Re: Removing separator page from a PRTDEVD

Dear Dale,

The job separator function is enabled/disabled through a field in the
printer file creating the spool file.

I recently asked IBM how it worked because I was trying to help a customer
that wanted to staple the separator page to the spool file following it. The
answer from IBM about the separator page function is included below for your
reference.

The logic to determine whether a file separator page is to be created is
based upon the file separator attribute of the spooled file and the file
separator attribute of the writer.  There is also a job separator attribute
associated with the output queue started to the writer.  Any one of these
three attributes could cause one or more calls to the separator exit program
for a given spooled file.

The job separator would be produced if the OUTQ has a value 1-9 and the job
the spooled file is stored under is different than the last spooled file
printed.  The file separator would be produced if the file separator
parameter on the STRPRTWTR CL command was set to 1-9 or *FILE (and spooled
file attribute had 1-9 for file separator attribute).

When separators were introduced on AS/400, it was decided that the
formatting of the separator page would not be taken from the spooled file
attributes.  This then causes separate open time commands to be sent down
for separator pages vs. the spooled file.

The effect of using two sets of open time commands at the data transport
protocol level is that the separator page appears to be a one page stand
alone job that is not linked to the spool file following it.

HTH

Best Regards,

/Paul
--
Paul Tykodi
National Product Manager
Intermate US Inc.

p: 603-431-0606 x115
f: 603-436-6432
E-mail: paul@intermate-us.com
www.intermate.com

>From: "Draper, Dale" <dale.draper@seu.sega.com>
>To: "'midrange-l@midrange.com'" <midrange-l@midrange.com>
>Subject: Removing separator page from a PRTDEVD
>Date: Tue, 14 May 2002 12:20:11 -0700
>Reply-To: midrange-l@midrange.com
>
>I am implementing B2Bdocuments handy little program. Have run into a little
>issue. I have a *VRT (virtual) print device created to send the spoolfile
>to. But the dang thing is sending a job separator page. I've looked and
>cannot find where to stop this from printing. Anyone?
>
>Normally, when using option *2* change on a held OUTQ you will see
(CHGOUTQ)
>at the top of the screen.
>However after selecting this *vrt dev from the outq list, I get a different
>set: (CHGDEVPRT)
>
>I know this won't be the last hiccup, but it sure looks pretty
>straightforward so far.
>
>TIA!
>
>Dale Draper
>*NOT* Dan