Path: utzoo!attcan!uunet!modcomp!kshaffer
From: kshaffer@modcomp.UUCP (Ken Shaffer)
Newsgroups: comp.binaries.ibm.pc.d
Subject: Re: Device Driver that's a Spooler?
Keywords: device,driver,spooler,print,printer
Message-ID: <447@modcomp.UUCP>
Date: 25 Sep 90 13:32:12 GMT
References: <442@modcomp.UUCP>
Lines: 53


I have read with interest the various responses to my question regarding
a spooler that can be configured as a device (including those of you who
have responded via email).

Basically the responses have been on the line:  No, there isn't one
but here's something that may help.

So, I thought I would take another moment and further explain (define)
what I mean.

To me, a SPOOLER is a program which takes output destined for a printer
and writes it to a file AND eventually routes that output to the physical
printer itself.  The DOS PRINT command is a spooler.  I can say "PRINT file1"
followed by "PRINT file2" (while file1 is printing) and both files will
eventually be printed.

My situation:  here at modcomp we have several PC's all interconnected with
ethernet cable.  We have chosen to use NCSA's Telnet package.  One PC has
been designated a PRINT SERVER.  This print server has attached to it a
printer (while most of the other PC's do not) and is running telnet in
server mode.

I can at this moment send a printable file from my PC to the printer on the
server by the ftp command "send file prn" where "file" is my local printable
file and "prn" is the server's printer device (DOS standard PRN).

The problem: 1) The server cannot be connected to again until the file is
completely printed AND 2) my PC is tied up until that file is printed.

I have posted a similar request on the tcp-ip.ibmpc group and got responses
saying I need to get an lpr/lpq package.  Well, I managed to find one and
tried it.  It solved half of the problem mentioned above:  my PC was freed
once the file was "spooled" by the server.  I say "spooled" since it was
not spooled according to my definition because I could not re-connect to
the server and send another file until the first file was completely 
printed.

What I would like: a DOS device driver that spools (according to my
definition).  This driver would be installed on the server.  All other
PC users would be informed to change how they send their printable
files to the server.  In other words, the ftp command would be 
"send file spool" for example.  By the way, I suppose the driver's name 
could be PRN and that way no changes to the way others' use the server 
would be necessary.

Anyway, I hope this further clarifies my needs and sparks more ideas on
your part.

Thanks to the network.

Ken Shaffer
modcomp!kshaffer