Syntax: /formfeed

This qualifier instructs the LANprint Symbiont to add a trailing formfeed to every print file. The default behaviour is for any leading formfeed characters to be discarded, and a trailing formfeed will not be provided unless this qualifier is used. This option is provided for cases where the remote print server's separation controls are inadequate.

4.2.5 Hold-On Timer Qualifier

Syntax: /hold_on_timer=integer

This qualifier provides a value which is used to delay disconnection from the remote server at the end of a print job. The value provided is in units of 1 minute. The default value is 0, meaning that the Symbiont will disconnect immediately on finishing a print job. If a print queue is used continuously for small print jobs, then defining a /HOLD_ON_TIMER value will improve the performance of the queue.

4.2.6 LAN Adapter Name Qualifier

Syntax: /lan_name=name

This qualifier is used to select a non-default transport. LANprint's default transport can be set to either DECnet or TCP/IP during the installation procedure. It specifies the name of the transport that must be used for this print queue. The name can be 1 to 32 characters long. You should use "/lan_name=tcp" to select the TCP/IP transport or "/lan_name=decnet" to select DECnet. Please refer to your LANlink documentation for more details on valid LAN adapter names for external LANlink transports.

4.2.7 NetBIOS Receive Timeout Qualifier

Syntax: /rx_tmo=integer

This qualifier provides a value for the NetBIOS session receive timeout. It is an optional qualifier, the default timeout being 10. The timeout is expressed in units of 0.5 seconds, and should be in the range 0 to 255. The default value (10) corresponds to a timeout of 5 seconds. This feature can be used to force a NetBIOS timeout if the remote system does not reply to a command from the Print Symbiont within the timeout period. If the integer value provided is 0, then NetBIOS receive timeouts will be disabled.

Syntax: /tx_tmo=integer

This qualifier provides a value for the NetBIOS session transmit timeout. It is an optional qualifier, the default timeout being 10. The timeout is expressed in units of 0.5 seconds, and should be in the range 0 to 255. The default value (10) corresponds to a timeout of 5 seconds. This feature can be used to force the NetBIOS session to be aborted if the remote server is unable to accept a message from the Print Symbiont within the timeout period. If the integer value provided is 0, then NetBIOS transmit timeouts will be disabled.

Syntax: /operator=integer

This qualifier is used to control the status messages that the Symbiont can send to operators. The value provided should correspond to a combination of mask values (as defined in the $OPCDEF macro), as shown in Table 4-2.

Table 4-2 Symbiont Operator Class Definitions

$OPCDEF Symbol	Value	Meaning
OPC$M_NM_CENTRL	1	Central Operator
OPC$M_NM_PRINT	2	Printer Operator
OPC$M_NM_TAPES	4	Tape Operator
OPC$M_NM_DISKS	8	Disk Operator
OPC$M_NM_DEVICE	16	Device Status Information
OPC$M_NM_CARDS	32	Card Device Operator
OPC$M_NM_NTWORK	64	Network Operator
OPC$M_NM_CLUSTER	128	VMScluster Operator
OPC$M_NM_SECURITY	256	Security Operator

The default value is 2, which means PRINT class operator terminals will be informed of errors. If this facility is not required, it can be disabled by specifying a value of 0.

For example:-

/operator=67 ! send to Central, Printer, and Network operators

4.2.10 Printer Characteristics Qualifier

Syntax: /characteristics=value

This qualifier is used to provide VMS with the capabilities of the remote printer. The value provided corresponds to VMS Print Symbiont symbols SMBMSG$M_LOWERCASE (1) and SMBMSG$M_SERVER (8), as shown in Table 4-3. These symbols are defined by the $SMBDEF macro. The selected values should be added together.

