Computers-it. How to add an AIX print queue to point to a remote print server

How to add an AIX print queue to point to a remote print server

Type smit spooler

Check the print server is running

Go to "Manage Print Server".

Go to "Show Status of the Print Server Subsystem" and check if the print server is running.

If the print server is not running then go to "Start the Print Server Subsystem (lpd daemon)".

Then "Esc 3" back up to the first menu.

Adding a print queue

Go to "Add a Print Queue".

From the list choose "remote".

The next choice will vary, I chose "Standard processing" as the print server was doing the filtering.

The next screen will show a number of entry fields, complete these as required. I added entries to the first three fields and left the next four as default. Finally I added a description in the last entry field.

So for example I added the following three entries for the first three fields in this order. DFTG-3FR-P123, DFTG-3FR-S012, DFTG-3FR-P123. However your entries here will differ.

An example of the default screen is shown below.

                            Add a Standard Remote Print Queue

Type or select values in entry fields.
Press Enter AFTER making all desired changes.

                                                        [Entry Fields]
* Name of QUEUE to add                               []
* HOSTNAME of remote server                          []
* Name of QUEUE on remote server                     []
  Type of print spooler on remote server              AIX Version 3 or 4                                                                                                  
  Backend TIME OUT period (minutes)                  []                                                                                                                    
  Send control file first?                            no                                                                                                                  
  To turn on debugging, specify output               []
      file pathname
  DESCRIPTION of printer on remote server            []

After adding suitable values to the necessary entry fields press return and the print queue should be created.

Check that the remote print server is in the hosts file and you can ping it.

Type lpstat and the print queue you have just added should be displayed along with a status of "READY".

Try a test print. Type lp -d"Print queue name" < "ASCII filename".

Substitute "Print queue name" with the name of the print queue you just created and "ASCII filename" with an ASCII file on the AIX server such as /etc/hosts or something similar.

This command will send the file to the print queue on the remote print server.

Check that the file has been sent, type lpstat. If the file was sent the status will show "READY" otherwise the file will be queued and the status may show "DOWN".

If the file was not sent then you will need to check the print server, network, printer etc for cause.