LAT magic, print queues, and MULTINET

[John E. Davis]

Hi,

We have two systems: VAX 11/780 running VMS 4.7 and a VAXstation 3100
running VMS 5.4-1. There is a laser printer connected to the VAX 11/780
through a terminal line TXB3:. It works, i.e., print/que=laser works from
the VAX 11-780. We'd like to be able to access this printer from the
DECstation 3100 in the same manner, e.g., print/que=laser. How do I set up
the print queue such that this is possible?

I have tried things like (paraphrased-- details wrong but hopefully the
ideas are clear):

11/780: $ mcr latcp
LATCP> create port LTA100
LATCP> exit
$ set dev/prot=(???)/spooled=(laser) LTA100

DECstation:
$ mcr latcp
LATCP> create port LTA50
LATCP> set port/node=neuro/port=LTA100 LTA50
LATCP> exit
$ init/start/que=laser/bunch_of_other_stuff LTA50
$ print/que=laser login.com
.
.

Note that neuro:: is the decnet nodename of the VAX 11/780 which contains
the printer.

If I have not asked for too much already, I have one final question. We are
also running MULTINET so that we can communicate with our UNIX machines via
TCP/IP. It would be nice if typing `lpr -Plaser' on the unix host would print
to the laser printer on the VAX 11/780. Is this possible with MULTINET? We
have tried it with no luck.

I will appreciate any light shed upon these matters.

--
_____________
#___/John E. Davis\_________________________________________________________
#
# internet: da...@amy.tch.harvard.edu
# bitnet: davis@ohstpy
# office: 617-735-6746
#

[j...@cmkrnl.com]

In article <DAVIS.92O...@shasta.bu.edu>, da...@shasta.bu.edu ("John E. Davis") writes:
> We have two systems: VAX 11/780 running VMS 4.7 and a VAXstation 3100
> running VMS 5.4-1. There is a laser printer connected to the VAX 11/780
> through a terminal line TXB3:. It works, i.e., print/que=laser works from
> the VAX 11-780. We'd like to be able to access this printer from the
> DECstation 3100 in the same manner, e.g., print/que=laser. How do I set up
> the print queue such that this is possible?
>
> I have tried things like (paraphrased-- details wrong but hopefully the
> ideas are clear):
>
> 11/780: $ mcr latcp
> LATCP> create port LTA100
> LATCP> exit
> $ set dev/prot=(???)/spooled=(laser) LTA100
>
> DECstation:

[sic -- I think he means VAXstation -- jeh]

> $ mcr latcp
> LATCP> create port LTA50
> LATCP> set port/node=neuro/port=LTA100 LTA50
> LATCP> exit
> $ init/start/que=laser/bunch_of_other_stuff LTA50
> $ print/que=laser login.com
> .
> .
> Note that neuro:: is the decnet nodename of the VAX 11/780 which contains
> the printer.

This can't work. The LAT software that runs on VMS is not set up to offer a
local VMS terminal line as a LAT port to other LAT hosts.

One answer is to cluster the two machines. However you can't do this if the
780 needs to stay at VMS 4.7 for some reason,

Another answer is DEC's Distributed Queueing Service. This will do exactly
what you want. I don't know how much it costs, nor do I know if you could still
order a version that would run on VMS 4.7, nor if the 3100's version of DQS
would have trouble talking to the older one.

A fairly cheap hardware workaround is DEC's new LATprint box. This is a small
terminal server with a ThinWire Ethernet port and two DEC MMJ (compatible with
232 via a simple adapter) serial ports. I forget the exact cost, but it's
below $500. It is intended for use as with one or two printers but you can
also connect terminals to the ports.

--- Jamie Hanrahan, Kernel Mode Consulting, San Diego CA
uucp 'g' protocol guru and release coordinator, VMSnet (DECUS uucp) W.G., and
Chair, VMS Programming and Internals Working Group, U.S. DECUS VAX Systems SIG
Internet: j...@cmkrnl.com, hanr...@eisner.decus.org, or j...@crash.cts.com
Uucp: ...{crash,eisner,uunet}!cmkrnl!jeh