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Guide to Printers and Printing

Initial Printer Configuration

You can use one process to configure a printer and another process to add a print queue. The task you use depends on how your printer is attached to the system. You can also configure a printer without adding a print queue. The following describes how to do these tasks:

The "Queuing a Print Job" and "Deleting a Print Queue" procedures can be used after configuring a print queue.

Changing the Configuration File

Both the enq command and qdaemon command read the /etc/qconfig file when they start. The qdaemon command starts when you start the system; the enq command starts each time someone requests a print job. Thus, if you change the /etc/qconfig file, the enq command reads the new version of the configuration file the next time it runs.

Do not edit the /etc/qconfig file while there are active jobs in any queue. Editing includes both manual editing and use of the mkque, rmque, chque, mkquedev, rmquedev, or chquedev commands. It is recommended that all changes to the /etc/qconfig file be made using these commands. However, if manual editing is desired, first issue the enq -G command to bring the queuing system and the qdaemon command down after all jobs are present. Then edit the /etc/qconfig file and restart the qdaemon command with the new configuration.

Configuring a Local Printer and Adding a Queue

Note: If you want to configure a printer without adding a print queue, see Configuring a Printer without Adding a Queue .

Prerequisites

Web-based System Manager

  1. Connect the printer directly to the serial or parallel port on the local host:
    1. Type shutdown at the system prompt to halt the system.
    2. Turn off the system and any external devices.
    3. Connect the printer to the appropriate serial or parallel port.
    4. Set up your printer as described in the printer documentation.
    5. Restart the system.
  2. At the system prompt, type wsm, then select Printers.

    In the Web-based System Manager Printer Queues window, use the menus to complete the steps to configure a printer device and one or more print queues. You can also perform this step with the SMIT fast path smit mkpq.

    Note: If the printer supports more than one type of print data, such as PostScript and ASCII, enter a print queue name for each print data type.

    Note: Before choosing a 7-bit interface, see Considerations for 8-Bit Printer Attached to 7-Bit Interface .
  3. After the printer and print queues are sucessfully created, their names are displayed. Be sure to note any error messages before you exit.
  4. Use the Printer Queues menus to customize the new print queue. You can also perform this step with the SMIT fast path smit chpq.

Configuring a Remote Printer and Adding a Queue

Prerequisites

The remote host must be configured as a print server.

Web-based Sysytem Manager

  1. At the system prompt, type wsm, then select Printers.

    In the Web-based System Manager Printer Queues window, use the menus to complete the steps to configure a print queue for a printer attached to a remote host. You can also perform this step with the SMIT fast path smit mkpq.

  2. After the print queues are successfully created, their names are displayed. Be sure to note any error messages before you exit.
  3. Use the Printer Queues menus to customize the new print queue. You can also perform this step with the SMIT fast path smit chpq.

Configuring a Network Printer and Adding a Queue

Prerequisites

Web-based Sysytem Manager

  1. At the system prompt, type wsm, then select Printers.

    In the Web-based System Manager Printer Queues window, use the menus to complete the steps to configure a printer attached to the network with a Hewlett-Packard JetDirect card and to add a queue. You can also perform this step with the SMIT fast path smit mkpq.

  2. After the print queues are successfully created, their names are displayed. Be sure to note any error messages before you exit.
  3. Use the Printer Queues menus to customize the new print queue. You can also perform this step with the SMIT fast path smit chpq.

Configuring a Print Queue for a File in the /dev Directory

Prerequisites

Web-based Sysytem Manager

  1. At the system prompt, type wsm, then select Printers.

    In the Web-based System Manager Printer Queues window, use the menus to complete the steps to configure a print queue for a file in the /dev directory and add a queue. You can also perform this step with the SMIT fast path smit mkpq.

    Note: If the printer supports more than one type of print data, such as PostScript and ASCII, enter a print queue name for each print data type.
  2. After the print queues are successfully created, their names are displayed. Be sure to note any error messages before you exit.
  3. Use the Printer Queues menus to customize the new print queue. To use the SMIT fast path, type smit chpq.

Configuring a Printer Port

The following procedure describes how to configure a printer attached to the local host without adding a print queue. Use this procedure if you want to add a printer or plotter, but you do not want to spool print jobs.

Note: If you also want to add print queues when you configure your printer, refer to Initial Printer Configuration .

Prerequisites

The printer or plotter must be physically attached to your system before configuring the printer port .

Web-based Sysytem Manager

  1. At the system prompt, type wsm, then select Printers.

    In the Web-based System Manager Printer Queues window, use the menus to complete the steps to configure a printer attached to the local host. You can also perform this step with the SMIT fast path smit pdp.

  2. The system displays the printer device name.

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