Handy Software Lab Products Knowlege Base

Step 1 - Check printer setup

If printer is directly connected to the server, verify which port it is connected to. If printer is connected to the network, ensure that the appropriate protocol (DLC or TCP/IP) is turned on.

Note: you must have a firmware version of A.03.14 or later on the HP JetDirect card, or B.03.16 on the HP JetDirect EX Plus or EX Plus3 external print server, in order to use a TCP/IP connection.

Step 2 - Check server setup

If printer connection will be DLC protocol, ensure DLC protocol is installed.

Ensure Microsoft TCP/IP Printing service is installed.

Ensure TCP/IP Print Server service is started and is configured to start automatically.

Ensure that the server has a static IP address (either explicitly defined in the network configuration or else defined as a static address in the DHCP server).

Step 3 - Create print queue

Create a new printer queue. In NT 4.0, open My Computer, open Printers, double-click on Add Printer. If printer is directly connected to server, select correct port. If using DLC protocol, add HP network port. If using TCP/IP protocol, add LPR port. (If HP or LPR port has already been added for this printer, then just select the port.)

Select the type of printer, or else select Generic/Text only. (You can actually choose any printer driver. You will configure SimulatePassThrough in a later step which will prevent the printer driver from acting upon the print request.)

Specify a name for the printer. This name will need to be known to VPS (the mainframe LPR system).

Do not share the printer on the network. (This queue is for MVS/ADB printing only. If you wish to use the same physical printer for other types of printing, create other print queues for the printer and share them.)

Check that test page prints. If it doesn't, check printer connection and configuration. Ignore formatting errors at this time.

Determine the IP address of the server (type IPCONFIG at a command prompt if necessary).

Use the LPR command to send a test file to the printer via the LPD server. (Type LPR /? at a command prompt to see proper syntax.) Check that test file prints. If it doesn't, check command syntax, IP address, printer name, and check that Microsoft TCP/IP Print Server is started. Ignore formatting errors at this time.

Step 4 - Install and Configure Separator Page for ADB printing

Note: If you will be printing from the ADB, you must arrange for the printer to print exactly 66 lines per page when it is sent an ordinary text file. Some printers, including the HP LaserJet 4 Si (but not the 5 Si) provide a way to set the default number of lines per page using the front panel controls. If your printer can be configured in this way you may do so and skip the remaining instructions in this step. If you will not be using the print queue from the ADB you can skip this step.

Note: the separator page file, ADB.SEP, contains PCL commands that are used by HP and many other printers. If your printer does not use the PCL language, you will need to design your own separator file containing the commands to set your printer to print 66 lines per page.

Copy the ADB.SEP separator page to the SYSTEM32 folder of the Windows NT folder (typically c:\winnt\system32).

Modify the printer queue you created in step 3 to use the ADB.SEP separator page. (Right-click printer icon, choose Properties, click on Separator page button, specify ADB.SEP separator page.)

Step 5 - Configure SimulatePassThrough

Note: in this step you add a SimulatePassThrough value to the Registry, per Microsoft KB article Q150930. Use the appropriate instructions for NT 4.0 or NT 3.51 below. Note that this only has to be done once on each server--the change affects all LPD print queues on the server.

1. Run Registry Editor (REGEDT32.EXE).

2. From the HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE subtree, go to the following key:

\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\LPDSVC\Parameters

3. On the Edit menu, click Add Value.

4. Add the following:

Value Name: SimulatePassThrough

Data Type: REG_DWORD

Data: 1

5. Stop and re-start the TCP/IP Print Server. (Control Panel | Services, select "TCP/IP Print Server", click on Stop button, then click on Start button.)

In Windows NT 3.51 the code looks for a registry setting in the LPD key instead of the LPDSVC key. You can work around this problem by creating an LPD key at the same level as the LPDSVC key and then duplicating the information in the LPDSVC key to the LPD key.

1.Run Registry Editor (REGEDT32.EXE).

2. From the HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE subtree, go to the following key:

\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\LPDSVC\Parameters

3. On the Edit menu, click Add Value.

4. Add the following:

Value Name: SimulatePassThrough

Data Type: REG_DWORD

Data: 1

5. To work around the problem mentioned above, create an LPD key at the same level of the LPDSVC key.

6. Click the LPDSVC Key, click Save Key from the Registry menu, and then save the file as LPDSVC.KEY.

7. Click the LPD key created in step 5.

8. Click Restore on the Registry menu, click the file created in step 6, and then click OK.

9. A warning message appears. Click OK and then quit Registry Editor.

10. Stop and re-start the TCP/IP Print Server. (Control Panel | Services, select "TCP/IP Print Server", click on Stop button, then click on Start button.)

Step 6 - Testing

Use LPR command to send ADB test file to the printer via the LPD server. This file should print without formatting errors. The printer should print 66 lines per page (page breaks should be correct). This test file is designed specifically for testing ADB printing. If you are using a different application you might want to use a different test file.

The last page may not eject until FF button is pressed on Printer front panel. (We have noticed this problem on printers connected using DLC protocol. Push Online button to take printer offline; press FF button; remember to press Online button again to put printer back online.)

Step 7 - VPS Registration

If you do not already have an VPS print queue then you need to request one, providing (to TASC - 4dcrt@nih.gov):

1. the IP address of the server,
2. the name of the printer queue you created in Step 3, and
3. the name of the ADB user(s) who will be using the print queue.

If the print queue will be used from other than an ADB session, such as from a Wylbur or TSO session, a name can be requested for the VPS queue name (what the printer will be known by on MVS). If, however, the print queue will only be used from the ADB, providing a name is not necessary.