X17905%BBRBFU01.BITNET@cunyvm.cuny.edu (02/03/90)
The Brussels Free University Computing Centre, currently operating a Cray
X-MP/14, a Sun4, and managing a campus-wide *NIX network of some 30 servers
and workstations, would like to 'enhance' the existing lpd mechanism.
The goal is to provide end-users with more information on printer status,
to provide mechanisms to 'lock' print files, to backspace files, to check and
administer paper credit.
The latter is needed because WE supply the paper to the (remote) sites.
The standard file selection algorithm of 'first come, first print' is not
very popular here. We would like to assign different priorities to small
print files, special plots, certain users, ... etc.
We currently operate a rather complex scheme on our Control Data Cyber 855,
and would like to preserve some of its functionalities.
Our current plan is to take a public domain lpd/lpr/lpc/lprm and to adapt it
to our needs. The print-server machine is likely to be a 4.3 BSD type of
Unix box. We currently only have the Unicos (Cray) sources, which we don't want
to use (copyrights). We have 'anonymous ftp' access to uunet.uu.net.
Question: does any other (academic) site have any kind of experience with
this or related developments ? Comments ? Ideas ?
Please email directly. I'll summarize to this list if appropriate.
Thx.
Eric Luyten, Brussels Free University Computing Centre, Belgium.
BITNET: X17905@BBRBFU01icsu6000@caesar.cs.montana.edu (Jaye Mathisen) (02/04/90)
On Feb 2, 4:16pm, X17905%BBRBFU01.BITNET@CUNYVM.CUNY.EDU wrote: } Subject: Lpd enhancements, sense or non-sense ? } The Brussels Free University Computing Centre, currently operating a Cray } X-MP/14, a Sun4, and managing a campus-wide *NIX network of some 30 servers } and workstations, would like to 'enhance' the existing lpd mechanism. } } The goal is to provide end-users with more information on printer status, } to provide mechanisms to 'lock' print files, to backspace files, to check and } administer paper credit. } The latter is needed because WE supply the paper to the (remote) sites. } } The standard file selection algorithm of 'first come, first print' is not } very popular here. We would like to assign different priorities to small } print files, special plots, certain users, ... etc. I snarfed up a copy of PLP, which is Berkeley lpd compatible. Althought I am not using it yet, it seems to offer some of what you're looking for. I don't remember where I got it, but a copy of the announcement message is included below. (If anybody ports plp to HP-UX, I'd love to hear about it.) Whoops! Looks like a note on where to ftp is included in the announcement on the last line. PLP - The Public Line Printer Spooler A Portable UNIX Line Printer Spooler Release 3.0, 7 Nov. 1988 Prof. Patrick Powell Dept. of Computer Science University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota The Public Line Printer Spooler is a reverse engineered ver- sion of the Berkeley LPD software, with extended functionality. The PLP software has the following features: 1).The PLP software is intended to be used in a Networked File System (NFS) environment, in which there is a common set of spool queues, as well as in a loosely coupled environment in which each host transfers print jobs to a common host. 2).Access and permission to use PLP functions is controlled by entries in a printer permissions file (one of /usr/spool/lpd/printer_perms.<hostname>, /etc/printer_perms, or /usr/etc/printer_perms) which can restrict use by user name, host, spooler, page useage, and a host of other factors. The printcap file (one of /usr/spool/lpd/printcap.<hostname>, /etc/printcap, or /usr/etc/printcap) is used to specify the printer queues and their operation. 3).Jobs can now be prioritized. The maximum priority a user can specify is set in the printer permissions file. 4).In addition to the general printer permissions file, each spool queue can have its own addition printer permissions file. 5).Line printer control functions can be exercised from a remote host. Hosts and users with remote control permissions are specified by entries in the printer permissions file. 6).The unspooling of jobs can be performed by a user defined pro- gram, rather than the spooler. This allows the spooler to be used to send jobs to remote sites using various file transfer protocols. 7).Banner printing can be done either by the PLP software or by invoking user specified programs. 8).Printer support packages such as Transcript (Adobe Software, Inc), and the CAP support for Appletalk Networks can be easily added or used directly. Compatibilty interfaces with the Berkeley LPD software have been provided. 9).Extremely verbose and chatty error messages have been added. These greatly ease debugging and installation. In addition, the checkpc utility can be used to set file permissions and other items for use by the PLP software. PLP may be copied and/or modified as long as the original copyright notification is retained. It is being distributed over the USENET in comp.sources.unix, or can be FTPd (anonymous) from julius (128.101.230.1) in public/PLP.3.0.tar.Z -- +-----------------------------------------------------------------------------+ | Jaye Mathisen,systems manager Internet: icsu6000@caesar.cs.montana.edu| | 410 Roberts Hall BITNET: icsu6000@mtsunix1.bitnet | | Dept. of Computer Science | | Montana State University PHONE: (406) 994-{4780,3931} | | Bozeman MT 59717 "Klingons never bluff" -- Worf | +-----------------------------------------------------------------------------+