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FYI
(Note: The origin of this information may be internal or external to Novell.
Novell makes every effort within its means to verify this information.
However, the information provided in this document is FOR YOUR INFORMATION
only. Novell makes no explicit or implied claims to the validity of this
information.)
TITLE: Printing Conventions and Suggestions
DOCUMENT ID#: FYI.P.6025
DATE: 01OCT92
PRODUCT: NetWare Lite
PRODUCT VERSION: All versions
SUPERSEDES: NA
LITE FAX DOC #: 2700
SYMPTOM
NA
ISSUE/PROBLEM
Printing Conventions and Suggestions
Chances are you bought NetWare Lite to share one or more printers. For
this reason, give special attention to the following remarks:
Local Network Printers
When a printer is assigned as a network printer, you should only access
that printer through the network. You may have a printer attached to
your workstation that has been defined as a Network Printer. In this
case, you should capture a port when you wish to print to it. If you
print to it directly (not using capture), you may cause print job
corruption.
Characters Per Second and Print Buffers
Network printers are created in the NET menu utility in the "Supervise
the Network" category. When a printer is created, you can configure the
performance of the printer relative to the DOS running on the same
machine where the printer is attached. This is done by modifying the
"Chars per second" parameter with the "Print buffer size" parameter of
the server configuration.
The print buffer is an area in memory where characters are stored before
being printed. The larger the print buffer size, the less often the
server will need to go to disk to read more characters to print. If the
"Chars per second" value is high (relatively speaking) and the "Print
buffer size" is large (relatively speaking), the printer will be driven
faster and the DOS running on that machine will be interrupted more often
to send characters to the printer.
The converse is also true if the value of "Chars per second" is low and
"Print buffer size" is small. These values should also be tuned to the
speed or desired speed of the printer. If the printer is physically a
"slow" printer, then setting the "Chars per second" parameter to a high
number will have no effect. Additionally, if the "Chars per second" is
set higher than the "Print buffer size" parameter then this will have
little effect, as well.
Setup Strings
One of the options available on network printers is setup strings. You
can define up to ten setup strings for each network printer. In short, a
setup string is a series of characters that put the printer into a
particular mode (such as landscape mode or large characters mode). By
default, the DEFAULT setup string is set to nothing. The DEFAULT setup
string should be set to a sequence of values that reset the printer.
Many printers use the string "1E 45" (<Esc>E) to reset the printer (Check
the documentation for your printer to find out what sequence resets the
printer). The manual that came with the printer should describe the
values that place the printer into different modes. Setup strings are
always entered using hexadecimal codes.
By defining more than one setup string for a Network Printer, it is
possible to submit jobs that will print in different printer modes.
Setup strings can be used as part of the NET CAPTURE command or in the
"Print" category of the NET menu utility. An example of its use with NET
CAPTURE is provided below.
Capture Settings
The term "capturing ports" refers to redirecting print jobs from the
normal printing device to someplace else; in this case, a network
printer. To capture a port, you must first load CLIENT and log in to the
network. You can then access network printers by capturing ports with
the NET CAPTURE command. Several options that are available with this
command are discussed in the manual, as well as in the on-line help in
the NET menu utility, and at the command-line when NET CAPTURE HELP is
typed. A sample command-line might look like the following:
NET CAPTURE LPT1 LASERJET B=N D=Y S=LANDSCAPE
This example specifies that all jobs sent to LPT1 of the local machine
will be redirected to the network printer LASERJET. It also specifies
that for all print jobs sent to LPT1 (LASERJET), NO banner should be
printed and each job should start printing before the job has been
completely submitted (direct printing). Finally, this job is printed
using the LANDSCAPE setup string (created previously on printer
LASERJET).
The LANDSCAPE setup string values are sent to the printer just before the
data of each print job sent to LPT1. The DEFAULT setup string values are
sent to the printer after each print job is printed (thus resetting the
printer for the next job sent to this printer).
From the NET menu utility, it is also possible to submit a print job and
have the job immediately go on hold. When a print job is on hold, it is
placed on the queue but not printed. It can be taken off hold (and thus
printed) by selecting the job from the print job list and changing the
flags of the job.
Capturing COM Ports
The documentation incorrectly states that as a client, you can capture
COM1 or COM2. The COM1 and COM2 ports can only be used by a server. A
network printer can be assigned to the COM1 or COM2 port. Clients can
then capture LPT1, LPT2, or LPT3 to a network printer that has been
created and assigned to COM1 or COM2.
Postscript Printing
Because of the nature of postscript printers, special care must be taken
when sending print jobs. You should make sure your capture has the
following set:
BANNER=No
TABS=0
FORMFEED=No
You may also want to set the WAIT parameter to a value higher than 10
seconds. If your print job gets split to multiple jobs when printing to
a postscript printer, you will want to increase the WAIT value. Increase
it until your print job comes out all in one job.
Using WAIT=0
The WAIT=0 should only be used if the application you are using will
close the print job. If the application does not close the print job,
using WAIT=0 will keep the print job open until it is closed explicitly.
A print job on LPT1 can be closed manually from the DOS command-line by
sending a formfeed or <Ctrl>+L, displayed ^L (press and hold the <Ctrl>
key while pressing the <L> key, then release the <L> key and <Ctrl> key).
Type ECHO ^L > LPT1. This sends a form feed character to LPT1 and closes
the job. Generally, using a WAIT value of 10 or so is adequate.
CAUTION: If you use WAIT=0 and DIRECT=Y, you will hold the printer until
the print job is explicitly closed.
SOLUTION
NA