Every so often with random printers the printers are disabled because the device cannot be written to.

printer it_label_01 disabled since Dec 17 16:27 -
disabled by scheduler: can't open /dev/telnet/it_label_01

I usually have to recreate the device file using ddfa again. Does anyone know why this happens and how to fix/prevent it.
This is on Hpux 10.20
Thanks in advance.
Dermot

[Rodney Hills]

Dermot,

I checked back on some notes on ddfa and printer problems on hpux 10.20 (quite a while back) and the only thing I found was that the "ocd" programs occasionally disappearing.

Never resolved why. I guessed it might be network traffic or noise causing time outs.

Try increasing "telnet_timer" in the pcf file for the device and see if it improves.

HTH

-- Rod Hills

[Timothy P. Jackson]

Hi,
We use to use ddfa and now have moved on to use all network printing. Any way we had a lot of problems with this also. One thing we did find out is that in the /etc/ddfa/pcf file associated with your device. You might want to up your close_timer to 999999999. This is in seconds and the default is 5 seconds. If there is no activity in 5 seconds it closes the device. Give it a try, it can't hurt any thing.

Tim

[Armin Feller]

Hi Dermot,

please check if there is installed current lpspooler patch:

PHCO_27133 lpspool subsystem cumulative patch

Then see man page ddfa (7)

--- snip ---
Also, in order to reliably handle timing mark negotiations (and ensure
that files printing on a printer attached to a terminal server have
been completely flushed to that printer), the following line must be
added near the end of each printer interface script for printers
attached to a terminal server:

stty exta <&1 2>/dev/null

The printer interface scripts reside in the directory
/etc/lp/interface. The line must be added just prior to the final
exit command in each printer interface script.

If this line is not added as specified, the printing reliability of
printers attached to a terminal server is not guaranteed.
--- snip ---

Please configuration ddfa like the instructions told listed in the man page.

Best regards,
Armin