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Conference kernel::unix_printing

Title:Printing from UNIX
Moderator:KERNEL::COFFEYJ
Created:Thu Dec 17 1992
Last Modified:Thu Jun 05 1997
Last Successful Update:Fri Jun 06 1997
Number of topics:956
Total number of notes:2876

933.0. "Unable to print to LPS32 & LPS17 printers" by BOBSBX::GRADY () Tue Apr 08 1997 22:04

  I have installed Unix V4.0 and have not been able to get printing to work.
I get no errors except "waiting for printer to start".  The LPS32 and LPS17
printers have been working fine from other nodes and we are able to print from
the Unix V3.2 systems.  I believe all the software required is installed.  Could
someone please put in a simple example of a printcap entry for a LPS printer
that works so that I can see what might be wrong?  I did try to find the docu-
mentation but didn't find it in the V4.0 doc set.  Has anything changed with
Unix V4.0 printing?  I have been setting up printers for years so I am very
confused as to what the problem is.  These network printers are listed in the
systems /etc/hosts file by-the-way.

	I didn't see any good printcap examples for these printers
	with VUnix 4.0 so I am sorry if this is a duplicate question.

		Thanks VERY much for any help!

			    Deb

T.RTitleUserPersonal
Name
DateLines
933.1printcap exampleNECSC::RUSSELLWed Apr 09 1997 15:4532
Here are 4 examples from our printcap file at the csc. It should help.
    Lynda
    
    
lps20|lp2:\
	:lf=/usr/adm/lp2err:\
	:lp=:\
	:mx#0:\
	:rm=cscunx:\
	:rp=lps20:\
	:sd=/usr/spool/lpd2:\
	:Da=ansi:
lps20_post|lp3:\
	:lf=/usr/adm/lp3err:\
	:lp=:\
	:mx#0:\
	:rm=cscunx:\
	:rp=lps20_post:\
	:sd=/usr/spool/lpd3:\
	:Da=postscript:
lp4|4|color:\
	:lf=/usr/adm/lp4err:\
	:lp=:\
	:rm=color:\
	:rp=xjprint:\
	:sd=/usr/spool/lpd4:
lp5|5|ln17:\
	:lf=/usr/adm/lp5err:\
	:lp=:\
	:rm=ln17:\
	:rp=TEXT:\
	:sd=/usr/spool/lpd5:
933.2SMURF::LABONTEWed Apr 09 1997 18:323
Posting your printcap entry might help us understand the problem.

Have you installed the printserver software?
933.3More info.BOBSBX::GRADYWed Apr 09 1997 19:2739
  Here is what one of my original printcap files looked like:

		spacly|ps1|lp1:\
			:lp=:\
			:rp=spacly:\
			:rm=16.30.160.39:\
			:if=/usr/lbin/lpf:\
			:lf=/usr/adm/spacly_err:\
			:mx#0:\
			:of=/usr/lbin/lpd:
			:pl#66:\
			:pw#80:\
			:sd=/usr/spool/spacly:\
			:xf=/usr/lbin/xf:

  Spacly is the node name of the printer.  This would start the queues and it
looked ok in lpc but said "waiting for printer to start". 

  I just changed my printcap entry to look like the example Lynda gave:

		spacly|lp1:\
			:lp=:\
			:rp=lps32:\
			:rm=spacly:\
			:mx#0:\	
			:sd=/usr/spool/spacly:\
			:af=/usr/adm/spacly_acct:\
			:lf=/usr/adm/spacly_err:\

 Killed lpd, restarted and did lpc start all, now I can't see any printer 
queues at all.

  I have LPSBASE510 "Printserver Software of OSF/1 AXP" and OSFPRINT400 "Local
Printer Support" installed on the Unix V4.0 system.


			Thanks for your help!

				Deb
933.4Ques are backBOBSBX::GRADYWed Apr 09 1997 21:0727
  I changed things again and the printers are back.  I think the problem is 
the system thinks the queues are on a remote system and they are not, they
should be going directly to a network printer.  Here is my printcap entry:

	spacly|lp1|lp1:\
		:af=/usr/adm/lpd1acct:\
		:lf=/usr/adm/lpd1err:\
		:lp=:\
		:mx#0:\
		:rm=spacly:\
		:rp=lps32:\
		:sd=/usr/spool/lpd1:

  lpc> status

       spacly: printer is on remote host spacly with name lps32
	       queuing is enabled
	       printing is enabled
	       2 entries in spool area
	       Wed Apr 9 14:13:16 1997: waiting for spacly to come up

  Where does the printer name go (or network name) in the printcap entry and
how do I tell it what type of printer it is?

		Thanks again!

		    Deb
933.5SMURF::LABONTEThu Apr 10 1997 14:5919
You need to use the utility /usr/opt/LPS/lpssetup to create the printcap entry.
It seems to provide additional hooks required (by the filter?) to establish
communication with the printer. The LPS printserver printers are different
from standard desktop printers in that they don't take a standard data stream.
LPS printers expect the data to be sent in packets. Similar in concept
to a network data packet. So, using a regular printcap entry won't work.

I have exhausted my knowledge on LPS printers so someone else needs to
help out. Below is a printcap entry for a printserver. Note the :lp value.
The special file was created by lpssetup.

lp1|lps20 (PrintServer lps20):\
        :lp=/dev/null-lps20:\
        :sd=/var/spool/lps20:\
        :of=/usr/opt/LPS/bin/lpsof:\
        :if=/usr/lbin/lpsif:\
        :af=/var/adm/doc1test.acct:\
        :lf=/var/adm/doc1test.log:\
        :pl#66:pw#80:mx#0:sb:
933.6Thanks!!BOBSBX::GRADYWed Apr 16 1997 22:209
  I ended up renaming my old printcap file, ran lprsetup, created all new 
entries using "Manage Print Clients" with all defaults and now my queues
are working fine.

	My old printcap entries were way off!

	Thanks very much for your help!!!

		Deb