[Info-vax] Only first page prints on telnetsym queue

[Richard B. Gilbert]

David J Dachtera wrote:
> Rich Jordan wrote:
>> And only for a few documents.  This is on a three node LAVC cluster,
>> no shared storage.
>>
>> We just transferred (FTP of ZIPped backup saveset) and restored a
>> large batch of program source code from a customer.  Its all BASIC
>> source, and all in normal VMS variable length record, implied carriage
>> control format.
>>
>> We've got two printers, one HP5 with Emulex NetJet card using LAT, and
>> one LJ4000 with Jetdirect running TELNETSYM.  Both queues are on an
>> Alpha running VMS V7.3-2, ECOs up to date as of January, and TCPIP
>> V5.4 eco 7.  The node where the files are stored is an Itanium running
>> V8.2-1, ECO'd up to November 2008, TCPIP V5.6 eco 3, and the last node
>> (unsupported, I know) is a MicroVAX 3100-30 running V7.3 up to date
>> ECOs, and TCPware V5.6 (which should not be involved).
>>
>> A few program files will only print the first page when sent to the
>> Telnetsym LJ4000.  They print perfectly to the LAT queue.  Most files
>> print fine.  There is no difference in file attributes other than
>> size, FID, and maximum record size (and no correlation between the
>> record size and good/bad files).
>>
>> We're pretty certain its something in the contents of the bad files,
>> but it could be that something is interacting with a bug in the
>> LaserJet.  Any node that prints a bad file gets the same result.  Copy
>> the file to another node and print from any node, same result.  We set
>> up a Telnet queue on the VAX using TCPware and had the same results
>> with the bad file; only the first page prints, so its not likely a
>> TCPIP Services bug.
>>
>> Append a 'good' file to the 'bad' file, and on the LJ4000 only the
>> first page prints.
>>
>> Append the bad file to a good one and print and you get the entire
>> first document, then the first page of the bad one, then nothing
>> (again all work perfectly on the LAT queue LaserJet 5).
>>
>> I tried doing a type/output and printing the resultant file; same
>> results.  Edit the file and save a modified copy (just text changes)
>> same result.
>>
>> Review of the bad files show no control codes other than TAB
>> characters (remember, implied carriage control).  Turning on DEBUG in
>> the Telnetsym log files to display all the codes being sent shows
>> nothing but TAB, CR, and LF are sent to the print queue until the
>> reset module.  We disabled the reset module which sends the escape-E
>> PCL reset, no change.  The print form we are using is generic with no
>> setup modules.
>>
>> We did a cold reset on the printer and Jet Direct and reconfigured
>> them.  No change.
>>
>> Now the fun part.  I edited the file and changed every tab to be 4
>> spaces (global substitution) and the file then prints properly on the
>> Telnetsym queue.  A review of the Telnetsym log with this modified
>> file shows the only control characters being sent are CR and LF, but
>> outside of that its the same as the earlier log.
>>
>> Anyone aware of issues sending repeating TABs to a LaserJet via
>> Telnetsym?  I can't imagine what else it might be.  There's no
>> terminal device/spool device involved that might impose changes due to
>> characteristics.
> 
> This going to have something to do with timeouts and such, I think.
> Until others chime in, Google this group for keywords associated with
> the symptoms. This HAS been discussed here many times.
> 
> D.J.D.

It may have been discussed here many times but I suspect that you are 
counting many years.

I've had problems getting laser printers to work but not for several 
years now and when I was having problems they were generally due to my 
errors.

Here's my WORKING laser printer.
ALPHA5_$ show queue/full tcpip$smtp_alpha5_01
Server queue TCPIP$SMTP_ALPHA5_01, idle, on ALPHA5::, mounted form DEFAULT
   /BASE_PRIORITY=4 /DEFAULT=(FEED,FORM=DEFAULT) /OWNER=[SYSTEM]
   /PROCESSOR=TCPIP$SMTP_SYMBIONT /PROTECTION=(S:M,O:D,G:R,W:S)

ALPHA5_$ tcpip show version

   Compaq TCP/IP Services for OpenVMS Alpha Version V5.1
   on a AlphaStation 200 4/233 running OpenVMS V7.2-1

The machine and the software are both rather old but they work!