Re: IPDS Printing

*AFPDS is not IPDS ...

IPDS requires hardware on the printer to accept the
data stream. You can send a IPDS stream but it is subset of the full functions
available when a printer has the IPDS card.

*IPDS An Intelligent Printer Data Stream (IPDS) is created. This parameter can be specified when using an IPDS printer. *AFPDS An advanced function print data stream (AFPDS) is created. Some systems refer to this data stream as MODCA-P. (note: you do not need a IPDS printer to print a *AFPDS data stream)

AFPDS (Advanced Function Printer Data stream) is similar but
not the same as IPDS(Intelligent Printer Data Stream).

The two way communication you refer to was brought to you by twinax and
5250 data stream, which allows the two way traffic between the printer and the
system. You press stop on a twinax printer and the system "knows" that the
printer is stopped.

You do that on a LPR printer and the system doesn't have the conversation.
A PJL(lan device) has "slightly" more conversation but not much.
SNMP is a two way commuication "if" a print server is there to do that.
IPP is another two way communication but very limited.

None of the ascii connection methods(ethernet) have anything approaching
the twinax method.

Of course these are my opinions and are worth exactly what you paid
for them.

Tom Liotta wrote:

I've _never_ been clear on this issue.

If nothing else, an element of IPDS that I haven't seen outside of IPDS is the ability of the printers to inform the system of printing status. Spooled files could be sent to 'intelligent' printers to be printed when the printer has completed previous print jobs; the files might be 'queued' inside the printer. The notification that printing completed wouldn't appear for the user until that spooled file physically finished printing.

I've often felt that the 'intelligent' communication between printer and system was a kind of defining characteristic of IPDS regardless of AFPDS content.

But there seems to be so little clear info on both terms...

Tom Liotta