Cancelling print jobs

[Loonygirl]

I have a couple of users who like sending test prints to a particular printer in the mornings.

Normally, I would cancel a print job by doing
cancel report-xxx (where xxx is a number)

However, when I do this, the command prompt does not come back to me. When they send 50 test prints, this means I have to open up 50 telnet sessions and cancel each print job individually. I tried to cancel the print jobs via scoadmin (using the print queue view), however, it won't delete the jobs properly. In the top right hand corner is like a status bar, and this is continually going. Doing an lpstat -u shows that the jobs in fact aren't deleted, but something is definitely happening as my command prompt is now not coming back to me after the lpstat (which it always used to).

Does anyone have any ideas what is going on here??
How can I get my command prompt back after lpstat, or after cancelling the jobs? Ctrl+C doesn't work...I think I've tried most escape sequences but none seem to work....

Thanks,

Sarah

 

[Loonygirl]

I should update:

The command prompt comes back after lpstat after a time out period.
However, cancelling the jobs does not bring back the command prompt....so I'm still having to open up new telnet sessions to cancel each job individually.
I've managed to kill the scoadmin sessions - these did not cancel the printjobs...

Any help regarding making my life easier with cancelling the print jobs gratefully received!!

Thanks,

Sarah

 

[stanhubble]

when they actually print, is it very slow in starting?
are these local printers?
what version of OS ?

 

[Loonygirl]

Sorry....
It's sco openserver 5.
No, they aren't that slow in staring? At least no slower than they've ever been.

The printer is running off a print server, which is a
"NetportExpress PRO/100". The printer itself is a lineprinter.

Sarah

 

[stanhubble]

Assuming you are using lpd to print to the remote printer, make sure there is no :ex directive in the /etc/printcap file.

 

[Loonygirl]

Copy of the entry for tha printer in my printcap file:


report:\
:lp=:rm=report:rp=lp:sd=/usr/spool/lpd/report:mx#0:

 

[stanhubble]

does "report" resolve correctly. and if you are asking whether i mean the printer or the host, that is exactly my point.

 

[Loonygirl]

Yes, it resolves fine.

 

[stanhubble]

ok...what exactly is the version you are running?

uname -v

and what patches are installed?

swconfig -P

 

[Loonygirl]

uname -v
5.0.5
# swconfig -P
Set Release Notes
--- ------- -----
RS505A: Core OS Supplement rs505a.Un applied
Y2K Patch to RS505A for Unix oss600a.U applied
OSS497C: Base OS Supplement oss497c.U applied
RS505A: Link-Kit Supplement rs505a.li applied
OSS497C: Link-Kit Supplement oss497c.l applied
RS505A: Visual TCL Supplement rs505a.WS applied
Y2K Patch to RS505A for WServer oss600a.W applied
RS505A: Software Manager Supplem rs505a.So applied
OSS497C: DLPI streams leak fix oss497c.l applied
RS505A: Mail Clients Supplement rs505a.Ma applied
Y2K Patch to MailUA for RS505A oss600a.M applied
RS505A: SCSI Disk Driver Supplem rs505a.Sd applied
OSS497C: SCSI Disk Driver Supple oss497c.S applied
RS505A: Video Configuration Mana rs505a.Vi applied
RS505A: Extended X Clients Suppl rs505a.XC applied
RS505A: IXI XDesktop Supplement rs505a.De applied
RS505A: Standard X Clients Suppl rs505a.Ba applied
RS505A: TCP/IP Supplement rs505a.tc applied
OSS497C: TCP/IP Supplement oss497c.t applied
RS505A: Network File System Supp rs505a.nf applied
#

Thanks,

Sarah

 

[stanhubble]

ok...just wanted to make sure it wasn't 5.0.7 mp1 which broke some of the lp system. i'll see if i can find anything further tomorrow.

 

[piperent]

I've got a couple of scripts I have used for years to clean excess floatsum out of the print queue by printer/jobid(s). It has always worked well and may help resolve the problem you're having. I don't know that it will solve the problem with not coming back to the command prompt, but it will definitely fix the 'one job at a time cancel' problem.

There are two scripts and I have used them on everything from a 'PC-Unix' machine to AT&T System V, to SCO 3.2-4.2 to SCO 5.0.6. The first script works with print files, the second with 'uucp' transmittal files. Use them or lose them, the choice is yours. Send me an email address and I'll be glad to forward them.

piperent@swbell.net

Joel

 

[Loonygirl]

Hi,

Got a fix for this:
As it turns out, the print server is unable to handle spooling properly, hence the hangs whenever I try and cancel a print job.

Hence, I have a script now which picks the test prints (they are all the same size) and then I have to cancel them with the kill -15 command. This takes two telnet sessions, so is obviously a lot better than the 50 I was having to use before!

Sarah

 

[apeasecpc]

Are these jobs originated on the UNIX server, or are they from local PC's spooled through the UNIX server? Are you using lpd or the NetPort's UNIX software?

We have had a number of problems with NetPort print servers.

1) I recommend you install the NetPort software instead of using lpd for these print servers. The setup is more complicated, but it seems to operate with fewer problems.

2) I recommend that you have local PC's print jobs to the servers directly instead of spooling through the UNIX software. NetPort servers can be configured for many different types of networks, so you should be able to find something that works. Of course jobs originating from the UNIX server will still need to print from there.

3) I recommend you re-train your users to not send unnecessary test jobs that have to be killed.

 

[KenCunningham]

I have to say apeasecpc's option 3) seems the best to me!!

 

[Loonygirl]

Heh, yes....it is the best option.

The problem is it's a bespoke piece of software which gives you the option of running a test print to make sure the printer is lined up. When I watch them, the prints run fine. We've tried pressing test print, and one comes out.

However, when I'm not watching, they print test prints. And it's getting worse...this morning I had 124 test prints to cancel!!

I'm going to have to do something about this....I'm not sure what right now, as I can't keep watch over them 24/7!

Sarah