Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!mailrus!uunet!psgdc!rg
From: rg@psgdc (Dick Gill)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.ncr
Subject: Printer setup on a 32/300
Message-ID: <304@psgdc>
Date: 2 Aug 90 21:52:04 GMT
Organization: Professional Solutions Group, Vienna VA
Lines: 37


This is the first of our 300/500 series machines, and it looks
like I will have to re-learn all the junk I have accumulated over
the past decade about setting up Towers.  Specifically, the
problem now is (surprise!surprise!) PRINTERS:

The task: we want to connect an HP II-D laser printer to port
tty07 on the Tower.  We do not want spooling since this is a
data-processing only system and our software must be able to
address the printer directly.

Problems:

     1. Printer Setup - The old way: We used to set up the
printer through the LPR options off of the sa menu (R.I.P. - took
me four years to learn it and now its gone!).  After setup, there
was a process running for the printer that used the gettydef
entry specified from the inittab file. This let us set the
protocol to 8-bit which is what the HP lasers look for.  We
could address the printer directly from our software or with a  
simple 'cat.'

     2. Printer Setup - The new way: We try to set up the printer
with va according to the on-screen instructions.  What we get is
no printer deamon and a situation where the system apparently
opens the port only when data is being sent to the device. The
real problem is that the gettydef entry in inittab appears to be
ignored, and the protocol is the default 7-bit/even. How do I 
send data directly (i.e. not spooled) to the printer?

     This is the last thing we have to do before the machine goes
to the client; any thoughts?

Thanks. 
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Dick Gill     Professional Solutions Group   (703)761-1163   ..uunet!psgdc!rg