DESPOOLER.CONTROL File Maintenance
DESPOOLER.CONTROL File Maintenance enables you to create, change, and delete Despooler definition items in the DESPOOLER.CONTROL file in SYSFILES. You can also invoke this function by entering the DSM command at the TCL prompt.
Despooler Maintenance Menu
When you select option 2 from the SPM menu, the system displays the Despooler maintenance menu as follows:
D E S P O O L E R . C O N T R O L F I L E M A I N T E N A N C E ------------------------------------------------------------------- Despooler name > 1 Device Type : 2 Device Name : 3 Printer Ind. Id : 4 Translation Table # : 5 Prologue : 6 Description : 7 Location : Process # : Status : Job being processed : 8 Assigned Formqueue :
Despooler name prompt
At the Despooler name prompt:
Despooler name >
you enter the name of the Despooler. The system displays the Despooler definition's current settings. For example, entering MYDESP may display a screen similar to that shown below.
If the Despooler is new, the system displays the settings from the DEFAULT item with the Despooler maintenance prompt.
To see a sorted list of all current Despooler definition items, enter a question mark (?).
To exit from this menu when the cursor is at the Despooler name prompt, press RETURN only.
D E S P O O L E R . C O N T R O L F I L E M A I N T E N A N C E ------------------------------------------------------------------- Despooler name > MYDESP 1 Device Type :PTR 2 Device Name :none 3 Printer Ind. Id :none 4 Translation Table # :none 5 Prologue :none 6 Description :DEFAULT 7 Location :none Process # :none Status :No Process Job being processed :none 8 Assigned Formqueue :0 Enter option# (1-8) to change; EX to exit; FI to file; FD to delete :
Network DSM menu
If the Despooler is configured with a network device entry in NETDEVS with 'SHR' or 'NPU' in attribute 2 (see Network Printer), a ninth option is displayed as shown below.
D E S P O O L E R . C O N T R O L F I L E M A I N T E N A N C E ------------------------------------------------------------------- Despooler name > NETDESP 1 Device Type :PTR 9 Permanent or Shared :P 2 Device Name :annex00.14 3 Printer Ind. Id :none 4 Translation Table # :none 5 Prologue :none 6 Description :DEFAULT 7 Location :none Process # :none Status :No Process Job being processed :none 8 Assigned Formqueue :0 Enter option# (1-8) to change; EX to exit; FI to file; FD to delete :
If you change option 9 from 'P' to 'S', then two additional fields (10 and 11) are displayed. The defaults are shown below.
D E S P O O L E R . C O N T R O L F I L E M A I N T E N A N C E ------------------------------------------------------------------- Despooler name > NETDESP 1 Device Type :PTR 9 Permanent or Shared :S 2 Device Name :annex00.14 10 Printer Hold Time :5 3 Printer Ind. Id :none 11 Despooler Sleep Time :15 4 Translation Table # :none 5 Prologue :none 6 Description :DEFAULT 7 Location :none Process # :none Status :No Process Job being processed :none 8 Assigned Formqueue :0 Enter option# (1-8) to change; EX to exit; FI to file; FD to delete :
Timeout
Once you have entered a Despooler name, the system sets locks to prevent other users from changing data. If you do not enter any data for two minutes, the system cancels out any changes that have not been filed and unlocks the data.
Despooler maintenance prompt
Once you enter a Despooler name, the Despooler maintenance prompt is displayed at the bottom of the screen.
EX to exit without filing the item
To exit when the cursor is at the Despooler maintenance prompt, enter:
EX
The system leaves the item as it was the last time it was filed. If the item was never filed, it remains unfiled.
The system clears the options displayed with the Despooler maintenance menu and prompts for a Despooler name.
FI to file the item
To file the item as it is currently displayed, enter:
FI
The system writes the item to the DESPOOLER.CONTROL file, clears the options displayed, and prompts for a Despooler name.
FD to delete the item
To delete the item currently displayed, enter:
FD
The system prompts:
(Y/N) :
Enter:
Y to delete the item.
N to cancel the delete.
