Thanks Linda and Jim, I have asked the VPS admin to take a look at exit08. We are on VPS V2 R10 and I also saw a note in the manual that stated:
The printer keyword ERTABMEM and corresponding error table can replace similar functions performed by VPS User Exit 08. So he is going to check this out as well. While I was waiting, I was also able to come up with a jcl routine that issued an LPQ to the printer and with some rexx code extract the status of the printer. I then used our mainframe Control-M scheduler to execute the jcl and either stop or start the printer via VPS if the printer was not available. I used a Control-M condition to keep tabs of the status of the printer. So far it seems to be working and will do until the exit or ERTABMEM can be implemented. Thanks for all comments, Gil. On Wed, 25 Nov 2009 06:37:40 -0600, Jim Marshall <[email protected]> wrote: >>We use VPS to route print from the mainframe to the windows server >>and when the server goes down for maintenance etc, the vps printer >>goes into an error status cause it can't communicate with the printer. >>I can't rely on the network folks to communicate what they are doing to >>me so I really need this to be automated. >> >VPS indeed has an EXIT08 which can redrive the request for connection at >some interval. In the VPS LPR/LPD you just code say TCPMRD=15 (min) and >the printer will indeed timeout. Without coding it then the printer will never >timeout. This is because VPS makes the initial request and waits for a >response. Eventually the printer may become available but, unlike SNA where >the 3X74 controller would notify VPS, nothing is sent to VPS saying it is now >available. I always code some timeout. True if the whole thing is not available >again, then you go into a loop and eventually (we hope), the printer becomes >available. > >In VPS 1.8 EXIT08 was implemented in exit code. Oh yes, the exit code needs >to be told the TCP/IP error code so it knows to retry this type of error. But in >VPS 2.0, the strategy is available in parameters although I have not examined >them yet to see how easy it is. Hey this is what one doing printing suffers >from in the IP world of printing. As a side bar, if indeed the printer is set for 15 >minutes timeout and there is very long print actually printing, since the >response does not come to the very end, then even though it is printing, the >printer will TIMEOUT and when it restarts, it starts over (thank you LPD >protocol). I try to stay away from large printouts and LPR/LPD protocol unless >there is no other way. This is why we always TRY to use SOCKET printing, >with timeout coded too, but doing checkpointing just like JES2 does (JES3 >too). > >Send me an e-mail offlist and be glad to send you the one I have run for >almost 20 years as a guide. I threw in all kinds of extra IP error codes as I >tripped over them. > >jim > >---------------------------------------------------------------------- >For IBM-MAIN subscribe / signoff / archive access instructions, >send email to [email protected] with the message: GET IBM- MAIN INFO >Search the archives at http://bama.ua.edu/archives/ibm-main.html ---------------------------------------------------------------------- For IBM-MAIN subscribe / signoff / archive access instructions, send email to [email protected] with the message: GET IBM-MAIN INFO Search the archives at http://bama.ua.edu/archives/ibm-main.html
