IBM Support

Capabilities and Limitations of Remote Output Queues (RMTOUTQs)

Troubleshooting


Problem

This document provides information on the capabilities and limitations of Remote Output Queue (RMTOUTQ) and remote writers versus *LCL, *RMT, *VRT and *LAN printer device descriptions and printer writers.

Resolving The Problem

This document provides information on the capabilities and limitations of Remote Output Queue (RMTOUTQ) and remote writers versus *LCL, *RMT, *VRT and *LAN printer device descriptions and printer writers.

This document was last updated on 12 August 2014.





Capabilities of Printing through a Remote Output Queue (RMTOUTQ)

The following is a list of the capabilities of using TCP/IP Remote Output Queues (RMTOUTQ) to print to a LAN-attached printer:
1.Can be used with any printer attached to an external print server that supports Line Printer Daemon(LPD).
2.Can be used with any printer with an internal print server that supports LPD.
3.Can be used over a Local Area Network (LAN) or a Wide Area Network (WAN), provided that Port 515 is open on all routers and firewalls between the system and the printer or print server.
4.Can use *SCS, *AFPDS (to laser printers) and *USERASCII data streams.
5.It is recommended the SPOOL pool have a minimum of 6250K.




Limitations of Printing through a Remote Output Queue (RMTOUTQ)

The following is a list of the limitations of using TCP/IP Remote Output Queues to print to a LAN-attached printer:
1.Does not allow for page range support (as provided).


Note: This limitation can be addressed by switching from using a Remote Output Queue (RMTOUTQ) to using a *LAN 3812 printer device description instead. For more information, refer to the section titled "Switching to Use a *LAN 3812 Printer Device Description" below.
2.Will attempt to print multiple copies of a spooled file when the Copies (COPIES) parameter in the spooled file attributes is set to a value other than 1, and the Destination options (DESTOPT) parameter in the output queue description is set to 'XAIX'. However, problems may occur if the printer or print server does not handle the multiple copies correctly.

The remote writer will attempt to send the data file information (also know as the print data) and the control file information (which can include host name, sender user profile and spooled file name) for each copy of the spooled file in a single conversation. In other words, the system will open a connection to the printer or print server, send the data file and control file information once for each copy requested, and then will close the connection. If the printer or print server does not handle this correctly, you could see problems such as receiving only a single copy of a spooled file, receiving more than the specified number of copies, or receiving copy after copy until the writer is ended with OPTION(*IMMED) or the printer is powered off. You may also see occasions where the first copy of the spooled file prints fine, but subsequent copies print with the wrong font or Characters Per Inch (CPI), the wrong page rotation and so on.

Note: If multiple copies are not handled correctly, then you may need to switch from using a Remote Output Queue (RMTOUTQ) to using a *LAN 3812 printer device description instead. For more information, refer to the section titled "Switching to Use a *LAN 3812 Printer Device Description" below.
3.Does not support SCHEDULE(*IMMED). If the Spooled output schedule (SCHEDULE) parameter is set to *IMMED in the spooled file attributes, a printer writer can start processing the spooled file as the first page has been written, but a remote writer will only start processing a spooled file once the spooled file has been closed. Until then, the spooled file will remain in DFR (Deferred) status.
4.Does not support message CPA3394 - Load form type '&4' device &5 writer &1 without changing the defaults for the Start Remote Writer (STRRMTWTR) command. For information, refer to the following Rochester Support Center knowledgebase document:

N1019582: Getting Support for Form Types in a RMTOUTQ

Note: This limitation can be addressed by switching from using a Remote Output Queue (RMTOUTQ) to using a *LAN 3812 printer device description instead. For more information, refer to the section titled "Switching to Use a *LAN 3812 Printer Device Description" below.
5.Does not support message CPA4002 - Verify alignment on printer &3.

Note: This limitation can be addressed by switching from using a Remote Output Queue (RMTOUTQ) to using a *LAN 3812 printer device description instead. For more information, refer to the section titled "Switching to Use a *LAN 3812 Printer Device Description" below.
6.Does not support message CPA5335 - End of forms on printer &3.
7.If a dummy device description is created to be associated with a RMTOUTQ, the settings in that device description have no effect on how the remote writer communicates with the printer or on how the System i system formats spooled files for the printer. This includes, but is not limited to, the settings for the Online at IPL (ONLINE), Attached controller (CTL), Font identifier (FONT), Message queue (MSGQ), and Host print transform (TRANSFORM) parameters.

