Chapter 11 - Managing Print Jobs
Introduction to Managing Print Jobs
This chapter explains how to manage print jobs. It explains how to use print service commands and menus to make print services available to users and control print queues.
To manage print jobs, you perform the following tasks:
Make print services available to users. Use SETPRINT to control the print queue from a DOS, OS/2, or Windows workstation. Control the print queue from the server console.
To effectively manage print jobs, you need to understand how users access network printers. Users of DOS, OS/2, and Windows workstations access network printers through VINES print services. From the Chooser desk accessory, Macintosh users access either print services or printers by their AppleTalk name.
Printing from DOS and Windows Workstations
From DOS and Windows workstations, users can send jobs to network printers in three ways:
Network printer ports - Allow DOS and Windows users to access up to three VINES print services simultaneously. An application maps the network printer port to a physical workstation printer port (LPT1, LPT2, LPT3). An application data file is actually sent to the network print service by the VINES client software on the DOS or Windows workstation.
BPRINT command - Takes one or more file names and sends them all as a single job to a print service. BPRINT does not depend on the printer port redirection feature. For more information on BPRINT, see the VINES User's Guide for DOS and OS/2.
Note: You cannot send data to a DOS workstation printer port while printing is active on another port. If you try to send data to a second printer port, the system returns a 25th-line message to explain this situation.
OS/2
Like DOS and Windows users, OS/2 users can access print services and use the BPRINT command. VINES printing from an OS/2 workstation also provides its users with printing features that are not supported under DOS or Windows. For more information on printing from OS/2 workstations, see Chapter 14 or the VINES User's Guide for DOS and OS/2.
DOS, OS/2, and Windows users can send jobs to PAP-compatible and non-PAP-compatible PostScript printers; however, certain requirements must be met if the file is ASCII text or does not conform to Adobe 2.0 structuring conventions. Table 11-1 illustrates the requirements for DOS, OS/2, and Windows users sending jobs to PostScript printers. An example of a non-PAP-compatible PostScript printer is an HP LaserJet with a PostScript cartridge.
Macintosh
Macintosh users can only send jobs to PAP-compatible PostScript printers.
If your users have problems printing from DOS, OS/2, or Windows workstations to PostScript printers, check if their applications support Adobe structuring conventions.
Making Print Services Available to Users
Use SETPRINT in user profiles to make print services available to users during every login session.
The syntax for the SETPRINT command is:
SETPRINT pcport [state] [/P:service-name] [/FORMS:paperformat] [/D:delay | /ND] [/B:bannertext | /NB] [/M | /NM] [/S:hh:mm | /NS]
See the Command Reference for descriptions of these switches. For a user profile, you only need to use the pcport and /P switches.
You can also use SETPRINT from the command line. When running SETPRINT from the command line, use as many of the switches as required for the temporary setting.
The /D switch sets the End Spooling Delay. If your application is slow in sending data to the printer port, setting a short spooling delay can cause a data stream to be erroneously broken up into many small jobs. The default End Spooling Delay should suffice for most situations, but you may need to lengthen it if jobs are continuously interrupted.
Using SETPRINT to Access the Print Queue Command Menu
Using SETPRINT with no switches lets you access the Print Queue Command menu. This menu enables you to view and control print jobs on a queue, and assign the printer ports (LPT1, LPT2, LPT3) on user workstations to print services. The Print Queue Command menu also lets you change port assignments and provides quick access to different printers. See the sections listed in Table 11-2 for information on using this menu.
To | See |
View job status details | "To View Job Status Details" |
Put a job on hold | "To Put a Print Job on Hold" |
Reschedule a job | "To Reschedule a Print Job" |
Cancel a job | "To Cancel a Print Job" |
Reprint a job | "To Reprint a Print Job" |
Move a job to the top of the queue | "To Move a Job to the Top of the Queue" |
Move a job to the bottom of the queue | "To Move a Job to the Bottom of the Queue" |
Move a job to a different queue | "Moving a Job to a Different Queue" |
Change a jobs paper format | "Changing Paper Formats" |
Change the print queue assigned to a port | "To Change the Print Queue Assigned to a Port" |
Modify a print job profile | "To Modify the Job Profile" |
See "To Access the Print Queue Command Menu" later in this chapter for information on using SETPRINT to access the Print Queue Command menu.