Table 4-3 Remote Printer Capabilities

$SMBDEF Symbol	Value	Meaning
SMBMSG$M_LOWERCASE	1	Device can print lowercase
SMBMSG$M_SERVER	8	Symbiont is a server

Server Symbionts are those which are not directly connected to a print device. This is the case with the LANprint Symbiont. If the SERVER bit mask is set, the remote printer is assumed to be capable of printing lowercase characters.

If this qualifier is not provided, the default value is 9. If the remote printer can print lower case characters, then values of 1, 8, or 9 can be used interchangeably. If the printer can only print UPPER CASE, then a value of 0 should be provided. Values other than 0, 1, 8, and 9 should not be used.

4.2.11 Resource Name Qualifier

Syntax: /resource=name

This qualifier provides the name of the shared printer resource at the remote server system. The name should be 1 to 16 characters long, and should not contain any embedded space or tab characters. By convention, all resource names are defined in UPPER CASE ASCII. The name provided is NULL filled to 16 characters length.

There is no default resource name. This is a required qualifier.

4.2.12 Resource Password Qualifier

Syntax: /password=password

The /PASSWORD qualifier is optional. If provided, it defines the password that is required to access the remote resource. If it is not provided, then a null (empty) password is used to access the resource. The password can be 1 to 16 characters in length, and should not contain any embedded space or tab characters. By convention, passwords are defined in UPPER CASE ASCII. The value provided is NULL-terminated.

The default password is an empty (null) string.

4.2.13 Retry Timer Qualifier

Syntax: /retry_timer=integer

This qualifier provides a value which is used to produce a delay after an unsuccessful attempt to access the network or a remote server. The value is in units of 1 minute. The default value is 10 (minutes). If a print job is started, but the remote system cannot be reached, then the Print Symbiont will wait for this time before trying again. During this period, the Print Queue will appear to be stalled.

If several print queues are directed to the same remote server, then each requires a separate session. If there are insufficient resources at the server for all of the active queues, the /RETRY_TIMER parameter should be defined non-zero to allow the Symbiont to delay and retry at a later time.

4.2.14 Server Name Qualifier

Syntax: /server=name

The /SERVER qualifier provides the remote server's NetBIOS name. It is a required qualifier. This is normally the remote node's machine name, and should be 1 to 15 characters long. It should not contain any embedded space or tab characters. By convention, all machine names are defined in UPPER CASE ASCII. The name provided is space-filled to 16 characters length.

There is no default server name. This is a required qualifier.

LANprint includes the utility programs shown in Table 5-1.

Table 5-1 LANprint Utility Programs

LPPDATABASE.EXE	The Printer Database Builder Program
LPPQUERY.EXE	The Printer Database Query Program
LPPPRINT.EXE	A Simple File Print Program

The VIALPPDEF command procedure defines appropriate logical names and DCL symbols to invoke the LANprint utility programs.

5.1 LPPDATABASE - The Printer Database Builder

When the Database template file has been edited to suit the local network, or updated to include a new printer resource, it is necessary to rebuild the Printer Database file itself to reflect the changes. This is accomplished by running the Database builder program, LPPDATABASE.EXE.

The LPPDATABASE foreign command can be used to pass command line arguments to the Database builder. The command syntax is as follows:-

LPPDATABASE [template_file_spec binary_file_spec]]

Command line arguments are optional. If none are present, the normal defaults will be used, LPPDIR:LPPDATABASE.DAT (template file) and LPPDIR:LPPDATABASE.BIN (binary file).

For example:-

$ lppdatabase testfile.dat testdatabase.bin

Once the database has been built, it can be tested using the Database query program. This is described in Section 5.2.

Errors

The Database builder program will report syntax errors in the template file. Errors may result in the generation of a corrupt Printer Database. The most common errors are:-

• A missing '-' at the end of a continued line in the template file. This typically generates a %DCL-W-NOCOMD, no command on line error message.
• A mis-spelt qualifier or parameter. This may generate a %DCL-W-IVQUAL, unrecognized qualifier error message.

