[Info-vax] printing issue form/stock mismatch

[Bob Blum]

On Tuesday, January 25, 2022 at 1:12:56 PM UTC-6, pcoviello at gmail.com wrote:
> On Tuesday, January 25, 2022 at 1:48:40 PM UTC-5, Simon Clubley wrote: 
> > On 2022-01-25, pcov... at gmail.com <pcov... at gmail.com> wrote: 
> > > On Monday, January 24, 2022 at 2:53:00 PM UTC-5, Paul Anderson wrote: 
> > >> On 1/24/22 2:14 PM, pcov... at gmail.com wrote: 
> > >> 
> > >> > I have a DCPS library but I do not have DCPS installed. I don't know 
> > >> > why! 
> > >> You should use the DCPS device control library only with DCPS. 
> > >> 
> > >> Where does the form TRAY3 exist? What does it contain? Please post its 
> > >> contents. 
> > >> 
> > >> DCPS uses PostScript commands to control the printer. If TRAY3 contains 
> > >> PostScript commands, install DCPS. However, if TRAY3 is in 
> > >> DCPS$DEVCTL.TLB, it will be overwritten if you install DCPS. 
> > >> 
> > >> If TRAY3 contains ANSI escape sequences, you probably do want to use 
> > >> TELNETSYM. In this case, put the TRAY3 module in a library of your 
> > >> choosing. 
> > >> 
> > >> Paul, maintainer of DCPS 
> > > 
> > > 
> > > that got rid of the mismatch error! this is what I'm using for commands. 
> > > 
> > _What_ got rid of the mismatch error ? :-) 
> > 
> > Paul's suggestion to use your own .tlb or my suggestion to supply 
> > defaults on the init/queue command ? 
> > 
> > If you can answer, then when someone comes searching for an answer when 
> > they have the same problem, they know which one worked. :-) 
> > Simon. 
> > 
> > -- 
> > Simon Clubley, clubley at remove_me.eisner.decus.org-Earth.UFP 
> > Walking destinations on a map are further away than they appear.
> this /DEFAULT=(FEED,FORM=TRAY_3) 
> 
> though it's going to tray2 I would definitely like to look at creating my own TLB at some point just to rule out the DCPS library being an issue. 
> 
> thanks for your help!

You might want to check the settings on the printer itself.  Not sure if it would still apply, but many years ago I was on a project where we were setting up printers to print out on lightweight cardstock.  The only way to do it was to use an external paper tray to feed into what was normally the cut-sheet feeder on the back.  (Xerox 4520 printer, if I recall.)  The application people were sending commands to select tray 3 but it would still select from a built-in tray.

I dug into the manuals and discovered that the printer could be configured to define each "tray" as one of more physical trays.  So we had to configure the two large internal trays to both act as paper sources for what the command language would select as "Tray 2" and the big external and cut-sheet feeder as "Tray 3".

It actually worked out well, with the two large internal trays using regular paper and seen as one paper source, regular printing would empty a tray and switch to the other, when it ran out you knew to refill both trays.  Any jobs requiring the card stock would just use it and then default back to the normal paper.


Regarding the device control library, if I recall you can put the control codes between the special codes DCS (Device Control String) and ST (String Terminator) so the print symbiont will send them as-is to the printer.

Good Luck!

Bob Blum