You can also access the Print Queue Command menu from a server console by choosing Printer Control from the Operator Menu. This option lets you control only the print services on a particular server. See "Controlling Jobs from the Server Console" later in this chapter for instructions.
OS/2
You can use SETPRINT switches and menus at an OS/2 workstation. SETPRINT applies globally to all sessions on the workstation. For this reason, you should wait until a print job completes before you use SETPRINT to change network printers. As soon as the print job completes, you can use SETPRINT to select a new network printer.
For more information about printing from OS/2 workstations, see Chapter 14 or Managing Workstations.
To Access the Print Queue Command Menu
1. From a PC on the network, enter SETPRINT at the system prompt. The Select Print Queue appears.
The Select Print Queue screen, shown in Figure 11-1, lists the workstation printer ports and the print queues associated with them.
2. Choose a printer port. You can choose a printer port with or without an assigned queue. The Print Queue Command menu appears.
The Print Queue Command menu allows you to perform the following tasks:
Control print jobs in the print queue Change the print queue assigned to a port De-assign a print queue Modify the job profile
These tasks are described in the following sections.
Controlling Print Jobs in the Queue
The first option on the Print Queue Command menu, List Jobs in the Current Print Queue, displays the Control Printer/Jobs menu which lets you view and control the jobs in the print queue. Figure 11-2 shows an example of the Control Printer/Jobs menu.
The Control Printer/Jobs menu displays the jobs as they are currently ordered in the print queue and the status of each job. As an administrator or operator of the print service, you can select a command from the top of the menu to change the status of any print jobs listed.
Jobs scheduled to print at a specific time appear at the end of the queue list. The jobs remain there until it is time for them to print. Jobs scheduled to print as soon as possible are labeled ASAP in the Schedule field.
The size of the job displayed in the screen may differ slightly from the actual size of the file submitted. SETPRINT adds the size of some job headers to the size of the file when displaying the size of the job.
The status entries in the State field tell you what has happened to the print job. Table 11-3 explains the status messages.
Using the Control Printer/Jobs Menu
You control print jobs from the Control Printer/Jobs menu. Unless you have operator or administrator privileges, you can control only your own print jobs. When you select any of the commands from this menu, the cursor moves to the lower part of this menu, where you select the job.
Table 11-4 briefly describes the different commands. The commands are discussed in greater detail later in this chapter.
1. From a PC on the network, enter SETPRINT at the system prompt. The Select Print Queue screen appears.
2. Choose a printer port. The Print Queue Command menu appears.
3. Choose List Jobs in the Current Print Queue. The Control Printer/Jobs menu appears.
4. Choose SHOW details. The cursor moves to the job list.
5. Choose a print job. The Job Status Details screen appears.
6. When you are finished viewing the job information, press ESC to return to the Control Printer/Jobs menu.
The Job Status Details screen provides print job information, including the destination name, description, currently configured paper format, and current status. The status is a number that indicates three possible conditions. Table 11-5 explains the status numbers.
1. From a PC on the network, enter SETPRINT at the system prompt. The Select Print Queue screen appears.
2. Choose a printer port. The Print Queue Command menu appears.
3. Choose List Jobs in the Current Print Queue. The Control Printer/Jobs menu appears.
4. Choose ON HOLD. The cursor moves to the job list.
5. Choose the job you want to put on hold. The job's state changes to on hold.
You can put a job that is currently printing on hold. Putting a printing job on hold ties up the printer until you release the job from hold or cancel it. Once on hold, the job will not print until you choose REPRINT job, OFF HOLD, or CANCEL commands from the Control Printer/Jobs menu.
1. From a PC on the network, enter SETPRINT at the system prompt. The Select Print Queue screen appears.
2. Choose a printer port. The Print Queue Command menu appears.
3. Choose List Jobs in the Current Print Queue. The Control Printer/Jobs menu appears.
4. Choose OFF HOLD. The cursor moves to the job list.
5. Choose the print job to take off hold. The status of the job changes to Printing or Queued.
1. From a PC on the network, enter SETPRINT at the system prompt. The Select Print Queue screen appears.
2. Choose a printer port. The Print Queue Command menu appears.
3. Choose List Jobs in the Current Print Queue. The Control Printer/Jobs menu appears.
4. Choose RESCHEDULE. The cursor moves to the job list.
5. Choose the print job to reschedule. The Reschedule Job screen appears. The time the job is currently scheduled to print appears in the Scheduled field.