If you enter Y, the system deletes the item, clears the options displayed in the Despooler maintenance menu, and prompts for a Despooler name.
To change an option
To change an option in the Despooler definition, enter the option's number at the Despooler maintenance prompt. The system displays a prompt for that option as described below. The system also displays the following message:
Enter new value, RETURN to leave unchanged or ? for help.
Option 1 - Device Type
This option allows you to specify whether the output device assigned to the Despooler is a printer, a tape unit, a Reality file, or a UNIX system printer.
To change the device type enter 1. The system prompts:
Device Type (PTR,TAPE,FILE or SYS):
Enter:
PTR for network printer, port or private printer (UNIX host only).
TAPE for a tape unit.
SYS for system printer.
FILE for a Reality file.
Press RETURN to leave the option unchanged.
You must specify a value for this option before you start the Despooler.
Option 2 - Device Name
Using this option you specify the device name or number or file name depending on the device type specified in option 1.
To change the device name enter 2. The system prompts:
Device Name
Entire current value is : -
device-name
Enter new value on the line below :-
Enter the required device identity. This depends on the type of device, as described in the sections below.
Enter a backslash (\) to specify "none". Press RETURN to leave the option unchanged.
You must specify a value for this option before you start the Despooler.
Network printer (PTR)
Enter the device item-id defined in the NETDEVS file. See Network Printer.
A NETDEVS entry is not necessary when using PORT-DESPOOL.
TAPE
Enter the tape unit number (1-16).
SYS
UNIX
Enter the name of the required UNIX system printer.
Windows
Enter the details of the required Windows system printer, in the following format:
{raw,}printerName
or
{winprinter,}{font=fontName,}{fontsize=fontSize,}printerName
where:
raw Specifies that the print data is sent to the printer either directly or using the printer independence item specified in Option 3.
winprinter Specifies that the print data is routed via the Windows GDI (Graphical Device Interface). This is a high level printer-independent interface that translates the print data into a graphical format that can be printed without further processing by the printer. Use this option with printers designed to work with the Windows GDI.
If the printer type omitted, the default specified in the database config file is used.
fontName Specifies the font to use when printing via the Windows GDI.
fontSize Specifies the font size to use when printing via the Windows GDI.
printerName Specifies the name of the required Windows system printer.
FILE
Enter the name of the Reality file to which print data is to be despooled.
Reality port (PTR) on a UNIX host
Enter the device item-id defined in the NETDEVS file. See Reality Port.
Private printer (PTR) on a UNIX host
Enter a private printer definition in the following format:
%printerInterfaceScript UNIXDevice/filePath options
where:
printerInterfaceScript
is the path-name of a UNIX printer interface script. If a relative path-name (path-name without leading slash) is given, the Spooler assumes that the script is in $REALROOT/files/interfaces. A set of special printer interface scripts are provided in this directory. A simple script realdumb is provided for users to edit and base their special requirements. Refer to the topic Printer Interface Scripts for more details.
UNIXDevice/filePath
can be a UNIX printer device or an ordinary UNIX file. Despooling to a UNIX file allows you to save the despooled data to tape and restore using cpio.
options can be any number of optional parameters, separated by spaces. These parameters will be passed to the interface script as arguments $5 and up.
Asterisks (*) or ampersands (&) appearing in a private printer definition are translated as follows:
*is translated as the current job name.
&is translated as the formqueue where the print job was queued.
printerInterfaceScript and UNIXDevice/filePath may both start with an environment variable.
Option 3 - Printer Independence Item-id
If you wish the system to take advantage of printer independence, option 3 must have the item-id of a printer's item in the PRINTER.TABLES file.
To change the item-id of a printer independence item enter 3. The system prompts:
Printer Independence item id
Entire current value is : - item-id
Enter new value on the line below :-
Enter the item-id of an item in the PRINTER.TABLES file.
Enter a backslash (\) to specify "none". Press RETURN to leave the option unchanged.
Refer to the topic Printer Control Features.
Option 4 - Translation Table Number
This option specifies which translation table the system should use for translating print data.
