herb@ajfcal.uucp (Herb Peyerl) (06/12/91)
I'm sorry everyone... I vaguely remember this being discussed before but in my usual manner, I dismissed it as not pertaining to me... Now I find myself needing to hook up a QMS-810+ printer to the parallel port on a 400t... I've used the information in /install/doc/apollo/os.10.3.release_notes and created the file "/sys/node_data/etc/pio1.conf" with the appropriate information from the release notes... However, the printer blocks when I send a postscript document to the printer... ie: it blocks so bad, I can only "sigp -b" the process... After that I have to shutdown the machine before I can attempt again... I can't locate where the pio1.conf stuff is documented more fully... I'd like some descriptions of options there are and what the mnemonics mean... Information: qms-810 turbo, 400t, standard PC parallel cable, and printer set to postscript/parallel mode.... Printer works fine with same cable in same mode on a PC under MS-Douche... -- -------------------------------------------------------------------------- UUCP: herb@ajfcal.UUCP || #define Janitor Administrator I brew, therefore I am.. || Apollo System_Janitor, Novatel Communications "I spilled spot remover on my dog and now he's gone..." <Steven Wright>
agq@itd1.dsto.oz (Ashley Quick) (06/14/91)
herb@ajfcal.uucp (Herb Peyerl) writes: >I'm sorry everyone... I vaguely remember this being discussed >before but in my usual manner, I dismissed it as not pertaining >to me... Now I find myself needing to hook up a QMS-810+ printer >to the parallel port on a 400t... I've used the information >in /install/doc/apollo/os.10.3.release_notes and created the >file "/sys/node_data/etc/pio1.conf" with the appropriate information >from the release notes... However, the printer blocks when I send >a postscript document to the printer... ie: it blocks so bad, I >can only "sigp -b" the process... After that I have to shutdown >the machine before I can attempt again... I can't locate where >the pio1.conf stuff is documented more fully... I'd like some >descriptions of options there are and what the mnemonics mean... >Information: qms-810 turbo, 400t, standard PC parallel cable, and >printer set to postscript/parallel mode.... Printer works fine >with same cable in same mode on a PC under MS-Douche... This is the information which was sent back to me when I raised this earlier. I HAVE NOT TRIED IT YET. (I gave up - too busy doing other things) ---------- HP reply --------------- HP> HP> HP>< agq@itd1.dsto.oz (Ashley Quick) writes > HP> HP> HP>>> We have a few new 400t's here, - the ones with the build in HP>>> parallel port. HP>>> HP>>> How does it work? HP> HP> The parallel port is a *standard* centronics port with bi-directional HP> capabilities. The output data lines are active high; strobe and HP> acknowledge are active low; busy, paper empty, and online are active high HP> and fault is active low. The output protocol operates as follows : HP> ws (workstation) places data on lines, lowers strobe, and waits for busy HP> high from external device. HP> ws then rasies strobe, and waits for busy == false and HP> acknowledge pulse before begining next cycle. HP> HP> Since not every device drives every status line, you must use the configuration HP> file, pio1.conf, to tell the kernel which status lines are active and how HP> to handle events on them. Best bet to hook up a new printer is to set HP> all the status lines to ignore, then cat a file to the /dev/pio1. Once that HP> works, you must read the printer manual to determine which status lines are HP> active, and set them to either wait or fatal. HP> HP> There are 2 handshake modes in the standard software, BNACK or BONLY. HP> Since sr10.3 we have discovered some printers do not raise busy in HP> response to the leading edge of strobe. A patch will be available next month HP> to support these devices. My guess is this is the solution to your HP> problem. HP> HP> HP>>> HP>>> Crazy thing is, some other people have a DATAPRODUCTS laser printer HP>>> hooked up with the config file containing utter rubbish - and theirs HP>>> works fine. HP>>> HP>>> I beleive that DataProducts use a Parallel interface with most of the HP>>> control signals the inverse of Centronics. Is the 400t only capable HP>>> of driving the DataProducts mode????? HP> HP> I think you are confused. The Dataproducts printer that connects HP> to dsp80's and dn4/6xx machines uses an inverted dataproducts interface. HP> This is nothing like the centronics interface, and will never work. HP> I suspect the laser printer you refer to works because the pio driver HP> is using the default status and handshake settings which match this HP> particular printer. HP> HP> HP> HP>>> Furthermore, the type manager EXPLICITLY reads the config HP>>> file from "/sys/node_data/etc/pio1.conf" - this means that on HP>>> a 400t running diskless, the config file is stored in the HP>>> partners node_data directory, rather than the diskless nodes. HP>>> HP>>> If the file was `node_data/etc/pio1.conf there would be no HP>>> problem. HP> HP> HP> Good point. This will be fixed in sr10.4 . HP> HP> John Mandler mandler@apollo.hp.com HP> Hewlett-Packard Company HP> Chelmsford, MA HP>---------------------------------------------- I get the impression there might be a few wee :-) bugs in the SR10.3 pio driver... I would be REALLY NICE if HP were to release the interfaces to the low level pio_$ calls which are used! Regards Ashleigh Quick AGQ@dstos3.dsto.oz.au Ashleigh Quick | ACSnet: AGQ@dstos3.dsto.oz Defence Science and Technology Organisation| Internet: AGQ@dstos3.dsto.oz.au PO Box 1600 | Phone: (Intl) (+61 8) 259 6975 Salisbury 5108 AUSTRALIA | (Local) (08) 259 6975