Chapter 12 - Managing PC-Based Network Print Services
Introduction to Managing PC-Based Network Print Services
The PCPrint program enables network users to access network printers attached to a DOS or Windows workstation. PCPrint runs on the workstation and works with a print service that runs on a server.
OS/2
The information on running PCPRINT on DOS and Windows workstations also applies to OS/2 workstations.
When print jobs are sent to a printer attached to a DOS or Windows workstation, the jobs travel over the network to the print service where they are queued. The jobs are then routed back over the network to PCPrint running on a DOS or Windows workstation. The jobs are then sent to the printer connected to the PCPrint workstation. Figure 12-1 shows how jobs travel over the network to a PCPrint printer.
For additional information on using PCPrint on Windows workstations, see Managing Workstations.
This chapter describes the tasks involved in managing PC-based network printers:
Installing PCPrint software Adding a PCPrint destination to the print service Connecting the printer to the service Making the printer available to users Managing the printer connection
Note: This chapter assumes that you have already added a print service. See "To Add a Print Service" in Chapter 8 for information on adding a print service.
You should know these facts about the PCPrint program:
Commands limits per print service - You can only issue one PCPRINT command to any one print service.
Commands limits per workstation - You can issue the PCPRINT command more than once at a workstation. You must name a different print service for each command. If you issue duplicate PCPRINT commands to the network, print jobs may be routed to the wrong printer. As a result, PCPrint displays a job status of Ready for print jobs but no printing occurs.
Memory requirements - Each PCPrint program occupies approximately 7K of DOS workstation memory.
Number of printers supported - Depending on your workstation configuration, PCPrint supports up to three parallel and four serial printer ports on a DOS workstation.
Maintaining connections - The PCPrint connection remains as long as both PCPrint and the specified service are running. A user can log out of a workstation running PCPRINT and the PCPRINT connection remains, because an SPP connection still exists. However, if the user logs out and the print service goes down (or there is a network error or event that disrupts the connection), the PCPRINT connection to the service is not restored because there is no user logged in at the workstation.
Terminating PCPrint - PCPrint continues to execute as long as the workstation is powered on. Logging out terminates the PCPrint connection to the print service, but it does not terminate the PCPrint program. The only way to terminate PCPrint is to reboot the workstation.
Overriding print service configuration - Any information entered in the PCPrint command line (for example, baud rate for serial printers) overrides corresponding configuration information in the print service. See the Command Reference for more information on the PCPRINT command.
To use PCPrint, you must run optional software on your server. If you run PCPrint from a workstation and the server that maintains the print service specified in the PCPrint command line does not have the optional software, an error message appears at the workstation.
For complete instructions on installing optional software on your server, see the Banyan Server Operations Guide.
When you configure a print service, you add the PCPrint printer as a destination. Each print service can have only one PCPrint destination.
You can add a PCPrint destination to a print service during or after the service is created. To add a PCPrint destination during the initial service creation and configuration, follow the instructions in "Adding Other Destinations" in Chapter 8 for adding destinations.
When you add a PCPrint destination, you must specify the name of the user who will log in at the PCPrint workstation and run the PCPrint program. The PCPrint connection to the print service times out if a user is not logged in at the workstation. If you dedicate a workstation to printing, consider creating a fictitious user and entering the user's name in the PCPrint ST Name field. You can then log in as this user, run the PCPrint program, and leave the user logged in at the workstation without jeopardizing security. For security reasons, make sure you do not give this user access to any network resources by creating a blank profile for the user.
Record the specific names and settings on the PCPrint Worksheet shown in Figure 12-2.
1. Access the Control A Service menu by running either MSERVICE or OPERATE. See "Accessing the Service Menus" in Chapter 2 for detailed instructions.
2. Choose CONTROL the service. The Control a Service menu appears.
3. Choose CONFIGURE service. The Manage Print Service menu appears.
4. Choose ADD a destination. The Add a Destination menu appears.
5. Choose PCPrint. The Destination Attributes screen appears.
6. In the PCPrint ST Name field, enter the StreetTalk name of the user who will log in at the PCPrint workstation and run the PCPrint program. To allow any user to run the PCPrint program, enter *@*@*.
7. Enter a description for the destination of up to 64-characters.
8. Press F5 to display the list of paper formats configured for the print service.
9. Choose a paper format. The Destination Attributes screen reappears.
10. Press F10 to save the configuration. The Output Strings screen appears.
11. Enter the necessary information for the destination in the Output Strings screen. This information depends on your printer and your printing requirements. See "Prefix and Suffix Fields" in Chapter 8 for more information about this screen.
12. When you are finished entering output strings, press F10. The Enable Strings screen appears.
13. Use the arrow keys to move through the fields and press ENTER to enable or disable each string.
14. Press F10 to save your configuration. The Manage A Service menu appears.
Connecting the Printer to the Service
To connect the printer attached to the DOS or Windows workstation to the print service, you must use the PCPrint program. You can use the PCPrint program by either:
Running PCPrint at the PCPrint workstation. You must be logged in to VINES to issue run PCPrint. Running PCPrint from a batch file at the PCPrint workstation. You can run PCPrint automatically by booting the DOS or Windows workstation from a VINES diskette that contains the PCPRINT command in its AUTOEXEC.BAT file.
The next section lists important facts you should know before you run the PCPrint program.
