This chapter explains how to use the remote printing feature of the DEC TCP/IP Services for VMS software product.
7.1 Remote Printing Services
The DEC TCP/IP remote printing services allow you to:
• Print local files on printers attached to a remote VMS or UNIX server system.
• Remove jobs from the remote print queue.
• Display status of jobs on the remote print queue.
The remote printing services operate transparently to the user. When you issue a remote printing command from your system, you do not need to be aware that the printer is connected to a different computer system.
DEC TCP/IP remote printing implements the Line Printer Daemon (LPD) Protocol described in the RFC-1179.
7.2 Remote Printing Client and Server Facilities
DEC TCP/IP remote printing services supports client and LPD server facilities for both UNIX and VMS systems. As a user on a VMS or UNIX client system, you can print files on printers attached to a remote VMS or UNIX server system.
VMS client and server systems must run DEC TCP/IP LPD software. UNIX client and server systems must run BSD 4.2 line printer spooler software lpd.
The LPD server accepts files for printing, displays information about jobs in the remote queue, and removes jobs from the remote queue.
Table 7-1 briefly describes the client commands.
Table 7-1 Remote Printing Commands on VMS Command
LPQ LPRM
Function
A DeL-style command that allows a user at a VMS client to print one or more files on a printer attached to a server.
Displays remote job queue information in long or short form.
Removes a job from the remote queue.
Users at a UNIX client use the UNIX-style lpr command to print one or more files on a printer attached to a server.)
Remote Printing 7-1
7.2.1 How Remote Printing Works
From a VMS client system:
The system manager on a VMS host can set a flag in the SYS$SPECIFIC:[UCX_
LPD]UCX$PRINTCAP.DAT file that designates a queue as a remote queue and specifies the name of the remote host to which to send the files for printing.
To print a file on the remote printer, the VMS user issues the DCL PRINT command specifying a queue that is mapped to the remote printer through the SYS$SPECIFIC:[UCX_LPD]UCX$PRINTCAP.DAT file. The UCX LPD symbiont that controls the local VMS queues determines the name of the remote host and the name of the remote printer (where the file should be printed) from the UCX$PRINTCAP.DAT file. The job is sent through TCP/IP to the destination host for printing.
From a UNIX client system:
The system manager of a UNIX host can set a flag in the /etc/printcap file that designates a printer as a remote printer and specifies the name of the remote host to which to send the files for printing. See the UNIX printcap documentation for more information.
When a user on a UNIX client system issues a remote printing command, the LPD Server on the VMS host does the following:
• Receives the job request from the client.
• Accepts control and data files from the remote host and stores them in the spool directory associated with the requested queue name.
• Determines the name of the user who submitted the job and verifies that the user is authorized to use the server.
• Determines the name of the local print queue and queues the job to the DCL-style PRINT command are supported.
To be notified when your job is completed on the remote printer, add the IPARAMETER=MAIL qualifer to the PRINT command. You will be notified through SMTP mail.
7.4 Remote Printing from a UNIX Client System
To print one or more files from a UNIX client system, issue the UNIX-style Ipr command:
% lpr [options] [file_spec, ... ]
Where file_spec is the name of one or more files to be queued.
All options of the UNIX Ipr command are supported.
7-2 Remote Printing
To be notified when your job is finished on the remote printer, add the -m qualifier to the Ipr command. You will be 'notified through SMTP mail.
7.5 Displaying Print Status
To display information about the status of your job on the remote host, use the DeL LPQ command. Refer to your VMS DeL documentation for the LPQ command syntax.
Table 7-2 briefly explains qualifiers you can use with the LPQ command.
Table 7-2 LPQ Qualifiers Qualifier
/FULL
!USER /ENTRY
Function
Displays status of the remote queue in the long form. The default is NOFULL and the display is the short form.
Displays status of the user jobs in the remote queue. The default is NOUSER.
Displays status of the job entries in the remote queue. The default is NOENTRY.
7.6 Removing a Job from the Print Queue
To remove a job from the remote queue, use the DeL LPRM command. Refer to your VMS DeL documentation for the LPRM command syntax.
Table 7-3 briefly explains qualifiers you can use with the LPRM command.
Table 7-3 LPRM Qualifiers Qualifier
fALL
!USER /ENTRY
Function
Removes all of the jobs from the remote queue for the current user.
Removes the jobs from the remote queue for the specified user.
Removes the specified job entries from the remote queue.
Remote Printing 7-3