# hp DECprint Supervisor (DCPS) for hp OpenVMS
System Manager's Guide

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## 11.3.4 How to Eliminate Excess Login Dialog on Serial Printers

Serial printers transmit unsolicited data to the host system when power-up initialization occurs. The OpenVMS operating system normally interprets unsolicited data from a terminal device as a login request. The printer software startup file sets the SECURE_SERVER terminal characteristic for all printer terminal devices on the host system. SECURE_SERVER prevents the OpenVMS host and the printer from engaging in a potentially endless login dialog.

To eliminate login dialog, set terminal characteristics for terminal devices by using the following procedures in this order:

1. SYSGEN AUTOCONFIGURE
2. SYSTARTUP_VMS
3. DCPS$EXECUTION_QUEUE.COM

AUTOCONFIGURE uses SYSGEN parameters to set default terminal characteristics for all terminal devices on the system. Your system will not encounter the login dialog problem if SECURE_SERVER is set with SYSGEN. The SYSGEN parameter that accomplishes this is TTY_DEFCHAR2. Refer to the OpenVMS System Management Utilities Reference Manual for information on setting SYSGEN parameters.

The system startup procedure may also set terminal characteristics. Since this command file executes prior to the printer startup file, your system will be less vulnerable to the login dialog problem if SECURE_SERVER is set for printer terminal devices within the SYSTARTUP_VMS file.

DCPS$EXECUTION_QUEUE.COM (the printer execution queue command file) sets the SECURE_SERVER terminal characteristic for printer terminal devices by default. This file is provided in the software kit.

If your printer is configured on a LAT device in a local area Ethernet, set the LAT port and the terminal server characteristics for the printer to minimize login dialog. Refer to the Software Installation GuideSoftware Installation Guide for LAT port characteristics.

# 11.4 What to Do if Printing Is Slower than Expected

Slower printing speeds can result from:

- Printing of complex ANSI jobs from applications
- Printing of complex PostScript jobs
- Occurrence of ANSI translator prologue mismatch
- Changing the printer password from the default (refer to the Software Installation GuideSoftware Installation Guide).

Complex ANSI jobs include those that use many downloaded fonts on a page. These jobs always take longer to print.

For serial printers, a 30-second delay before the printing of ANSI jobs indicates an ANSI prologue mismatch between the ANSI translator and the print job. On a serial printer, power cycle the printer (turn it off and then on) to load the appropriate prologue. The first ANSI print job is delayed by the loading of the prologue, but subsequent ANSI print jobs are printed more efficiently.

If your printer is connected to multiple nodes running different versions of the printing system, power cycling the printer may not eliminate the 30-second delay. The node that connects to the printer first persistently loads its prologue. The other nodes must load the prologue with every print job. To eliminate the delay in this case, every node should run the same version of the DECprint Supervisor software.

# 11.5 What to Do if Layup Definition Files Are Not Found

DECprint Supervisor software places the following sample layup definition files in the location specified by the logical name DCPS$LAYUP:

> LPS$HOLES.LUP
> LPS$SINGLEHOLES.LUP
> LPS$DOUBLEHOLES.LUP
> LPS$NUP.LUP
> COLOR-PRINTER-FULL-PAGE.LUP
> PROPRINTER-FULL-PAGE.LUP

Make sure that the layup directory logical name, DCPS$LAYUP, points to SYS$SYSDEVICE:[SYSHLP.EXAMPLES.DCPS] or to the directory that contains the .LUP sample files on all nodes in the cluster.

# 11.6 What to Do if Files Are Printed with Unexpected Results

The DECprint Supervisor software attempts to print every file in every print job even if there are problems in the specification of print parameters and print job attributes. Print queues with erroneous default parameters can still print files, but all the print parameters are not effective and messages are generated indicating the problem, as described in Section 11.6.1.

In cases where the file is printed using the wrong data type translator, the file data type has not been correctly determined by the DECprint Supervisor software. The methods for solving problems with automatic data type detection are described in Section 11.6.2.

## 11.6.1 What to Do if Default Queue Parameters Are Not Effective

If you enter a parameter in DCPS$STARTUP.COM incorrectly, print jobs sent to that print queue are printed, but the invalid parameter and the parameters following it are not applied to the print job.

