There are three parts to your problem Spool reading, file transfer, and output formatting.
The LPR command will do spool reading, file transfer, and output formatting for most printers The FTP command will do spool reading, file transfer, and output formatting for some printers, just not as many as LPR If you really want to do low level IP programming, you could do IP Sockets for the file transfer part for most printers. The third party products will do the same thing with more options / functions / features / error recovery. And Vendors will update for newer protocols/printers, while you will need to update your external writer routines Steve -----Original Message----- From: IBM Mainframe Discussion List [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of Ken MacKenzie Sent: Wednesday, March 27, 2013 8:30 AM To: [email protected] Subject: [Possible Spam] Re: Output Writer and TCP/IP A third-party product is not completely out of the question but since we have the current external writer routines well ensconced in the system with our own specific tailoring, etc. the thinking is that "massaging" a new product may be as costly and time consuming as amending what we have. The current routines do all the spool reading already so in some ways, the hardest part is already done. The project's in its infancy right now. Ken MacKenzie Pramerica Systems Ireland Limited is a private company limited by shares incorporated and registered in the Republic of Ireland with registered number 319900 and registered office at 6th Floor, South Bank House, Barrow Street, Dublin 4, Ireland. From: John McKown <[email protected]> To: [email protected], Date: 27/03/2013 12:14 Subject: Re: Output Writer and TCP/IP Sent by: IBM Mainframe Discussion List <[email protected]> We use MacKinney's JQP. You put the output on the SPOOL like normal, with a DEST=. JQP is a started task which uses the JES API to read the output. It then uses the LPR protocol over IP to send the output to LPR printers, Windows print servers, and a product called RPM (I think) which runs on Windows and transcribes the LPR print output into a Windows file. I don't know much about RPM, but we use it for our report distribution system: Report to Web. JQP works well for us, and is inexpensive. LRS has VPS/TCPIP. An "RYO" solution by writing your own external writer type routine is likely not the wisest move. You'd need to write your own routines to read the SPOOL, and then communicate to the remote end via a protocol such as LPR over TCPIP. I'm not saying its impossible, just not as simple as writing to a disk file. If you need a "freebie", then there is the every unpopular IBM Network Print Server, which is part of Communictions Server (TCPIP/VTAM). I actually got this working once. It stinks like Limburger cheese left in a closed up car in the Texas summer heat, but it did work. http://publibz.boulder.ibm.com/cgi-bin/bookmgr_OS390/BOOKS/F1A1G310/CCONTENTS On Wed, Mar 27, 2013 at 4:47 AM, Ken MacKenzie <[email protected]>wrote: > Hi All, > > I've been asked to look at our output writer routines to add the facility > to print using TCP/IP instead of (or maybe as well as) Bus & Tag > (EXCP.) > > Can anyone with experience in this area direct me to the relevant IBM > documentation, etc? > > Thanks-in-Advance. > > > > Ken MacKenzie > Pramerica Systems Ireland Limited > is a private company limited by shares incorporated and registered in > the Republic of Ireland with registered number 319900 and registered > office at 6th Floor, South Bank House, Barrow Street, Dublin 4, > Ireland. > > ---------------------------------------------------------------------- For IBM-MAIN subscribe / signoff / archive access instructions, send email to [email protected] with the message: INFO IBM-MAIN ---------------------------------------------------------------------- For IBM-MAIN subscribe / signoff / archive access instructions, send email to [email protected] with the message: INFO IBM-MAIN ---------------------------------------------------------------------- For IBM-MAIN subscribe / signoff / archive access instructions, send email to [email protected] with the message: INFO IBM-MAIN
