Print Interface
The Print Interface component of Infoprint Server processes print requests received from both remote clients and local users. Figure 1 shows the steps that occur from the time Print Interface receives a print request until it allocates an output data set on the JES spool. An explanation of each step follows.
- Users can submit print requests and query job status from remote clients in the Internet
Protocol network with one of these TCP/IP protocols:
- LPR protocol
- The LPR protocol is defined by RFC 1179. Clients that use this protocol include:
- The Infoprint Port Monitor for Windows. Infoprint Server provides this client (see Windows client).
- The lprafp command for Windows and
UNIX systems. You can use this command to specify Infoprint
Server job attributes. You can download the lprafp command from z/OS downloads. In the
As-is z/OS® downloads
section, select Infoprint Server for z/OS. - TCP/IP commands such as lpr, enq, and lpq.
- An SAP R/3 application server that runs on a remote system.
- Internet Printing Protocol (IPP)
- IPP is a standard protocol for printing over the Internet. An IPP client must run in the remote system.
- Users can submit print requests from the local z/OS system
with one of these methods:
- Print Interface subsystem
- By using the Print Interface subsystem, you can transform and print output data that is created by a batch application with minimal changes to your JCL.
- AOPPRINT
- By using the AOPPRINT JCL procedure, you can print existing MVS data sets and UNIX files.
- z/OS UNIX printing commands (lp, lpstat, and cancel) that Infoprint Server provides
- By using these commands, you can print MVS data sets and
UNIX files, query the status of a print job,
and cancel a print job. You can run these commands from the z/OS
UNIX command line or from a UNIX application.Trouble: If you receive this error message from the lpstat or cancel command:
FSUMF014 There is no function provided for this utility
you are running the z/OS UNIX base command in /bin instead of the Infoprint Server replacement command in /usr/lpp/Printsrv. /bin/lpstat and /bin/cancel are stub commands. z/OS UNIX recognizes them but does not support their function. To make sure that you run /usr/lpp/Printsrv/lpstat and /usr/lpp/Printsrv/cancel, do either of these:- Use the mv command to rename the command in /bin.
- Change your PATH environment variable so that /usr/lpp/Printsrv comes before /bin.
- Infoprint Server SAP Output Management System (OMS)
- By using the Infoprint Server SAP OMS and the SAP R/3 Application Server for z/OS, SAP R/3 users can submit a print job and receive immediate notification about job events.
- Print Interface runs as a UNIX application that uses the
services of z/OS
UNIX System Services.
Print Interface accepts data in any format, including but not limited to these formats: line data, MO:DCA-P (also known as AFP), PostScript, PDF, PCL, SAP (OTF and ABAP), XML, and text.
- Each print request specifies the name of a printer definition in the Printer Inventory. The printer definition can describe a printer or an email destination. Print Interface uses information in the printer definition to determine items, such as how to process the data or whether to transform the data.
- Print Interface can, in most cases, automatically detect the data format of the input data and validate that the printer accepts that data format. Print Interface can convert data between EBCDIC and ASCII. Also, it can use other transform products to transform data into other formats for printing or emailing.
- For each print request, Print Interface dynamically allocates
an output data set on the JES2 or JES3 spool. In a JES2 environment,
you can request that Print Interface allocate output data sets on
the spool of the primary JES2 subsystem or a secondary JES2 subsystem.
Print Interface uses JES allocation parameters that are specified
in the printer definition, including:
- JES work-selection parameters, such as class, forms name, and destination. These parameters cause JES to direct the output data sets to the correct program, such as PSF or IP PrintWay.
- Advanced Function Presentation (AFP) parameters, such as the name of a form definition and page definition. PSF uses these parameters when printing data on AFP printers.
Some additional functions that Print Interface provides include:
- Transforms
- Print Interface can transform data to line data or text format
without using a separate transform product. It can:
- Transform text data into line data for printing on AFP printers.
- Transform line data (for example, in a sequential data set or a partitioned data set) into text data for printing on a network printer or emailing.
- Validation of print requests
- Print Interface can validate, with some exceptions, that the document can print as requested on the selected printer. For example, Print Interface can reject documents with data formats that the printer does not support or that are too large to print on the selected printer.
- Notification of completion
- Print Interface can notify users on the local z/OS system when document processing is complete and the data set is removed from the JES spool. It can also notify users who request mail notification with a command, such as lpr, that uses the LPR to LPD protocol.
- Operator control
- The operator can use tools, such as SDSF and Infoprint Central, to find output data sets that Print Interface writes to the JES spool. Infoprint Central can display additional status, such as whether the output data sets (called print jobs) are completed successfully, are retained because of failed transmission to LAN printers, or are deleted before printing.
- Identification of output
- Print Interface retains the user ID of the job submitter for printing on separator pages and for display on the JES spool so that the user ID can be printed on separator pages and the operator can see the name of the job submitter when the data set is on the JES spool.
- Double-byte character set (DBCS) support
- Print Interface can convert DBCS data from one code page to another before it writes the data to the JES spool.
- Filters
- You can write filter programs to modify data before Print Interface writes the data to the JES spool. For example, a filter can add separator pages or transform data from one format to another.
- SAP Output Management System (OMS)
- Print Interface provides an SAP OMS with a Callback daemon to support printing with the SAP R/3 Application Server for z/OS. SAP users can use the OMS and Callback daemon to print, cancel jobs, obtain job status, and receive immediate notification about job events.