kshaffer@modcomp.UUCP (Ken Shaffer) (09/22/90)
Is there a PD device driver available that installs a device that
is a spooler?
I wish to modify my config.sys with a statement of the form:
device=spooler.sys
At this point, I should be able to write to a device called for
example, SPOOL: and have output directed to the spooler.
The spooler should accept input and write to a disk file and
simultaneously read from a disk file and write to a configureable
printer (lpt1, lpt2, ...).
Thanks in advance.
Ken Shaffer
modcomp!kshafferts@uwasa.fi (Timo Salmi LASK) (09/22/90)
In article <442@modcomp.UUCP> kshaffer@modcomp.UUCP (Ken Shaffer) writes: >Is there a PD device driver available that installs a device that >is a spooler? >I wish to modify my config.sys with a statement of the form: > device=spooler.sys >At this point, I should be able to write to a device called for >example, SPOOL: and have output directed to the spooler. >The spooler should accept input and write to a disk file and >simultaneously read from a disk file and write to a configureable >printer (lpt1, lpt2, ...). Am I on a completely wrong track, but doesn't the standard MsDos PRINT command partly achieve what you are after? (No, this is not a jibe, I'm saying this seriously.) ................................................................... Prof. Timo Salmi (Moderating at anon. ftp site 128.214.12.3) School of Business Studies, University of Vaasa, SF-65101, Finland Internet: ts@chyde.uwasa.fi Funet: gado::salmi Bitnet: salmi@finfun
schriste@uceng.UC.EDU (Steven V. Christensen) (09/24/90)
ts@uwasa.fi (Timo Salmi LASK) writes: >In article <442@modcomp.UUCP> kshaffer@modcomp.UUCP (Ken Shaffer) writes: >>Is there a PD device driver available that installs a device that >>is a spooler? >>I wish to modify my config.sys with a statement of the form: >> device=spooler.sys >Am I on a completely wrong track, but doesn't the standard MsDos PRINT >command partly achieve what you are after? The device drivers get loaded before any programs in the AUTOEXEC. DOS PRINT is a TSR, while the spooler would reside in memory always. Maybe he wants something not a TSR?.? -- Steven V. Christensen U.C. College of Eng. schriste@uceng.uc.edu For the adventurous: svc@elf0.uucp
jmd@franklin.ee.umr.edu (Jim Dumser) (09/24/90)
In article <6191@uceng.UC.EDU> schriste@uceng.UC.EDU (Steven V. Christensen) writes: >ts@uwasa.fi (Timo Salmi LASK) writes: > >>In article <442@modcomp.UUCP> kshaffer@modcomp.UUCP (Ken Shaffer) writes: >>>Is there a PD device driver available that installs a device that >>>is a spooler? >>>I wish to modify my config.sys with a statement of the form: >>> device=spooler.sys > >>Am I on a completely wrong track, but doesn't the standard MsDos PRINT >>command partly achieve what you are after? > >The device drivers get loaded before any programs in the AUTOEXEC. >DOS PRINT is a TSR, while the spooler would reside in memory >always. Maybe he wants something not a TSR?.? Come on guys! If you read his post, it was obvious what he wants and why he wants it. Ken would like a device that works like the Unix command lp/lpr. It needs to be a device so that he can say something like myfilter < myfile > spool and have it worry about saving the output somewhere, and then actually spool it to the printer. You cannot say myfilter < myfile > print or (more correctly) myfilter < myfile | print because print only works with disk files. With print, you'd have to say myfilter < myfile > myfile2 print myfile2 In this case, it's not terrible. But, as a device, you could tell your wordprocessor that your printer is attached to port 'spool' and all your printer output would be spooled correctly. Try that with print! Some wp's have an option to print to a file, but many times all the special formatting escapes get stripped out using a 'print to file' option. Besides that (even if it leaves all the codes in), you have to exit your wp, and invoke print directly. Sorry, Ken, I don't know of anything that would help you. If anyone else has any ideas, Ken and I would like to hear them. Jim +-------------------------------------------------------+ | The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, | | but fools despise wisdom and discipline. Proverbs 1:7 | |-------------------------------------------------------| | Internet: jmd@ee.umr.edu | M S - D O S . . . | | UUCP: ...uunet!umree!jmd | Just say "NO!" | +-------------------------------------------------------+
richard@calvin.spp.cornell.edu (Richard Brittain - VOS hacker) (09/25/90)
