DCPS support on Xerox MFD

[andrew h lee]

I have hp printer queues that work fine with DCPS, I recently try to create queue for Xerox MFD (430?) printer by the same procedure, however the print entry stays in "starting" mode forever.

Any hope in getting Xerox printer to work with DCPS? I have I64 VMS 8.2 and here is the script in my DCPS$statup.com

$ @sys$startup:dcps$execution_queue -
Qname -
"ip_rawtcp/x.x.x.x:9100" -
DCPS_LIB -
"data=auto=PS"- ! I tried "auto=ansi" too
"/separate=(notrail,noburst,noflag)"-
""-
""-
""

Thanks!

[Chaim Budnick]

I imagine that this printer is not able to or not configured for bi-directional communication, which as I recall is a prerequisit for DCPS.

Have you tried uing a TELENET queue?

Chaim

[Ian Miller.]

have you checked that port number 9100 or tried nosync logical?
http://h71000.www7.hp.com/doc/82final/dcps_rn/dcpsnnn_release_notes_001.html#sec_bad_port

Does that printer support LPD instead?

[andrew h lee]

lpd can't match DCPS's features. I can only print simple text file, but nothing fancy.

[Galen Tackett]

Andrew,

You might also want to check out PrintKit by Northlake Software. When I was at Raytheon we used it successfully with a Xerox Phaser printer and found it pretty easy and quick to set up, for our simple configuration at least.

You can get a free trial version at their website:
http://www.nls.com/products/products.html?con=/products/products_content.html

or alternatively via TinyURL:
http://tinyurl.com/5uoma

(I don't have any connection with Northlake Software.)

[Ian Miller.]

I mentioned LPD has DCPS now has LPD support. It does have limitations however. You can check that the printer is listening on port 9100 by stopping the queue and using telnet to connect to port 9100.

[Galen Tackett]

Andrew,

I forgot to mention that PrintKit can do pretty much anything that DCPS can.

Galen

[andrew h lee]

Ian, the port 9100 is good for telnet. I was able to "type" directly to the printer. So there should be no communication problem. I think the xerox printer can't handle DCPS library, or the dcps is expecting something from the printer, causing a hang.

Regarding the LPD, I have create a queue using tcpip$lprsetup, I can print simple text, but no control on formating at all. Ian, do you mean I can link DCPS to this queue?

Thanks for info about PrintKit, but we like to stay with HP software.

[Ian Miller.]

Are there any operator messages from DCPS that indicate that the printer is unrecogised or that there is another problem?

The current version of DCPS supports LPD as well as the usual TCP communications. See
http://h71000.www7.hp.com/doc/dcps24.html
However you are better off using TCP if you can.

[Jan van den Ende]

Andrew,



Regarding the LPD, I have create a queue using tcpip$lprsetup, I can print simple text, but no control on formating at all.


Well, this is more or less, but not completely, true.

_IF_ you pre-process your file to _INCLUDE_ the controls _IN_ the file, then it will work.
If you are trying to use the standard VMS que setup modules,
then you are out of luck.
LPD is too stupid to recognise the concept of job streams, and treats each file as a separate job.
So, using LPD, the VMS queue sends a setup module.
that is "printed" ie, set up printer is executed.
End of this file ( = job): _RESET_ printer.
Next file ( = next job) Datafile: printed in default printer setup.
Etc.
In contrast, TELNETSYM opens a connection, and maintains control of the printer until VMS job_STREAM_ finishes. Result: setup modules are honored in the printed output.

That is just the way the LPD/LPR was made...

Proost.

Have one on me.

Jan

[Ian Miller.]

can can partially workaround the limitations of LPD using relay queues but you are better off not using LPD.

Is it possible to connect to the printer (telnet or http) and workout what it is doing .

[andrew h lee]

- Ian, there is no message in the operator log, just time stamps.

- Jan, thanks for the analysis.

- Ian, both telnet & http works thru port 9100 & 80 respectively, but I am still working on why the printer & DCPS not communicating.