[comp.protocols.nfs] PC-NFS net print bug?

phil@diablo.amd.com (11/05/88)

I have an Easy Data AT clone running at 12.5 MHz with a WD 8003
Ethernet interface connected to a thick wire network and a Logitech
Mouse. The clone is running PC-DOS 3.3, PC-NFS 3.0, and Microsoft Word
3.0. When I use "net print", it goes to a Sun-4 which hands it off to
a microvax running 4.3 BSD which drives an Apple LaserWriter over a
serial port.  Both of the Unix hosts have Sun's transcript installed
and running. 

This combination works well most of the time.  Word files have to be
printed in PC-NFS's "postscript" mode, as Word doesn't stick on the
complete header needed. PC-NFS's "net print" is claimed to have the
capability to do this for you, and it usually works. However, when I
try to print a Microsoft Word file that is only one page long, it
usually doesn't work. Net print will either just hang forever (
sometimes CTRL-ALT-DEL doesn't even work), or say "null pointer
assignment", or "divide by 0". 

I can usually get around the problem by sticking some extra junk and
empty lines in to make it two pages.  However, this seems undesirable.

Any comments or cures?

--

Phil Ngai, phil@diablo.amd.com
{uunet,decwrl,ucbvax}!amdcad!phil 

seg@smsdpg.uu.net (Scott Garfinkle) (11/07/88)

In article <23464@amdcad.AMD.COM> phil@diablo.amd.com () writes:
>
>I have an Easy Data AT clone running at 12.5 MHz with a WD 8003
>Ethernet interface connected to a thick wire network and a Logitech
>Mouse. The clone is running PC-DOS 3.3, PC-NFS 3.0, and Microsoft Word
>3.0. When I use "net print", it goes to a Sun-4 which hands it off to
>a microvax running 4.3 BSD which drives an Apple LaserWriter [....]

We just fixed this bug here about a week ago.  What you need to do is
fix the POSTSCRP.PRD (and POSTSCRL.PRD) files.  Microsoft is not terminating
the postscript job with a ^D ('\004') as is required.  This will generally
screw things up pretty good.  Use the "makeprd" program to convert your
printer driver(s) to text, then in the last table in the file (I forget the
byte offset), change the string "PSe" to "PSe^D" (where the caret and the 'D'
are two separate characters).  Re-convert the text back to PRD format and
you're done.

		Scott E. Garfinkle
		SMS Data Products Group
		seg@smsdpg.uucp

		<Standard Disclaimer, I suppose>
-- 
	yours, Scott E. Garfinkle
	SMS Data Products Group, Inc.
	uunet!smsdpg!seg