Printers

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Printers

The cluster printers are from several different manufacturers. The Talaris, and DEC PrintServer printers can output either text or Tektronix 4014 graphics files. Most models also support PostScript. In addition, many of the Apple Laserwriters that are part of the PPPL Macintosh network are accessible from the cluster.

The unadorned PRINT command:

    $ PRINT MY_FILE.DAT

outputs to the printer defined by the logical name SYS$PRINT, which is set in the system tables and is different on each node: HL0 for BIRCH, DT2 for BEANIE, etc. You can override the default by redefining SYS$PRINT in your LOGIN.COM:

    $ DEFINE SYS$PRINT HL0      !set default printer to HL0

Also you can specify the printer when you type the PRINT command:

    $ PRINT/QUEUE=HL0 MY_FILE.DAT

The cluster printers include:

Printer	Type	Location	PostScript
RT0	Talaris	TFTR Control Room	yes
UT0	Talaris	PPLCC Output Room	yes
HL0	PrintServer	HLDAS Room B235	yes

For a more up-to-date list of printers do $ HELP PPPL_PRINT QUEUES. For a complete list do:

    $ SHOW QUEUE/DEVICE=PRINT

This list will contain several printers such as

    Printer queue HLDAS_1LW, idle, on RAX::"B235 LW@LOB W 2nd fl"

which is the Apple Laserwriter in the HLDAS room, B235. For information about parameters and queue-specific switches:

    $ HELP QMS
    $ HELP TALARIS
    $ HELP SCRIPTPRINTER

For text files (but not for plot files), the Talaris printers can print multiple pages on a single piece of paper.

The QMS and Talaris print queues figure out what kind of file is being printed from the file extension and handle the file appropriately:

    $ PRINT/QUE=HL0 MY_FILE.DAT             text
    $ PRINT/QUE=HL0 MY_PLOT.PLT             4014 graphics
    $ PRINT/QUE=HL0 MY_FILE.PS              PostScript
    $ PRINT/QUE=HL0/SETUP=2L MY_PROG.FOR    text 2-up, landscape

To print on HL1, you must match the queue name to the type of file:

    $ PRINT/QUE=HL1_ANSI MY_FILE.DAT        text
    $ PRINT/QUE=HL1_TEK MY_PLOT.PLT         4014 graphics
    $ PRINT/QUE=HL1_PS MY_FILE.PS           PostScript

The Scriptprinter can also print multiple plot frames on a single page. This example outputs 4 graphs/page in landscape orientation.

    $ PRINT/QUE=HL1_TEK/PARAM=(NUM=4,PAGE_OR=LAND) MY_PLOT.PLT

The Apple Laserwriters cannot process 4014 files, however PSPLOT can be used to convert these to PostScript for printing. To print a postscript file on an Apple Laserwriter, use the FORM switch:

    $ PRINT/QUE=HLDAS_1LW/FORM=PS_PLAIN MY_FILE.PS

A common LOGIN.COM addition is to define symbols for your favorite print commands. Then you can print a file by using $ HL4 MY_PLOT.PLT.

    $ HL4 :== PRINT/QUE=HL1_TEK/PARAM=(NUM=4,PAGE_OR=LAND)

To see your jobs in the print queue, type:

    $ SHOW ENTRY/DEVICE=PRINTER

Next: TPLOTPSPLOT--Print Graphics Files Up: Getting Started on the Previous: XPLOT--Display Graphics Files

Marilee Thompson
Fri Jul 11 11:22:04 EDT 1997