If an invalid print parameter is included in the queue definition, the printing system generates an error message that is displayed on your screen and printed on the job trailer page for every print job sent to the associated queue. The parameters that are not processed take the default settings.

In the following example, there is an extra L in the argument to the second parameter, PAGE_ORIENTATION. Therefore, the printing system ignores the second parameter, NUMBER_UP=2. Only the first parameter, SHEET_SIZE=B, is processed.

    @sys$startup:dcps$generic_queue -     ! Landscape queue
         DCPS$WIDE$PRINT -                ! P1 - Generic queue name
         TEK4014_TTB4 -                   ! P2 - /GENERIC = execution queues
         "SHEET_SIZE=B,PAGE_ORIENTATION=LLANDSCAPE,NUMBER_UP=2"
                                          ! P3 - Default queue parameter
                                          ! P3 - Default queue parameter

For every print job for this queue, an error message similar to the following is displayed on the screen and printed on the job trailer page in the message section:

    10-JAN-2003 15:21 %DCPS-E-PARSYNERR, Syntax error in the /PARAMETERS
    qualifier at or near PAGE_ORIENTATION=LLANDSCAPE

## 11.6.2 What to Do if a File Data Type Is Not Recognized

If the DECprint Supervisor software fails to determine the data type of a print file correctly, the user can explicitly specify the DATA_TYPE parameter. If necessary, you can set up a generic queue for specific data types. All files printed to this queue will have the specified data type, unless the user explicitly specifies another data type using the DATA_TYPE parameter. Users can also specify the DATA_TYPE=AUTOMATIC parameter to explicitly specify automatic data type detection.

The automatic data type feature examines the following to determine the data type of the file:

1. The value of the DATA_TYPE parameter in the PRINT command
2. The queue default data type specified in the DCPS$STARTUP.COM file
3. OpenVMS file tags (for example, DDIF stored_semantics tags)
4. The contents of the file
5. The file extension

If the DECprint Supervisor software cannot determine the file data type from these steps, the default text data type is used. If no default text data type has been defined by the user or the system manager (see Section 4.2.2), the file is processed as ANSI. When the default text data type is used, the text can precede PostScript; the file is printed properly. However, the file may not be printed properly if any more text follows the PostScript data. In this case, it may be necessary to edit the file and print the text and PostScript data as separate files.

In general, though, users should not be encouraged to modify the contents of their files or the file extensions so that the data type can be determined. Instead, the application that generates the file may be examined and modified if necessary; or you can provide site-specific file extension files, default text data types, or generic queues with explicit default data types.

# Appendix A
Printing System Management Commands

You use standard OpenVMS DCL commands to manage the DECprint Supervisor queues, jobs, and related system resources.

Note Remember that the management commands only affect the system on which they are issued. A network printer can serve other systems as well, with each system having its own set of queues, jobs, forms, etc.

# A.1 Overview of Management Commands

Table A-1 lists the commands used to manage print queues, print jobs, and related system resouces. More information for these commands can be found in the OpenVMS DCL Dictionary.