To Run PCPrint from the Command Line
1. Physically connect the printer to a serial or parallel port on a DOS workstation.
2. At the workstation, log in to the VINES network using the StreetTalk name specified in the configuration of the PCPrint destination.
3. At the DOS prompt, enter the appropriate version of the PCPRINT command.
The PCPRINT command has two formats, one for parallel printers and one for serial printers. For the appropriate command syntax, see "PCPRINT Format for Parallel Printers" and "PCPRINT Format for Serial Printers" later in this chapter.
Running PCPrint from a Batch File
You can put the PCPRINT command in any batch file. Depending on the purpose of the file is and how it is used, you may need to remove LOGOUT command to keep the PCPrint connection to the service up and running.
More than one PCPRINT command can appear in a batch file. If you put the command in an AUTOEXEC.BAT file, the workstation establishes connections to several print services when the workstation is booted.
The only way to start PCPrint automatically is to put the PCPRINT command in an AUTOEXEC.BAT file. You cannot include the PCPRINT command in a user profile. The PCPRINT command must appear after BAN.COM and LOGIN in the file. Once you log in, the PCPrint program executes automatically.
If you use the PCPRINT command in a batch file that contains a LOGOUT command, it is recommended that you include the DOS PAUSE command after the PCPRINT command and before the LOGOUT command. The PAUSE command halts the execution of the batch file until you press a function key, giving PCPrint enough time to initialize properly.
The PCPRINT command has two formats, one for parallel printers and one for serial printers. For the appropriate command syntax, see "PCPRINT Format for Parallel Printers" and "PCPRINT Format for Serial Printers" later in this chapter.
The PCPRINT command has two formats, one for parallel printers and one for serial printers. The following sections give the syntax for the command.
PCPRINT Format for Parallel Printers
For a parallel printer, use the following format:
PCPRINT service-name [LPTn] [HOTKEY:x] [D:n] [R:n]
Table 12-1 describes the variables for PCPRINT for parallel printers.
Example PCPRINT Command for a Parallel Printer
If you enter the following command:
PCPRINT "pc printer1@Sal@WCTUS" lpt2 hotkey:u
a connection is established between the PCPrint program and the print service named pc printer1@Sal@WCTUS. Because the name contains a space, it is enclosed in double quotations.
The service will route print jobs to the DOS workstation where the PCPrint program is running. The jobs will print at a parallel printer on port lpt2. To view the status of jobs, you would press ALT-U.
PCPRINT Format for Serial Printers
For a serial printer, use this format:
PCPRINT service-name COMm[:baud[,parity [,databits[,stopbits]]]] [HOTKEY:x]
Table 12-2 describes the components for PCPRINT for serial printers.
Example PCPRINT Command for a Serial Printer
If you enter the following command:
PCPRINT "pc printer2@Mkt@WCTUS" COM1:4800,odd hotkey:t
a connection between PCPrint and the print service named pc printer2 is established. Because the print service name contains a space, the name is enclosed in double quotations.
The service will route print jobs to the DOS workstation where PCPrint is running. The jobs will print at a serial printer on port com1. The data will travel at 4800 bps, with parity set to odd. To view the status of jobs, you would press ALT-T.
Making the Printer Available to Users
Run the SETPRINT command to make the printer available to workstation users. This command sets a printer port, such as LPT1, to the print queue of the service. For more information on SETPRINT, see "Making Print Services Available to Users" in Chapter 11 or the Command Reference.
Managing the Printer Connection
After you run PCPrint, you can display information about the workstation printers assigned to the print services you specified. The status information includes print service connection status, workstation printer status, and job information if a job is currently being printed.
This status information is not the same as the status information you view from the Control Printer/Jobs menu for print services. This status information is gathered and displayed by the PCPrint program.
To View PCPrint Status Information
After the PCPrint program is running, press the hotkey at the PCPrint workstation. The VINES PC Printer screen appears. Figure 12-3 shows the VINES PC Printer screen.
This screen displays the status of jobs sent to the print service connection that the first PCPRINT command established. To view the status of jobs sent to the connection that the second PCPRINT command established, press ENTER. To view the status of jobs sent to other connections, continue to press ENTER.
The screens are layered on top of each other. The screen for the connection established by the first PCPRINT command appears on top. The screen for the connection established by the second PCPRINT command appears next, and so on. As you press ENTER, you move further down the stack until you reach the screen for the most recent PCPrint connection.
To return to DOS, press the hotkey at any time.
Note: When you keep the VINES PC Printer screen displayed, it increases the time needed to print a job by as much as 50 to 100 percent.
Example Accessing the Status Screen
Issue two PCPRINT commands in the order shown below:
pcprint "pc printer1@Mkt@WCTUS" lpt1
pcprint "pc printer2@Mkt@WCTUS" lpt2 hotkey:t
Because the PCPRINT command specifying lpt1 was issued first, you would see its screen immediately after you press ALT-T from the system prompt. To see the screen for the other PCPRINT command, you would have to press ENTER from the first screen. To return to the system prompt, press ALT-T at any time.
The VINES PC Printer screen has three sections:
Service Information Fields - Shows print service connection information, including name and status.
Printer Information Fields - Shows information about the printer at the workstation, including the workstation port and printer status.
Current Job Fields - Shows information about jobs that are printing, including the user, title, job number, size, and characters printed. If no jobs have been submitted, these fields do not appear.
Table 12-3 describes the information in these sections.
