Need to simplify windows that operators have to see.
ITEM: RTA000152287
Q:
Topic thread:
Printer Systems (PRINT - NA/ATS)
Printing Systems Manager (PSM)
My PSM user is coming from an MVS/JES2 heritage. The print operators use
a spool display and management facility called SDSF (IBM program prod).
When they bring up the PSM GUI on a Win95 client, they have to open
about six windows/wells to arrive at the place where they can begin to
start a printer and put a print job onto the printer.
They have a rather straightforward configuration: print jobs will arrive
from DOC1 running on the AIX platform or via MVS download from CSF
running on the host with a few jobs scheduled via PDPR command. There
are to be three or four InfoPrint 4000 duplex systems. One of these
systems might occasionally run in dual simplex mode. There will be a
small sprinkling of desktop printers (less than five) whose purpose is
to print reprints for damages caused by their inserter equipment. They
have no interest in knowing about spoolers, queues, distinctions between
logical & physical printers, etc.
1. I assume that the PSM gui is basically started by a shell script. Is
there a way to modify the shell script to give my customer EXACTLY the
configuration of windows needed for their operators to get their job
done without the time it takes to open six successive windows every time
they start up the gui?
2. The customer is contemplating a move to InfoPrint 3.1. How would
that change the answer above, if at all? (By the way, the customer is
also considering a move instead to a non-IBM non-strategic competitive
product which promises to be more "SDSF-like".)
3. Given the trend over the last few years to migrate off the mainframe
and onto the RS/6000, have other MVS shops faced these questions
regarding operator interface? How did they handle it?
Thanks for your help in solving this situation.
A:
1. No, pdadmin, the command to start the gui, is a binary and is
unfortunately not configurable. I don't understand the route they
are taking to get to the window they are looking for that they have to
open six windows to get there. Typically, when I start the PSM GUI,
it comes up with the main "Servers" window. This has the spoolers
window pane and the supervisors window pane. I then drop the "Open
Window Action" on the spooler, and it will bring up the "Spoolers"
window (window number 2). The spoolers window has the queues that are
defined in this spooler. With the size of the system you are
describing, you probably only have one. The other half of this window
contains folders for the default jobs, default documents, retained jobs,
etc. On the right side of the window divider is a small square box,
called a sash. You can click (and hold) on this sash and lower that
window
divider all the way to the bottom to get it out of the way. You now
only have the queues visible. Double click the queue and it will
expand out and show the jobs, the logical printer and the physical
printers associated with this queue. Everything is right there that
I need. 2 windows. In fact, I don't even use the main window again,
unless I need to add more physical printers. You may also click the
small white box on the title bar of the "Template Area" and the
"Information Area" to minimize those wells, and enlarge your "Work
Area". Granted there are other windows that may need to be opened
based on their needs, but generally, you have visibility to all the
objects here.
2. Version 3.1 is not a whole lot different, except that the
servers (spooler and supervisor) have been combined into one server.
But the windows are basically the same.
3. Since I know very little about MVS and especially SDSF, I can't
compare the two. However, I have heard these comments several different
times. Most of the shops I have heard about are resistant to change in
the beginning, but once they get acquainted with the product they tend
to adjust and like it. But not all shops have that attitude and are
unwilling to change.
If the GUI isn't acceptable the way it works, you can always submit
a REQUEST to development for a design change.
S e a r c h - k e y w o r d s:
psm gui servers windows queue open-window-action mvs sdsf
WWQA: ITEM: RTA000152287 ITEM: RTA000152287
Dated: 09/1998 Category: PSMAIX
This HTML file was generated 99/06/24~12:43:40
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