Table A-1 Printing System Management Commands
Command | Function
--- | ---
ASSIGN /MERGE | Removes jobs from one queue and puts them in another existing queue.
ASSIGN /QUEUE | Assigns a logical queue to an execution queue.
DEASSIGN /QUEUE | Deassigns a logical queue and stops the logical queue.
DEFINE /CHARACTERISTIC | Defines a queue characteristic name and number.
DEFINE /FORM | Defines a printer form name, number, and attributes.
DELETE /CHARACTERISTIC | Deletes the definition of a queue characteristic.
DELETE /ENTRY | Deletes one or more job entries from a queue.
DELETE /FORM | Deletes the definition of a form.
DELETE /QUEUE | Deletes a queue.
INITIALIZE /QUEUE | Not recommended for use with the DECprint Supervisor software.
SET ENTRY | Changes or deletes attributes of a job that is in the queue but not currently executing.
SET QUEUE | Changes the status and attributes of a queue.
SET QUEUE /ENTRY | This command has been superseded by the SET ENTRY command, which performs identical functions. HP recommends that you use the SET ENTRY command.
SET QUEUE /RETAIN | Retains print jobs upon completion or termination due to an error.
SHOW ENTRY | Display information about print jobs.
SHOW QUEUE | Displays information about queues and jobs.
SHOW QUEUE /CHARACTERISTICS | Displays information about queue characteristic names and numbers available on a queue.
SHOW QUEUE /FORM | Displays the names and numbers of the forms defined for your system.
START /QUEUE | Starts or restarts a queue.
START /QUEUE /MANAGER | Starts the system job queue manager and opens the queue file.
STOP /QUEUE | Pauses an execution queue.
STOP /QUEUE /ABORT | Stops the executing print job, but does not stop the queue.
STOP /QUEUE /MANAGER | Stops the system job queue manager and closes the job queue file.
STOP /QUEUE /NEXT | Stops the queue after the current job has finished printing.
STOP /QUEUE /REQUEUE | Stops the executing print job and requeues it to the specified queue, but does not stop the queue.
STOP /QUEUE /RESET | Stops a queue immediately and returns control to the system.

# A.2 Use of SET PRINTER with DCPS

Because PostScript printers are controlled by the DECprint Supervisor software, the DCL SET PRINTER command has no meaning in a DECprint Supervisor environment. Print job characteristics for the DECprint Supervisor are set and displayed by other means.

Print job characteristics for DECprint Supervisor are determined by:

1. Parameters embedded in the job data
2. Parameters passed in the /PARAMETERS qualifier of the PRINT command
3. DEFINE /FORM qualifiers
4. For PrintServer printers, default parameters which are in the PrintServer configuration database
5. The default queue parameters, which are defined in the DCPS$STARTUP.COM file

Items 1, 2, and 3 in this list are controlled by the PostScript interpreter or the data syntax translator, depending on the type of job being processed. Item 4 is controlled by the PrintServer server management interface described in the DEC PrintServer Supporting Host Software for OpenVMS Management Guide.

Table A-2 shows the SET PRINTER qualifiers and the equivalent control in a DECprint Supervisor printing system.

Table A-2 SET PRINTER Qualifier Equivalents for DECprint Supervisor Queues
SET PRINTER Qualifier | Equivalent Control
--- | ---
/CR | Insertion of carriage return characters is controlled by the current data type translator.
/FALLBACK | Translation of DIGITAL multinational characters is controlled by the current font. If the character does not exist in the specified font, the font error character prints.
/FF | Mechanical form feeds are controlled by the current data type translator or the PostScript interpreter.
/LOWERCASE | The DECprint Supervisor printer is considered to be a lowercase printer. It does not translate lowercase to uppercase.
/PAGE | The number of lines printed on each page is controlled by the ANSI translator (ANSI files only). This characteristic is available through DEFINE /FORM.
/PASSALL | Whether the system interprets special characters or forwards them as 8-bit binary data is controlled by the current data type translator.
/PRINTALL | Whether the printer interprets special characters or prints their 8-bit binary equivalent is controlled by the current data type translator.
/TRUNCATE | Truncation of data that exceeds the limitation imposed by the /WIDTH qualifier is controlled by the form definition or the current data type translator.
/WIDTH | The number of characters allowed on each line of the currently installed media is controlled by the form definition, or a combination of the current data type translator and the current font.
/WRAP | Generation of a carriage-return/line-feed by the printer when it reaches the end of a line is controlled by the form definition or the current data type translator.

Note Not all data type translators implement the preceding functions in the same manner; refer to a translator's documentation for specific information about its behavior.

# Appendix B
Logical Names used by DCPS

This appendix provides some information about OpenVMS logical names that are used by the DECprint Supervisor for OpenVMS software.