To change the translation table number enter 4. The system prompts:
Translation Table #:
Enter the translation table number.
- For Data Products printer models 11161, 11170, 11180 and 11199 with a Centronics interface, enter '123'.
- For Printronix printer models 11130/31, 11135 and 11139 with a Centronics interface, enter '124'.
Enter a backslash (\) to specify "none". Press RETURN to leave the option unchanged.
Option 5 - Prologue Item-id
This option specifies the item-id of a prologue in the PCS.OUTPUT file.
To change the prologue item-id enter 5. The system prompts:
Startup time Prologue
Entire current value is : -
prologue-item-id
Enter new value on the line below :-
To output the prologue at Despooler startup, enter the % as its first character.
To output the prologue at the start of each print job, enter % followed by the prologue item-id.
Enter a backslash (\) to specify "none". Press RETURN to leave the option unchanged.
For more details, refer to the topic Prologues and Epilogues.
Option 6 - Device Description
This option is a free-form description of the device.
To change the device description enter 6. The system prompts:
Description
Entire current value is : -
description
Enter new value on the line below :-
Enter a brief description of the device.
Enter a backslash (\) to specify "none". Press RETURN to leave the option unchanged.
This free-form description is displayed in the Spool Job Detailed Display. Refer to SP-JOBS Action 16 Display Detail and SP-DETAIL.
Option 7 - Device Location
This option enables you to enter a free-form description of the device's location.
To change the location description enter 7. The system prompts:
Description
Entire current value is : -
location
Enter new value on the line below :-
Enter a brief description of the location.
Enter a backslash (\) to specify "none". Press RETURN to leave the option unchanged.
Option 8 - Assigned Formqueues
This option lists the formqueues that reference this Despooler and prompts you to change the priorities assigned to the Despooler. The priorities are 1 (highest) to 9 (lowest).
To change the Despooler's priorities enter 8. The system prompts:
Currently assigned Formqueues Priority # form-queue-name # # form-queue-name # C(hange),* to finish :
Enter:
C to change the Despooler's priority.
* to exit from the prompt.
Changing the Despooler's priority
To change a Despooler's priority enter C. The system prompts:
Enter number of Formqueue to change :
Enter the formqueue's sequence number.
The system displays the formqueue's name below the prompt and positions the cursor in the Priority column of its display.
Enter the priority (1-9).
The system re-displays the list of formqueues with their priorities.
Note
Any changes made via option 8 are not written to the Despooler definition item in the DESPOOLER.CONTROL file when you enter FI at the Despooler maintenance prompt. They are written to the affected formqueue definition items in the FORM.QUEUES file.
Exiting
To exit from option 8 enter *. The system returns to the Despooler maintenance prompt.
Option 9 - Permanent or Shared
This option enables you to specify whether the Despooler has sole use of the printer across the network, or whether it will share it with other network users. The default is P for permanently connected.
To enable printer sharing enter 9. The system prompts:
Permanent or Shared Printer:
Enter S to enable printer sharing and display the additional options 10 and 11.
If you enter P again, options 10 and 11 will be removed. Re-entering S will display options 10 and 11 again with their default values.
Option 10 - Printer Hold Time
This option defines the period of time for which the Despooler can hold on to a network printer. The Despooler will relinquish control of the network printer at the end of the print job being despooled when the Printer Hold Time expires. The default is 5 minutes.
To change the printer hold time enter 10. The system prompts:
Printer hold time:
Enter the required hold time in minutes.
A time of zero minutes causes the Despooler to release the printer after each print job is despooled. The Despooler will relinquish control automatically if its formqueue(s) becomes empty before the hold time period expires.
Option 11 - Despooler Sleep Time
This option defines the period of time for which the Despooler goes to sleep after a connection failure and before it retries to connect. The default is 15 seconds.
Note
If a printer is released because there are no jobs queued, then the Despooler will attempt to reconnect as soon as a job is queued. There is no sleep time.
To change the sleep time enter 11. The system prompts:
Despooler sleep time:
Enter the required sleep time in seconds.