Chapter 6 - Printing on the Network
A VINES network lets you share different types of printers with many users. This chapter provides an overview of VINES print services and introduces you to some of the concepts involved in printing in a network environment.
A printer used in the network is called a network printer. One network printer is shared by many users and one user can access different network printers.
You can share different types of printers, such as laser and impact printers. Choosing among printers can be done simply and without leaving your workstation. You do not have to switch any cables.
Which network printers you use depends on how your system administrator sets up your user profile. In addition, you access other network printers by using the SETPRINT program. Chapter 9 describes the native VINES SETPRINT program.
How a VINES Print Service Communicates
To determine which printer a particular print job goes to, the VINES print service assigns three virtual printer connections to your workstation. These connections are virtual because they are simply names that identify workstation printer ports, not the physical port connections.
The virtual connections are named after the three physical workstation printer ports:
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LPT1 (or PRN) ![]()
LPT2 ![]()
LPT3
For each print queue included in your user profile, the system administrator may assign a virtual connection.
LPT1 is usually set to the print queue you use most. This is because LPT1 is the default (first choice) recognized by most applications.
In a native VINES network, multiple printers can be configured as destinations by the system administrator responsible for configuring the print service. As a user, you choose from available destination printers by selecting the paper formats associated with each destination. Selecting paper formats, as well as different print services, is explained in Chapter 9.
To make these selections, use the VINES SETPRINT program. Information about the SETPRINT program, and other VINES printing programs and commands can be found in Chapter 9 and Chapter 10.
Many users share the same network printer. To maintain the order and flow of all this printing, the VINES print service keeps track of all print requests for each network printer by maintaining a print queue. The print queue handles all print requests on a first in, first out basis.
Your system administrator sets up print services and gives each service a unique StreetTalk name. To give you access to a network printer, the system administrator specifies the print service name in your user profile.
Example Print Service Name
World Commodity Trading (WCT) Sales Department's letter-quality print queue is called:
LaserPrinter@Sales@WCTUS
Your system administrator specifies your print queues and associated virtual connections in your user profile. This way, your printer settings load automatically every time you log in to the network.
Example Automatic Print Queue Access
In Duncan Fraser's user profile, the system administrator gave him access to the print queue LaserPrinter@Sal@WCTUS, which uses virtual connection LPT1.
When Duncan issues a print request from his word processing application, the print job prints automatically on the laser printer in the Sales department.
Most likely, your system administrator has configured your user profile to use network printers. If you need to change your settings, use the SETPRINT program. Chapter 9 describes VINES SETPRINT.
OS/2
You can use any VINES print service from your OS/2 workstation, as well as the Print Manager functions that are built into OS/2 Presentation Manager. Refer to your OS/2 Presentation Manager documentation for more information.
VINES network printers can be set up in three ways:
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Attached to VINES servers ![]()
Attached to DOS or OS/2 workstations (if your site has installed the PC Network Print option) ![]()
Attached directly to the network
In all cases, print jobs follow the same route as outlined in the previous section: they go from your workstation to a queue in a server. Then, the print jobs are sent to one of the following:
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A network printer attached to a server ![]()
A network printer attached to a workstation ![]()
A printer directly connected to the network cable
The PC Network Print option allows network printers to be attached to workstations. It is not part of the VINES base software and must be purchased separately.
If the option is installed at your site and you need assistance, consult your system administrator.
Figure 6-1 shows the route of a print job, from workstation to printer, on a native VINES network.
This is how printing on native VINES works:
1. From an application, you issue the request to print a job.
2. If your print service is on a native VINES server, your print job is sent from your workstation to the VINES print service on the server. The print service takes all jobs submitted to it and places them in a queue in the order they are received.
3. When your job reaches the top of the queue, the print service matches the job's paper format to those on the available printers. If a printer is available, the job is sent to that printer. If a printer is not available, the print job remains in the queue until one is available.
4. A message displays on your workstation informing you that your print job is being spooled (sent) to the printer for printing. The network printer prints each job in order.
5. When your print job completes printing, a status message displays telling you where the job is printed (the printer name).