Running Open Server 5.0.5.  Have always used the same physical printer as a
spooler AND a hot printer (direct access from application). Our application
creates a lock file in /tmp similar to this: /tmp/lp.lck to indicate that the
printer is being used and blocks other users from accessing the printer until
the lock file is remove by the application. In the past we have successfully
modified the 'lp' script to check for the existence of this file and wait if
necessary. The script I modified is in /usr/spool/lp/admins/lp/interfaces
(linked to /var/spool/lp/admins/lp/interfaces). The 'lp' script was created
when we created the spool printer 'lp' from /usr/spool/lp/model/standard).

Does not work in Open Server 5.0.5.  After putting several echo statements in
the script, I have determined that the script file is properly waiting if the
/tmp/lp.lck file exists. I can watch it loop endlessly until the lock file is
removed by the application.  This works when testing because while testing I
was not actually printing from my application, I was just selecting the printer
to create the lock file and then the application is waiting for operator input
(the application hasn't actually sent anything to the printer after creating
the lock file). When I exit the application, it removes the lock file and the
spooler then begins to print.  All is well, right ?  WRONG !!!

If the application attempts to print after the spooler script is 'looping', the
application IMMEDIATELY gets logged off, which removes the lock file in /tmp
and allows the spooled job to print.  I think something before the spooler
script is closing the port, which causes my application to be logged when it
attempts to print.

Any suggestions ???

Thanks in Advance - Dan