LANtastic by ARTISOFT Artisoft Technical Bulletin TITLE: Remote Printer Despooling (RPD) FILENAME: RPD.TXT UPDATED: 04.25.95 CLASSIFICATION: Network operating system AUTHOR: RTR Remote Printer Despooling allows a printer attached to a workstation (REDIR only) to share its' printer with other stations on the network. The RPD program is a TSR loaded on the workstation where the printer is physically attached. The program will despool jobs from the queue of a specified server on the network. All print jobs will actually be sent to the servers' print queue and then pulled from that queue by the RPD program and printed on the workstations' local printer. All users (including the workstation with the RPD printer), must NET USE a printer port to the SERVERS' print queue. REQUIREMENTS/RESTRICTIONS FOR AN RPD SERVER NOTE: These settings are configured in NET_MGR on the SERVER where the RPD resource will be located. This server will correspond to the SERVER= parameter of the RPD command loaded on the workstation with the printer. 1] Setup a printer resource, (an @resource), and set the resource to type REMOTE, (not a physical port such as LPT1). The server will not be accessing a physical port, but sending the information to the RPD station. 2] The machine with the RPD printer must login to the server whose queue it will use with a username that has the D privilege. The Q privilege is strongly recommended as well. 3] If multiple RPD stations will be using the same server for despooling, (but different resources), the printer tasks may need to be increased if simultaneous printing is required. If the printer tasks are at one, then only one printer will be able to print at a time. NOTE: increasing the printer tasks can have a negative impact overall server and printing performance. 4] If multiple RPD stations are using the SAME resource to despool, then there must be at least two printer tasks set. If there are more that two RPD stations using this resource, it may be beneficial to set a printer task per RPD station, (SEE NOTE FROM ABOVE). With less tasks than the number of printers, any printer problems, i.e. printer jams, could cause jobs to become "stuck" in the queue and they will have to be manually removed. 5] There is a maximum of 8 RPD stations allowed for 1 server. 6] If startup or cleanup files are used, the network path for the files must be specified instead of a local path; i.e. \C-DRIVE\SETUP.TXT instead of C:\SETUP.TXT or \\SERVER\C- DRIVE\SETUP.TXT 7] Operator Notification and Immediate Despooling are not supported on an RPD device. If multiple RPD stations despool the same resource, the print jobs will be sent to the first available printer. If one job is being despooled, that RPD workstation is marked active and other jobs scan down for the next available "queue". There will need to be at least two printer tasks, but one printer task per RPD station using that resource, may be more ideal. RPD LINE ON WORKSTATION RPD should be loaded after the REDIR command with the following syntax: RPD name SERVER=server RESOURCE=@resource-name LOCAL_PORT=local port For example: RPD WORK1 SERVER=SERVER1 RESOURCE=@REMOTE LOCAL_PORT=LPT1 The NAME is the name of the RPD station, it does not have to be the same as the REDIR name. This name will assign a name to the servers queue that will allow you manipulate the queue through NET Printer Queue Management. The SERVER is the server where the print jobs are stored. This must have a resource setup as type REMOTE. NOTE: under version 5.00.103 the server name can only be a maximum of 8 characters. The RESOURCE is the @resource of type remote that has been created on the server. Multiple resources can be specified on the RPD line. This allows the printer to print jobs sent to either resource. i.e. there can be a @postscript and @laser of type remote. LPT1 can be assigned to @postscript and LPT2 to @laser. For example; assign an RPD line as follows: RPD WORK1 SERVER=SERVER1 RESOURCE=@POSTSCRIPT RESOURCE=@LASER LOCAL_PORT=LPT1 All print jobs to @postscript (LPT1) and @laser (LPT2) will print to the printer on the RPD workstation. The LOCAL_PORT is the physical port the printer is plugged into on the workstation. This will default to LPT1, if no LOCAL_PORT is specified, the RPD will use LPT1. THE PARAMETERS FOR RPD ARE: *BAUD_RATE= One of the following choices: 110 134.5 150 300 600 1200 1800 2400 3600 4800 7200 9600 19200 38400 56000 115200 *CHARACTER_LENGTH=One of the following choices: 7 8 *FLOW_CONTROL= One of the following choices: NONE HARDWARE XON-XOFF HELP LOCAL_PORT= One of the following choices:LPT1 LPT2 LPT3 COM1 COM2 COM3 COM4 PAPER_WIDTH= decimal *PARITY= One of the following choices: EVEN ODD NONE PRINTER_BUFFER_SIZE= One of the following choices: 512 1K 2K 3K 4K 5K 6K 8K 10K 12K 14K 16K 18K 20K 24K 28K 32K - Can help performance REFRESH_RATE= not documented in manual, it is in the readme.doc. Default is 60 REMOVE RESOURCE= Name of the resource(s) on the server that are set to type remote SERVER= Name of the server queuing the remote resource STATUS *STOP_BITS= One of the following choices: 1 2 TAB_WIDTH= decimal *for use with serial printers TROUBLESHOOTING RPD WON'T LOAD 1] Make sure that RPD workstation is logging into the server with a username that has the D privilege. 2] Only 8 RPD stations are allowed to connect to one server. If a station attempts to load RPD and specifies a server that already has eight RPD stations attached, the ninth station will report the error; "ERROR: The server specified cannot accept any more remote despoolers." 3] Make sure you command line syntax is proper. NO PRINTING 1] Make sure the resource on the server is set to type REMOTE, not a physical port. 2] Make sure despooling is enabled on the server and there are enough printer tasks. 3] Check for the use of STREAMS. The stream that controls the RPD resource must be 8 characters. If it is not, it will need to be padded with ?? until it is 8 characters. 4] The machine name of the server cannot be more that 8 characters in length. If it is, the print jobs will not print, even though they will have a despooling status. If the server where the jobs are queuing and where the remote resource is, has a REDIR name of more that 8 characters, it will need to be changed. Ensure that all logins and uses to this server are changed as well. 5] Do not load two RPD lines on one machine to the same local port. Place the multiple resources on the same RPD line. 6] If the server where the RPD resource is located has been rebooted, the connection broken, or the RPD station has logged out, the queue must be restarted, or the RPD workstation must be rebooted. NOTE: (1) the current print job will go to HELD when the connection is broken, and will have to be manually released after the queue is restarted. The Net program must be used to release the print job. The option is found under the Printer Queue Management section. (2) If the server is rebooted, the RPD station must re-establish a connection before a NET QUEUE START would be effective. A NET POSTBOX command would accomplish the re-connect. SLOW PERFORMANCE 1] Set the Chars Per Second to 10000 on the resource on the server 2] Add REFRESH=5 to the RPD line. 3] Increase the PRINTER_BUFFER_SIZE on the RPD line. 4] If you are running Windows on the RPD station, try WIN/S to run Windows in Standard Mode. ARTISOFT, Inc. makes no warranties as to the completeness or accuracy of this document. LANtastic is a trademark of ARTISOFT, Inc. Brand names, company names, and product names are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective companies. We have several methods, you can use to receive support. Our normal technical support line is 520-670-7000 (7a-5p MT). You can post a message on CompuServe in the Artisoft Forum. CompuServe is answered in 1 business day (if left before 6am MT). 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