Printing on iSeries with JDK 1.4 and LPR

[Marc Logemann <spam1@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Hi,

i am evaluating printing from java to an LPR printer virtually attached 
to an iSeries. With Java 1.4, Sun introduced the "Java Print Service" 
and IBM implemented it, as we can see here:

http://publib.boulder.ibm.com/infocenter/iseries/v5r3/ic2924/index.htm?info/rzaha/jvprtsrv.htm

Unfortunately it is stated:

"An iSeries print service represents a printer device that is configured 
on the iSeries with the OS/400 command Create Device Description 
(Printer) (CRTDEVPRT)."

This means, the normal way of just creating a RMTOUTQ to a LPR printer 
is not enough, because a RMTOUTQ is not a device in a java sense. 
Perhaps you can directly write to an OUTQ with JTOpen, but i dont want 
to code against a platform java API, because this program should also 
run on other platforms. I read at IBM site that you can create a DUMMY 
DEVICE for a LPR Remote OUTQ with some risks upon system recovery but 
basically it should work.

Has anyone get through this? I have a lot of documentation about all 
this (from IBM and the printer manufacturer) but it would be nice to 
know if there are some experiences. It would surprise me, i guess only 
the guys at the iSeries Java team tested this, perhaps they tested only 
a normal physically attached printer with Java Print Server, we will see...


--

regards
Marc Logemann
http://www.logemann.org

--
"Programming is like Sex, one mistake and you support it for a lifetime"