Planning printer and printer pool definitions for NetSpool

Before you can use NetSpool to print VTAM® application data, you must specify fields (attributes) that NetSpool uses in the printer definition. Table 48 summarizes the attributes that NetSpool uses and indicates whether each attribute is required or optional. If a printer definition does not already exist for the printer or email destination, you must create one. If a printer definition already exists, edit it and specify the attributes that NetSpool uses.

You can configure printer definitions for use by NetSpool before or after starting the NetSpool program. If NetSpool is already started, NetSpool automatically starts the printer LU when you save the printer definition, provided that the printer LU is assigned to one of the LU classes that NetSpool has started. If the printer LU is not active in VTAM, NetSpool automatically starts it when the printer LU becomes active.

If you change printer attributes in an existing printer definition while a VTAM session with the printer LU is active, in most cases NetSpool uses the changed values when it allocate the next output data set on the JES spool. However, changes to the LU class and end-of-file rules are related to the VTAM session and do not take effect with the next data set. For information, see Grouping NetSpool printer LUs into LU classes and Specifying how NetSpool determines end-of-file.

In addition to configuring the printer definition for use by NetSpool, you must also define the NetSpool printer LU name to VTAM. If NetSpool is already started, define the printer LU to VTAM before configuring the printer definition, because NetSpool attempts to start the printer LU as soon as the printer definition is saved in the Printer Inventory. For information, see Defining NetSpool printer LUs to VTAM.

Table 15 lists the tasks related to NetSpool and refers to the topic that describes how to do each task.