Re: [SLUG] Print Script

[Michael (Micksa) Slade]

Lyle Chapman wrote:

Can anyone help?

I have a print script in bash that monitors a certain folder, when that 
folder is populated with a postscript file it is converted to a pdf and 
then printed to a selected printer.

The problem is that evertime the scripts detects a file it tries to 
open itimmediately even though it is still being created and this 
brings down our file server. Is there a way of placing a "wait until 
the file has been closed by the creator then start processing" the 
script resides below if it is any help.
 

For a start, 2 programs trying to simultaneously access a file should 
not bring down the file server.
it's possible that the file server is unstable, or a program accessing 
the file goes crazy when another program
opens it and brings the machine to a crawl.

I agree with Peter's reply - you should pass the postscript straight to 
the lp program if you can.  Postscript is generally the
best format to use for printing stuff.

I suggest that you get the pdf/ps generating process to generate the 
file elsewhere on the file server and then move it to the location where 
this program checks once the file is complete.  On most file systems a 
file move is atomic, so your script will never read an incomplete file. 
(just make sure you're moving the file between locations on the same 
file server)

Also, the pdf file won't be needed after the lp command is run - the 
file is spooled elsewhere on the print server before printing.  But 
still, consider moving the file to yet another location rather than 
removing it, just in case something goes awry with the printer or print 
server.

#!/bin/sh

running=1;
while [ $running -eq 1 ]; do
 

This can be shortened to "while true; do" or "while :; do"

ls/home/user/workflow/Proofers/A4/*.pdf  2>/dev/null
 

^^^^ should be a space here ;)

if [ $? -eq 0 ] ; then
    echo "A4 Files Found!!"
    lp -d brothers /home/user/workflow/Proofers/A4/*.pdf  2>/dev/null
    if [ $? -eq 0 ] ; then
        # Possibly put in a sleep(60) or whatever here so
        # files are not deleted b4 printing
        echo "A4 Files Printed!!"
        rm /home/user/workflow/Proofers/A4/*.pdf 2>/dev/null
    fi
fi
ls/home/user/workflow/Proofers/A3/*.pdf  2>/dev/null
if [ $? -eq 0 ] ; then
    echo "A3 Files Found!!"
    lp -d brothers /home/user/workflow/Proofers/A3/*.pdf  2>/dev/null
    if [ $? -eq 0 ] ; then
        # Possibly put in a sleep(60) or whatever here so
        # files are not deleted b4 printing
        echo "A3 Files Printed!!"
        rm /home/user/workflow/Proofers/A3/*.pdf 2>/dev/null
    fi
fi
 

Put here "sleep 1", at least. This will make your script much less 
resource-heavy.

done
 

Mick.

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