6. Enter a new time in the hh:mm format (hours:minutes) according to the 24-hour clock. For example, if you want the job to print at 8:30 in the evening, enter 20:30.
If the time you send the job is later in the day than the time you schedule the job to print, the job will not print until the next day. For example, if you schedule a job to print at 13:00 and do not send the job until 14:00, the job will print the next day at 1:00 p.m.
1. From a PC on the network, enter SETPRINT at the system prompt. The Select Print Queue screen appears.
2. Choose a printer port. The Print Queue Command menu appears.
3. Choose List Jobs in the Current Print Queue. The Control Printer/Jobs menu appears.
4. Choose CANCEL. The cursor moves to the job list.
5. Choose a print job to cancel. The canceled job is deleted from the queue.
Use this procedure to reprint a completed print job or print a job that you put on hold or canceled (if it still exists in the queue). Printed jobs are deleted from the print queue after a certain period of time, which you specify in the Modify Job Profile menu, described later in this chapter.
1. From a PC on the network, enter SETPRINT at the system prompt. The Select Print Queue screen appears.
2. Choose a printer port. The Print Queue Command menu appears.
3. Choose List Jobs in the Current Print Queue. The Control Printer/Jobs menu appears.
4. Choose REPRINT job. The cursor moves to the job list.
5. Choose the print job to reprint. The status of the job changes to Printing or Queued.
To Move a Job to the Top of the Queue
1. From a PC on the network, enter SETPRINT at the system prompt. The Select Print Queue screen appears.
2. Choose a printer port. The Print Queue Command menu appears.
3. Choose List Jobs in the Current Print Queue. The Control Printer/Jobs menu appears.
4. Choose MOVE to TOP of queue. The cursor moves to the job list.
5. Choose the print job to move. The print job moves to the top, or beginning of the queue.
To Move a Job to the Bottom of the Queue
1. From a PC on the network, enter SETPRINT at the system prompt. The Select Print Queue screen appears.
2. Choose a printer port. The Print Queue Command menu appears.
3. Choose List Jobs in the Current Print Queue. The Control Printer/Jobs menu appears.
4. Choose MOVE to BOTTOM of queue. The cursor moves to the job list.
5. Choose the print job to move. The print job moves to the bottom, or end of the queue.
Moving a Job to a Different Queue
The MOVE to DIFFERENT queue option lets you redirect a print job from the current print queue to another print queue. Problems can arise if the paper format selected for the print job is not available in the new print queue. If the new queue does not have the proper paper format, the message, Paper format NA, appears in the State column on the Control Printer/Jobs menu of the new queue. The print job remains in the new queue until you either cancel the job or change the paper format for the print job or the destination printer.
To avoid this problem, verify that the paper format is available in the new print queue before moving the print job. If the paper format is not available, change the paper format before moving the print job. Changing the paper format is described in "Changing Paper Formats."
To Move a Job to a Different Queue
1. From a PC on the network, enter SETPRINT at the system prompt. The Select Print Queue screen appears.
2. Choose a printer port. The Print Queue Command menu appears.
3. Choose List Jobs in the Current Print Queue. The Control Printer/Jobs menu appears.
4. Choose MOVE to DIFFERENT queue. The cursor moves to the job list.
5. Choose the print job to move. The Select Print Queue screen appears.
6. Enter the name of the new queue by doing one of the following:
- Enter the full StreetTalk name of the new print queue and press ENTER.
- Press F2 to display a list of print queues on the network, and select a queue by pressing ENTER. Press F10 to return to the Select Print Queue screen and press ENTER to change the queue.
The job is removed from the current queue and placed on the specified print queue.
To View the Status of a Moved Job
1. From a PC on the network, enter SETPRINT at the system prompt. The Select Print Queue screen appears.
2. Choose the other print queue for viewing by doing one of the following:
- Choose the other print queue if it is assigned to one of your printer ports (such as LPT2 or LPT3).