In article <1430@umriscc.isc.umr.edu> jmd@franklin.ee.umr.edu (Jim Dumser) writes: >>>In article <442@modcomp.UUCP> kshaffer@modcomp.UUCP (Ken Shaffer) writes: >>>>Is there a PD device driver available that installs a device that >>>>is a spooler? >>>>I wish to modify my config.sys with a statement of the form: >>>> device=spooler.sys >> >Come on guys! If you read his post, it was obvious what he wants and why he >wants it. Ken would like a device that works like the Unix command lp/lpr. >It needs to be a device so that he can say something like > myfilter < myfile > spool >and have it worry about saving the output somewhere, and then actually spool >it to the printer. You cannot say > myfilter < myfile > print >or (more correctly) > myfilter < myfile | print >because print only works with disk files. With print, you'd have to say > myfilter < myfile > myfile2 > print myfile2 The lpr-lpq package posted to c.b.i.p last year will do the pipe option, saving the intermediate file in a spool directory and feeding it to PRINT via the int 2f interface. You would do myfilter < myfile | lpr and forget about it. I was originally thinking of doing a device driver version so that word processors or other programs that insist on writing to a device would work the same way - but I decided this was enough for a first attempt. WordPerfect, for one, will let you print to a disc file with all formatting intact, and then you can background spool the file - but it is very inconvenient. If anyone wants to take my lpr code and have a go at turning it into a device driver you have my full support. Richard Brittain, School of Elect. Eng., Upson Hall Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853 ARPA: richard@calvin.spp.cornell.edu UUCP: {uunet,uw-beaver,rochester,cmcl2}!cornell!calvin!richard -- Richard Brittain, School of Elect. Eng., Upson Hall Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853 ARPA: richard@calvin.spp.cornell.edu UUCP: {uunet,uw-beaver,rochester,cmcl2}!cornell!calvin!richard
kshaffer@modcomp.UUCP (Ken Shaffer) (09/25/90)
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
hendricp@wanda.waiariki.ac.nz (Peter Hendricks) (09/27/90)
In article <447@modcomp.UUCP>, kshaffer@modcomp.UUCP (Ken Shaffer) writes: > 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). > You obviously didn't get my email response, judging by your recent posting. I think I have the solution for you: It's a print spooler called DMP201. It intercepts output to the specified device (say, PRN:), and spools it in the background to disk, standard or extended/expanded memory, or a combination of these. So, your users can keep printing the way they are used to, and once the file is spooled (should only take a few seconds), your server is available again. It replaces DOS' PRINT command, and redirection via MODE. I've installed this on my machine, and I can print from any program I choose, and can carry on working almost immediately. I can even turn the printer off while I'm working, so I don't have to listen to it, and switch it on while I go away and do other things. I haven't found a program that doesn't work with it, even PrtScr works. There are also commands to manage the print queue, like suspend output, redirect to a file, bypass the spooler, convert escape sequences etc. Oh, yes, and it does a form feed after each job. The only thing it can't do that PRINT allows you to do is delete individual files from the queue, because it treats the print job as a continuous stream of data. It's shareware (only $18!). I got it from a BBS in Christchurch, New Zealand, but it should be available from a BBS near you. Maybe I should submit it to c.b.i.p.? If you can't find it I'll try to post it to you, but try the archives first. Cheers, Peter
doug@fryeten.uucp (09/29/90)
> It's a print spooler called DMP201. It intercepts output to the specified > device (say, PRN:), and spools it in the background to disk, standard or > extended/expanded memory, or a combination of these. So, your users can keep > printing the way they are used to, and once the file is spooled (should only > take a few seconds), your server is available again. It replaces DOS' PRINT > command, and redirection via MODE. > . . . > > Oh, yes, and it does a form feed after each job. > > The only thing it can't do that PRINT allows you to do is delete individual > files from the queue, because it treats the print job as a continuous stream of > data. > I would be very interested in getting a copy of this spooler. I have a couple that do almost exactly what you've described except that they do not print a form feed between jobs. This has been a real pain when I move software from systems that rely on the spooler to do this work for them at the end of a job. I'm curious as to how it determines that the end of a job has occurred. Does it look for a ^Z and then convert it to a form feed or what?-- -doug _______________ *=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=* | _________ | | Doug White | Email | | | _______| | | Frye Electronics,Inc.| doug@fryeten.UUCP | | | |_______ | | Tigard, OR | or | | | _______| | | Voice: 503 620 2722 | ...!percy!fryepro!fryeten!doug | | | |__________| | Fax: 503 639 0128 | | |__| *=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*