> From [EMAIL PROTECTED] Thu Jun 29 08:22:39 2000
> From: "TheBong Pipe" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
> To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
> Subject: LPRng: Lprng, filtering, performance.
> Date: Thu, 29 Jun 2000 06:57:58 PDT
>
> Hi all,
>
> I am currently using a combination of lprng+ifhp to print from a bunch of
> Mac
> clients to a Linux printserver, connect with a NIC (point to point) to the
> plotter. The graphics printed are very huge in size, ranging from 200 to 500
> Mb in size. There's no way to reduce the size of the works, as they are used
> for light shows (It' a long story...). They get printed on a HP3500CP
> plotter
> with a Jetdirect (10Mbit only) interface, using the internal lpd server.
> IFHP
> is needed to convert the binary postscripts from the clients, before being
> sent to the plotter. Here's the facts:
>
> -------- -------- ---------
> | MACs |------| Linux |----|Plotter|
> -------- --------- ---------
> ATALK TCP/IP
>
> lp:HP3500CP:\
> :lpd_bounce:\
> :lp=raw@PLOTTER:\
> :af,lf to their dir:\
> :if=/usr/lib/filters/ifhp -Tmodel=hp2500cp,tbcp,status@:\
> :of=/usr/lib/filters/ifhp -Tmodel=hp2500cp,tbcp,status@:\
>
> I don't know if this is the EXACT printcap, but I clearly remember the if
> and
> of entries, the lpr_bounce, and the lp entry. If needed, i'll try to get the
> exact one.
> The work comes from the Mac, and is received in the /tmp directory by the
> Linux papd. When the client transfer is over, the file is transferred to the
> spool directory, where lpd starts the IFHP filter. This process creates
> another huge file of about the same size in the spool directory, which is
> what
> is really transferred to the plotter. At the end, the job is cleared, and so
> is the temporary file.
>
> Here's the first question: is there any way to create the IFHP temp file in
> another place, so that the /var/spool/lpd/lp directory can have more space
> for
> other jobs, instead of having a double huge file? The tempfile=/tmp line
> option
> is not considered when the filter is actually run.
Use the ifhp tempfile option. This specifies the directory to use
for the temporary files. For example, to use /var/tmp:
:if=/usr/lib/filters/ifhp -Tmodel=hp2500cp,tbcp,status@,tempfile=/var/tmp
>
> Second problem: the plotter has started behaving in a strange way: if the
> internal queue is enabled, it takes an enormous time to print out the job,
> even after the receiving process is complete. This is not the normal
> behaviour. If that queue is disabled, the print job starts just after it has
> arrived. Is there anything in the ifhp conversion process that can cause
> this
> behaviour? Any other experience?
I have not the slightest idea.
>
> Third problem: in a 10Mbit link, the transfer rate is about 180Kbyte/s. Is
> it
> normal for a Jetdirect card? Do you think that upgrading to 100Mbit should
> be
> good? Could it be a linux networking problem (the server has two 3com 905
> NICs, one speaking Appletalk, one TCP/IP)?
Again, not the slightest idea.
>
> As you can understand, this work has been not "usual", everything is
> working,
> but performance is still an issue. Any clue, or experience, will be welcome.
> The server is a PIII 500Mhz with SCSI Ultra2 drives, adaptec controller,
> 256Mb
> RAM, so hardware should not have performance problems....
>
>
> Thanx all
>
> ________________________________________________________________________
> Get Your Private, Free E-mail from MSN Hotmail at http://www.hotmail.com
Patrick Powell Astart Technologies,
[EMAIL PROTECTED] 9475 Chesapeake Drive, Suite D,
Network and System San Diego, CA 92123
Consulting 858-874-6543 FAX 858-279-8424
LPRng - Print Spooler (http://www.astart.com)
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