- Assign the other print queue to one of your printer ports and then choose it for viewing.
The command menu lets you change a print job's paper format while the print job is still in the print queue. This command is particularly useful when the system cannot match the print job's paper format to any of the currently available destination formats for the service.
1. From a PC on the network, enter SETPRINT at the system prompt. The Select Print Queue screen appears.
2. Choose a printer port. The Print Queue Command menu appears.
3. Choose List Jobs in the Current Print Queue. The Control Printer/Jobs menu appears.
4. Choose CHANGE format. The cursor moves to the job list.
5. Choose a print job. The Choose a Paper Format screen appears.
Only the paper formats of destinations currently available on that particular print queue appear. To see all the paper formats defined for the print service, choose Modify Job Profile from the Print Queue Command menu. This option is described in "To Modify the Job Profile" later in this chapter.
6. Choose a new paper format. The Control Printer/Jobs menu appears and the new paper format is listed in the Format column.
Reassigning Print Queues to Ports
To access a printer that is not assigned to you, you assign the queue for that printer to one of your virtual printer ports. If another print queue is already assigned to the port, you replace it by assigning the new print queue to the same port.
You assign print queues to ports by choosing Assign a Different Print Queue from the Print Queue Command menu. If you no longer want a particular print queue assigned to a virtual printer port, you can deassign it.
To Change the Print Queue Assigned to a Port
1. From a PC on the network, enter SETPRINT at the system prompt. The Select Print Queue screen appears.
2. Choose a printer port. The Print Queue Command menu appears.
3. Choose Assign a Different Print Queue. The Select Print Queue Screen appears.
4. Enter the name of the new queue by doing one of the following:
- Enter the full StreetTalk name of the new print queue and press ENTER.
- Press F2 to display a list of print queues on the network, and choose a queue by pressing ENTER. Press F10 to return to the Select Print Queue screen, and then press ENTER to change the queue.
The Print Queue Command menu appears with the new print queue name in the Print Queue field.
1. From a PC on the network, enter SETPRINT at the system prompt. The Select Print Queue screen appears.
2. Choose a printer port. The Print Queue Command menu appears.
3. Choose De-assign the Print Queue. The system confirms that the printer port is no longer assigned to a print queue.
4. Press ESC to return to the Select Print Queue screen.
The Modify Job Profile option on the Print Queue Command menu brings up the Modify Job Profile Screen. Figure 11-3 shows an example of the Modify Job Profile screen.
The Modify Job Profile screen lets you define settings required for all your print jobs or for one particular job. If you make temporary changes for a particular job, you must manually change the settings back to their original state after you complete the job.
Any changes that you make are limited by the configuration of the print service. For example, if the service configuration does not allow the banner page to be printed, you cannot override this setting by changing NO to YES in Print Banner Page field on the Modify Job Profile screen.
Table 11-6 describes the fields in the Modify Job Profile Screen.
1. From a PC on the network, enter SETPRINT at the system prompt. The Select Print Queue screen appears.
2. Choose a printer port. The Print Queue Command menu appears.
3. Choose Modify Job Profile. The Modify Job Profile screen appears.
4. Use the arrow keys to move among the different fields. Enter new values.
5. When you are finished changing values, press F10. The Print Queue Command menu appears.
Controlling Jobs from the Server Console
From a server console, you can:
Display the list of print services that are configured on the server Display or change the paper format that is currently in effect for a destination printer Use the Control Printer/Jobs menu in the same way as you do at a DOS, Windows, or OS/2 workstation
To Display the Server's Print Services
1. At the Operator Menu of the server console, choose Printer Control. The Printer Control menu appears.
2. Choose SELECT a print service and choose the print service you want to control. The Control Printer/Jobs menu appears.
For a sample menu and details on using the commands in this menu, follow the instructions in "Controlling Print Jobs in the Queue" earlier in this chapter.
Macintosh
Controlling Jobs from a Macintosh Workstation
If your Macintosh workstation runs System 7.0 or greater, or a earlier version with the MultiFinder feature, you can use the Print Monitor function to see jobs that your workstation sends to the print service. For information on using Print Monitor at Macintosh workstations, see your Macintosh documentation.