From: mm79+@ANDREW.CMU.EDU (Mark Madsen)
Newsgroups: comp.os.vms
Subject: Need help for printing problem with HP IIIsi
Date: 17 Apr 92 18:47:45 GMT
Distribution: world
Organization: The Internet


Ever since upgrading to VMS 5.4 we've been having trouble printing
to our HP IIsi printers.  The printer will print the first file sent
to it, after which it will hang.  The printer I've been working with
is hooked up to tta2 on a 2000 with the following terminal settings:

Terminal: _TTA2:      Device_Type: Unknown       Owner: SYMBIONT_0007
                                              Username: SYSTEM

   Input:   9600      LFfill:  0      Width: 256      Parity: None
   Output:  9600      CRfill:  0      Page:   66
Terminal Characteristics:
   Interactive        Echo               Type_ahead         No Escape
   Hostsync           TTsync             Lowercase          No Tab
   No Wrap            Scope              No Remote          No Eightbit
   No Broadcast       No Readsync        Form               Fulldup
   No Modem           No Local_echo      Autobaud           No Hangup
   No Brdcstmbx       No DMA             No Altypeahd       Set_speed
   Line Editing       Overstrike editing No Fallback        No Dialup
   No Secure server   No Disconnect      No Pasthru         No Syspassword
   No SIXEL Graphics  No Soft Characters No Printer Port    Numeric Keypad
   No ANSI_CRT        No Regis           No Block_mode      No Advanced_video
   No Edit_mode       No DEC_CRT         No DEC_CRT2        No DEC_CRT3
   No DEC_CRT4

I originally had the printer hooked up with /noautobaud at 19200 and
got the same problems.

If I SET HOST/DTE TTA2 and type ctrl-t when the printer has been reset,
it reports back %%[ status: waiting ]%%.  After submitting a job to the
queue, I'll see it go to %%[ status: printing ]%% and stay that way, even
though the job has come out and there's nothing in the print queue.  On the
printer, the online and form feed lights are on and the green light is
flashing, which indicates processing.  Hitting ctrl-d three times will
reset the printer and return the waiting status again, after which I can
print one job.

Getting onto the port during processing and typing a ctrl-t, I'll see
everything in the print queue run through as though it really did get printed,
followed by:
%%[ status: waiting ]%%
%%[ status: printing ]%%
%%[ status: printing ]%%
etc.
until I reset it with ctrl-d.

Sometimes, the printer reports a %%[ status: busy ]%% before going into the
"infinite %%[ status: printing ]%%" mode which requires a reset.

Twice, I've had the following happen:
SET H/DTE TTA2:
<ctrl-t>
%%[ Error: timeout; OffendingCommand: timeout ]%%
%%[ status: printing ]%%
%%[ PrinterError: Printer To Host Data Lost ]%%

With the print postcript errors option turned on, the printer will
give a sheet with "Error: timeout, Offending Command: timeout" message.
We've been using the LASER program for printing (don't ask why), which
has been fine up to now.  I don't believe the problem is laser because
copying a file directly to the port will cause the same sort of symptoms
to occur.

Here's a sample of what a show queue will report right after resetting
the printer:

> sh que/all jimson/full
Terminal queue JIMSON, on DINO::TTA2, mounted form LASER
/BASE_PRIORITY=4 /DEFAULT=(FEED,FORM=DEFAULT) Lowercase /OWNER=[SYSTEM]
/PROTECTION=(S:E,O:D,G:R,W:RWE)

  Jobname         Username     Entry  Blocks  Status
  -------         --------     -----  ------  ------
  FOO             FOOBAR          17     106  Printing at block 6
  Submitted 17-APR-1992 14:24 /NOFLAG /FORM=LASER /PRIORITY=100
  File: _GARLIC$DKA300:[TMP]2500005FC.LSR;1 /DELETE /NOFEED
  File: _GARLIC$DKA300:[TMP]2500005FP.LSR;1 (printing) /DELETE /NOFEED

The serial connection between the printer and the machine has
been checked out and is fine.  This also happens if I have the
printer connected up over LAT via a DecServer 200, except that
I have to physically reset the printer if it freezes.

Does anyone have any suggestions or know of anywhere I can look for help?

Mark Madsen
CMU Psychology Facilities

Newsgroups: comp.os.vms