Using the Print Interface subsystem

A z/OS® job submitter can specify the SUBSYS parameter on the DD JCL statement to request that the Print Interface subsystem process output data created by the batch application. SUBSYS subparameters are:

• Name of the Print Interface subsystem
• Name of the printer definition to use
• Infoprint Server job attributes

The job submitter can also specify other parameters on the DD and OUTPUT JCL statements that the Print Interface subsystem supports.

The Print Interface subsystem transforms data from one format to another (if transforms are requested in the printer definition) and allocates a sysout data set on the JES spool. The Print Interface subsystem can be used to print on any type of printer.

When you create a printer definition to be used with the Print Interface subsystem, you do not need to specify any special fields. Therefore, if you have already created a printer definition, no changes are required.

Typically, you create one printer definition for each printer. However, when creating printer definitions to be used just with the Print Interface subsystem, you can simplify administration by creating only one printer definition for all printers that share the same attributes. If you create one printer definition for printing to several printers, the job submitter must specify the JCL parameters that are required to direct the output to the desired printer:

• If you create one PSF printer definition for all printers controlled by PSF, the job submitter must specify the JCL parameters that correspond to the JES work-selection criteria for that printer. For example, the output class and destination name.

  Example: This example shows the DD and OUTPUT statements that can be used to direct output to a specific PSF printer using a printer definition named anyafpprinter:

  //JOB1   JOB ...
  //STEP1  EXEC PGM=USERA
  //OUTDS1 OUTPUT CLASS=F,DEST=PRT003
  //DD1    DD SUBSYS=(AOP1,'anyafpprinter'),OUTPUT=(*.OUTDS1)

• If you create one IP PrintWay™ printer definition for all printers that use the LPR protocol, the job submitter must specify the printer's host name or IP address and print queue name.

  Example: This example shows the DD and OUTPUT statements that can be used to direct output to a specific printer using a printer definition named anypsprinter:

  //JOB2   JOB ...
  //STEP1  EXEC PGM=USERA
  //OUTDS1 OUTPUT DEST='IP:PRINTER1.XYZ.COM',PRTQUEUE='queue'
  //DD1    DD SUBSYS=(AOP1,'anypsprinter'),OUTPUT=(*.OUTDS1)

• If you create one IP PrintWay printer definition for all printers that use the direct sockets protocol, the job submitter must specify the printer's host name or IP address and port number on the OUTPUT JCL statement.

  Example: This example shows the DD and OUTPUT statements that can be used to direct output to a specific printer using a printer definition named anynetprinter:

  //JOB2   JOB ...
  //STEP1  EXEC PGM=USERA
  //OUTDS1 OUTPUT DEST='IP:PRINTER2.XYZ.COM',PORTNO='2501'
  //DD1    DD SUBSYS=(AOP1,'anynetprinter'),OUTPUT=(*.OUTDS1)

Guideline: Create one printer definition for each printer so that users can use all job submission methods to print on the printer, including those job submission methods that do not permit the job submitter to specify the JES output class, destination name, or IP address. For example, the lp command does not let you specify the JES output class or destination name. And, when the IP PrintWay basic mode resubmit for filtering option is used, the printer's host name or IP address cannot be specified on the OUTPUT JCL statement.

When the Print Interface subsystem is used, JES always assigns each data set to a separate JES output group. This is true even if the data set would otherwise be in the same JES output group as other data sets in the job step. Therefore, if the printer is controlled by IP PrintWay, these results occur:

• Data sets in the same job step might not print together or might not print in the original order.
• Data sets in the same job step are always sent in separate emails.
• If you currently add a separator page before the first data set in a JES output group, that separator page now prints before each data set.

Related task: Create a default Infoprint Server printer definition, as described in Creating the Infoprint Server default printer definition.