z/OS UNIX System Services printing commands

Print Interface includes enhanced z/OS® UNIX System Services printing commands, which provide more function than the printing commands available without Infoprint Server. These enhanced commands conform to UNIX standards to facilitate the porting of UNIX applications to z/OS UNIX System Services:
lp
The lp command sends files for printing to Print Interface running on the local z/OS system. The files can be UNIX files or traditional MVS™ data sets, such as sequential data sets and partitioned data sets. This command conforms to the Single UNIX Specification Version 3 standard.
lpstat
The lpstat command queries the status of print jobs. It also queries the names, locations, and descriptions of printers that the administrator defined in the Printer Inventory. This command conforms to the X/Open Portability Guide Issue 4 Version 2 (XPG4.2) standard.
cancel
The cancel command cancels print requests, if the data set allocated on the JES spool is not yet selected for printing. This command conforms to the X/Open Portability Guide Issue 4 Version 2 (XPG4.2) standard.
Some of the benefits of these commands are:
  • Notification of completion

    These commands let users request notification when data set processing on the JES spool completes. Notification can be sent to the terminal or can use the electronic mail facility.

  • Specifying AFP printing options

    On the lp command, users can request printing options for printing on AFP printers. For example, users can specify the names and locations of user-defined form definitions and page definitions.

  • Specifying printing options in a file

    To make specification of printing options easier, the lp command lets users specify the printing options in a file and name the file on the command.

  • Specifying printing options in an environment variable

    The lp command also lets users specify printing options in an environment variable. Options that are specified in a variable take effect automatically. The user can override these options on the command line or in a file.

  • Printing on remote printers that are not defined in the Printer Inventory

    On the lp command, users can specify routing information, such as the Internet Protocol (IP) address or host name and the print queue name, for remote printers in the Internet Protocol network. This lets users print on remote printers that the administrator did not define in the Printer Inventory.