RE: Printer Config Issue -- MIDRANGE-L

Jerry,

I thought you already established that you had initially typed WRKWTR *ALL, thus only showing active printers.
--
Sean Porterfield

-----Original Message-----
From: Jerry Adams

No, I didn't and, since everything is functioning as expected now, it is too late to do so.

But I wonder how a PC action (or inaction) could affect the printers in the WRKWTR list. In this case, leaving it off. That is, even if the PC is turned completely off (which means that no Windows services could be running), the emulated printer still appears in the WRKWTR list.

But then I'm only a mediocre system i programmer. Not a Windows programmer/guru by any stretch of the imagination.

Jerry C. Adams
IBM System i Programmer/Analyst
B&W Wholesale
office: 615-995-7024
email: jerry@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

-----Original Message-----
From: Konrad Underkofler

Jerry,

Not sure it has been mentioned in any of the messages but have you checked the Print Spooler service on Windows to see if it is running? A lot of our "strange" problems here involve having the service down for some reason or another.

Konrad

"Jerry Adams" <Jerry-JtW3m4h0jfiTpi0uxWDbcQ@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message news:<A12DD37BAD8A844F9DE6DC1BF36E70AA0D7B3A926C@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>...

Not really, but I did check that.

I say "not really" because even if the user unplugged the printer, pulled out the printer cable, and proceeded to smash the printer against the wall (believe me, I've wanted to do this at times - @#$% printers), the printer would continue to be shown in the WRKWTR list albeit with a status of "END" (since it obviously wouldn't be varied on).

I get calls frequently from users whining that "My printer doesn't work." First thing I do is go into WRKWTR and 99% of the time there's a message that needs answering; usually "Change Forms". The printer simply was *not* in the WRKWTR list even though it was in the WRKCFGSTS *Dev list with a status of "Vary On Pending."

Jerry C. Adams
IBM System i Programmer/Analyst
B&W Wholesale
office: 615-995-7024
email: jerry-JtW3m4h0jfiTpi0uxWDbcQ@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

-----Original Message-----
From: Wayne McAlpine

Jerry, it almost sounds like a hardware issue, either the printer not
powered on or the printer cable disconnected. This would account for
it not going to a "varied on" status.

Jerry Adams wrote:

And therein lies part of my confusion. The printer session (i.e., emulation) was started at the user's PC. Varying on the device, while in WRKCFGSTS *Dev, put it in a "Vary On Pending" status, not "Varied On," which I, too, would have expected based upon past experience.

I understand what you're saying about the STRPRTWTR and starting the emulation setting, Sean. The STRPRTWTR was just one of the things I tried, anyway, when all else failed. However, the fact remains that, when I do a WRKWTR, all printer sessions, whether varied on or not, show up in the list. If the device is not varied on, the WRKWTR has a status of "END". But they do show up in the list.

Personally I am beginning to think that there was something that the user (a real nice and dedicated person, but not especially technical) did that she neglected to tell me. I was concerned because (a) the device was not in the WRKWTR list, and (b) that perhaps the Cume had bollixed something. Since all other users were/are working OK (and this user is kosher now), I'm just going to write it off as user error (hers or mine).

Jerry C. Adams
IBM System i Programmer/Analyst
B&W Wholesale
office: 615-995-7024
email: jerry-JtW3m4h0jfiTpi0uxWDbcQ@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

-----Original Message-----
From: Porterfield, Sean

I'm having a bit of trouble following, I guess. Your original email says:

The printer was there, but with a status of *Varied Off.
So I varied it on and the status went to *Vary On Pending.

If the device was varied off, it could not also be started at the same time. They are mutually exclusive.

With a 5250 printer session, you cannot use STRPRTWTR. The writer must be started by the client. Starting the session can automatically vary the printer device on, though.

Sean Porterfield

-----Original Message-----
From: Jerry Adams

Ah, but running the STRPRTWTR would not, as I said, start the writer, and the job log was kind meaningless (to moi). After running STRPRTWTR for PK (the offending printer), I used WRKACTJOB command and it was not in the QSPL job list. After responding to the "Change forms" message at the user's terminal, it (PK) suddenly showed up in the WRKWTR and QSPL lists. I sit at my desk all day (which perhaps helps explain the expanding girth) and respond to printer messages - but I usually find them by running WRKWTR. I did not check, before replying to the message at the user's terminal session, if there were any messages for the printer at QSYSOPR.

Jerry C. Adams

-----Original Message-----
From: Porterfield, Sean

-----Original Message-----
From: Jerry Adams

I ran the WRKWTR command with *All.
The printer was *not* in the list.

The help text shows:

*ALL
The attributes and the current status of all spooling writers
are displayed.

To me, that means it only shows writers that are started (thus,
spooling.) I suggest leaving the default *PRT or using a generic
name to make a smaller list (but then we have more than 500
printers, so looking at the whole list here would be crazy.)
--
Sean Porterfield

This email is confidential, intended only for the named recipient(s) above and may contain information that is privileged. If you have received this message in error or are not the named recipient(s), please notify the sender immediately and delete this email message from your computer as any and all unauthorized distribution or use of this message is strictly prohibited. Thank you.