In this situation, you should edit the template file to correct the error, and re-build the Database.

5.2 LPPQUERY - The Printer Database Query Program

This program can be used to display the database entry for a selected 'device'. The LPPQUERY DCL foreign command (defined by VIALPPDEF.COM) is used to allow command line arguments to be passed to the program.

The command syntax for the Query Program is as follows:-

LPPQUERY net_device [database_file]

The net_device parameter specifies the name of the device specified in the template file. There are no defaults for this parameter, and wildcards cannot be used. The value specified will be space-filled to 32 characters. If the name is not protected by "double quotes", it will be converted to UPPER CASE.

The optional database_file parameter allows test database files to be queried before they are used to replace the main Printer Database file.

For example:-

$ lppquery vax_print LANprint - Version 1.2 - 31-Jul-1996 - Kit #07D4 Copyright (c) 1996 BTVC, Vector Networks Limited. All Rights Reserved LANprint Printer Database Query Program LPPQUERY Evaluation Package. Expires on 30-AUG-1996 Database File Query : LPPDIR:LPPDATABASE.BIN Network Device Name : <VAX_PRINT > Network Server Name : <VAX > LAN Adapter Name : < > Remote Resource : <PRINT > Remote Password : < > Printer Characteristics : 9. NetBIOS Session Timeouts : Rx 0, Tx 0 (0.5 seconds). Error Retry Timer : 1 minutes. Hold-On Timer : 1 minutes. Flow Control Timer : 0 minutes. Maximum Retry Count : 0. Operator ID : 2. Session Debug Flags : 0. Print Trailing FormFeed : <No> $

The various text fields are shown delimited by angle brackets. These do not form a part of the field definition. They merely show the maximum size allowed for the field.

The Maximum Retry Count field is not used in this version of the Symbiont.

The LANprint Symbiont will only search for the Printer Database file using the name LPPDIR:LPPDATABASE.BIN. If it is not found, or cannot be opened for read access, the Symbiont will exit.

Errors

The Query program will report errors if it cannot access the Printer Database file for read, or cannot locate the requested entry in the database file.

If the two required parameters are not supplied, LPPQUERY will exit with error message %LPPQUERY-E-INSFARG, insufficient call arguments.

You should try the query again with the correct parameters. If the Database contains an error, it will be necessary to correct the template file and rebuild the Database.

Hints

Remember to rebuild the database before you query a new entry in it!

5.3 LPPPRINT - The Simple File Print Program

This program is independent of the Print Symbiont, but it uses the Printer Database file to define print resources, and also uses the NetBIOS network to access the remote print resource. It is invoked with the LPPPRINT DCL foreign command in order to pass it command line parameters. It has the following command line syntax:-

LPPPRINT file device [database] -option -option

The file parameter is the name of the text file that is to be printed. This parameter is required. There are no defaults. Wildcards cannot be used.

The device parameter specifies the database entry to be used to access the remote print resource. This parameter is required. There are no defaults. Wildcards cannot be used.

The optional database parameter allows the file specification for the printer database file to be entered. The default file specification is:-

Default database: LPPDIR:LPPDATABASE.BIN

Options may be appended to the command. Options must start with a leading '-' or '/' character, and can be in upper or lower case.

The following options are supported:-

-? Prints the Usage message -L:integer Sets the number of lines per page (0 disables paging) -D Enables low-level debugging -V Enables Verbose reports

The default number of lines per page is 60. After this number of lines have been transferred, a formfeed will be inserted into the data stream. If the print file includes formfeeds already, use -L:0 to disable page formatting.

Errors

If the two required parameters are not supplied, LPPPRINT will exit with error status %SYSTEM-F-INSFARG, insufficient call arguments.

If the remote network node or printer resource cannot be accessed, or an error occurs during the file transfer operation, LPPPRINT will report an error and exit with an error status. The various error messages and the actions required to correct them are listed in Appendix C.