Re: Problem with printer messages

Hi Oliver,

In terms of error reporting and management, the way
IPDS printing works under OS/400 is as follows:

1. Writer is started.

2. Host sends question to printer, please send back
all of your capabilites.

3. Printer returns a series of responses describing
all capabilities.

4. The OS/400 operating system then tries to prevent
application format requests, which are unsupported by
the printer, from being forwarded to the printer.

5. The printer also watches for application format
problems. If it finds one, it sends back a negative
acknowledgement to the host. Printing is then stopped
by the host until an operator responds to the message.

This is what the messages you have posted mean. The
IPDS print server has detected an error and reported
it back to the host causing printing to stop. The
sense code data (reported in hexadecimal notation) is
the actual error condition detected.

If you can post the type of IBM printer model your
IPDS print servers are emulating and the sense code
information, I can tell you what problem is being
reported.

Some of the most frequently reported errors are trying
to print too near the edge of the page or the receipt
of an undefined character. Quite often you can choose
to turn off reporting these types of errors to the
host in the setup of the IPDS print servers.

Another thing that some of the IPDS print servers
offer is automatic re-configuration of their setup
should someone change default settings through the
front panel of the printer they are servicing. For
example, someone could change the default input tray
at the printer. This could potentially cause the IPDS
print server to rebuild its input tray mapping
configuration, which might prevent the delivery notes
from printing correctly.

Finally it is always good to verify that all IPDS
print servers are running the same version of software
(sometimes called firmware). If you have devices at
different revision levels, it could also be an
explanation for why you are getting unexpected
results.

HTH

Best Regards,

/Paul
--
Paul Tykodi
Principal Consultant
TCS - Tykodi Consulting Services LLC

E-mail: ptykodi@xxxxxxxxx 

>date: Thu, 2 Dec 2004 14:03:06 +0100
>from: oliver.wenzel@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
>subject: Problem with printer messages
>
>Hello,
>
>we have lots of TCP/IP printers on our AS400, that
are >connected through special IPDS connector boxes.
They >all have identical configurations, but 2 or 3 of
these >printers are having an intermittent problem.
>
>We automatically print delivery notes  (without any
>user intervention) and paper refill requests pop up
on >specific terminals and are controlled from there. 
>
>Now some printers are sending wrong "Out of paper
>messages" (or the AS400 thinks they do) and stop
>printing, even though they aren't out of paper. The
>real problem is, that the message is not going to the

>specific terminals, but can only be answered on the
>print job itself.
>
>So if nobody notices the printer stopped printing,
>delivery notes will queue up and cause late delays.
>
>The printer joblog specifies the messages PQT3630 "
>Printer sent negative acknowledge with sense code"
>(CNACK101) and then message PQT4103 which has to be
>answered with PAGE by the user.
>
>I would set up a system reply list entry for PQT4103,
>but I don't know the consequences? How often does
this >happen and when and where else is this message
used?
>
>The original problem could be anything from network
>issues, problems with the non-IBM IPDS converter or
>whatever - so I have no hope to clear up the original
>issue.
>
>Any ideas?
>
>Thanks,
>
>Oliver


                
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