Here are some guidelines for using these logical names:

- Any logical whose name begins with "DCPS" is only used by the DECprint Supervisor software. Other logical names (for example, PSM$ANNOUNCE) may be used by and impact other components of your OpenVMS system.
- You should place your desired definitions for these logical names in DCPS$STARTUP.COM or in something that it invokes. The startup procedure template has comments about how to define some of these.
- Changes to some logical names have an immediate effect, while changes to others take effect only when a queue starts or when a DCPS symbiont process is first created. The ramifications of this are particularly significant if you are using multistreamed DCPS symbiont processes (see Section 3.5.1.2). You should assume that the symbiont reads all logical names only when it is first created, thus requiring you to first stop all queues and then retart them before your changes can take effect.
- You should define the desired logical names in the system table in executive mode (that is, using DEFINE/SYSTEM/EXECUTIVE).
- In a VMScluster environment, you should define the desired logical names on all nodes that utilize the DCPS software. To examine logical names defined by DCPS, you need to look on the node on which the DCPS symbiont process is running.
- Additional logical names may be listed in the Release NotesRelease Notes.

Below is a table of the logical names used by DCPS, their acceptable values, and a brief explanation of what they mean. There are also references to other sections of this document or other documents where you can find more information about the logical names.

Note In the following table, qn is an abbreviation for the queue name.

Table B-1 DCPS Logical Names
Logical Name | Acceptable Values | Meanings and References
--- | --- | ---
Logical names that provide information to DCPS
DCPS_LIB 2 | search list | List of DCPS setup libraries and their data types; Section 7.4.2
DCPS$DEFAULT_TRANSLATOR | <set of translators> 1 | System wide default text data type; Section 4.2.2
DCPS$ qn_DEFAULT_TRANSLATOR | <set of translators> 1 | Queue specific default text data type; Section 4.2.2
DCPS$DEVCTL_CACHE | TRUE | Enable system wide device control caching; Section 7.11
DCPS$ qn_DEVCTL_CACHE | TRUE | Enable queue specific device control caching; Section 7.11
DCPS$ qn_DEVICE_NAME 4 | string | Actual device name associated with the queue when name is too long for INITIALIZE/QUEUE/ON qualifier (and SHOW QUEUE/FULL lists "DCPS$" as the device instead); Section 3.3.2
DCPS$_IGNORE_UNKNOWN_USER | TRUE | Disable unknown user error system wide when username not found in UAF; Section 3.5.5
DCPS$ qn_IGNORE_UNKNOWN_USER | TRUE | Disable unknown user error for a queue when username not found in UAF; Section 3.5.5
DCPS$ qn_INTERRUPT_WHEN_BUSY | TRUE | Disable wait for serial printers to be "not busy"; Section 3.5.2
DCPS$LAYUP 3 | search list | Directory where layup files are stored; Software Installation GuideSoftware Installation Guide
DCPS$MAX_STREAMS | 0..32 | Number of queues per DCPS symbiont process; Section 3.5.1
DCPS$ qn_NO_SYNC | TRUE | Disable usual synchronization on printers other than PrintServer printers; Section 3.5.3
DCPS$ qn_OLD_ANSI_PAGE_SIZES | TRUE | Use old (pre-V1.1a) vertical spacing for A4 size in ANSI translator; Section 3.5.6
DCPS$ qn_PARAMETER 4 | string | Default queue parameters; Section 3.3.4
DCPS$PURGE_TIME | delta time | Time to wait before purging working set; Section 3.5.4
DCPS$ qn_SEPARATOR_TRAY | number | Tray number to take job burst and flag pages from; Section 6.2.3
DCPS$ qn_STALL_TIME | delta time | Timeout before declaring a printer stalled; Section 5.12
DCPS$ qn_SUPPRESS_JOBTRAILER | TRUE | Disable printing of job trailer; Section 6.2.2
PSM$ANNOUNCE | string | String which prints on separator pages; Section 6.4
Logical names that return information from DCPS
DCPS$ qn_PID |  | Process ID of DCPS symbiont controlling the queue; Section 5.8
DCPS$ qn_STALLED |  | Reason for queue being stalled; Section 5.12
DCPS$VERSION |  | DCPS software version running on the system; DCPS Version

1 <set of translators> = ANSI, AUTOMATIC, LIST, PCL, POSTSCRIPT, REGIS, TEK4014, etc.
2 Defined with a default value in the DCPS$STARTUP.COM
3 Defined by DCPS$REQUIRED.COM using information you supplied during the DCPS installation
4 Defined by DCPS$EXECUTION_QUEUE.COM

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