For example, to control which message queue is used for all writer messages, the message queue must be specified in the MSGQ parameter in the output queue description rather than in the MSGQ parameter in the dummy device description.
8.If the Work with Writers (WRKWTR) command is used with the WTR (Writer) parameter set to the default value of *PRT, it will show all of the printer device descriptions configured and whether there is a printer writer started for that printer device.

If a dummy device description has been configured for the RMTOUTQ, that printer device description is shown in the list; however, it will always be in END status because there can never be a printer writer started for a RMTOUTQ. Also, taking Option 1 (Start) next to the writer will attempt to start a printer writer, which will not work since a remote writer must be started for all RMTOUTQs. If a dummy device description is not configured for the RMTOUTQ, it is not shown in the list.

To determine if a remote writer is started, use the Work with Writers (WRKWTR) command with the Writer (WTR) parameter set to *ALL. For example, the WRKWTR WTR(*ALL) command shows all active writers rather than showing only all active and inactive printer writers. Another way to determine if a remote writer is started is to use the WRKWTR with the WTR parameter set to the name of the RMTOUTQ. Running this command will show the Work with Remote Writer screen or the following message is received: CPF3313 - Writer &1 not active nor on job queue.

Note: This limitation can be addressed by switching from using a Remote Output Queue (RMTOUTQ) to using a *LAN 3812 printer device description instead. For more information, refer to the section titled "Switching to Use a *LAN 3812 Printer Device Description" below.
9.Does not support printing file separators or job separators. However, it can be set up to print a TCP/IP trailer page by setting the Print separator page (SEPPAGE) parameter in the output queue description to *YES.

This limitation can be addressed by switching from using a Remote Output Queue (RMTOUTQ) to using a *LAN 3812 printer device description instead. For more information, refer to the section titled "Switching to Use a *LAN 3812 Printer Device Description" below.

Note: File separators and job separators can also be printed when printing through a *LAN 3812 device description that uses the unsupported LPR Print Driver (TSPLPRD) utility, but only when the Printer device type (DEVTYPE) parameter is set to *SCS. However, the separators are not printed for *AFPDS or *USERASCII spooled files.
10.Cannot be used to send *IPDS spooled files, since they are not supported by Host Print Transform (HPT).
11.Large spooled files take a long time to go to a held (HLD) status when held on the queue.
12.Large spooled files take a long time to delete after selecting to delete them from the queue.
13.Spooled files can sit in SND status for extended periods of time depending on the status of the printer and the network. Always check the writer job log and the control on the printer, or the printer web access, when a spooled file is in PND status for an extended period of time.
14.RMTOUTQs do not support printing with the Spool the data (SPOOL) parameter set to *NO. LAN attached printing of all sorts (including RMTOUTQs, *LAN 3812 device descriptions and PC5250 printer sessions) require generating a spooled file by printing with the SPOOL parameter set to *YES. SPOOL(*NO) is only allowed with printers that are twinax attached through either a local or remote workstation controller.
15.RMTOUTQs cannot be managed and remote writers cannot be started from Basic Operations > Printers within iSeries Navigator.

If no dummy device description has been configured, then the RMTOUTQ will not be listed within Basic Operations > Printers at all. If a dummy device description has been configured, then right-clicking on the printer and selecting Make Available from the context or pop-up menu will fail with message CPD2609 - Device &25 configuration not valid. Reason code &1. Also, right-clicking on the printer and selecting Start from the context or pop-up menu will also fail to start a writer because this function uses the Start Print Writer (STRPRTWTR) command; however, writers associated with a RMTOUTQ must be started using the Start Remote Writer (STRRMTWTR) command instead.

Note: This limitation can be addressed by switching from using a Remote Output Queue (RMTOUTQ) to using a *LAN 3812 printer device description instead. For more information, refer to the section titled "Switching to Use a *LAN 3812 Printer Device Description" below.
16.Useful job accounting information is not logged in SP and DP audit journal entries for remote writers, but it is for printer writers -- including printer writers for *LAN 3812 printer device descriptions that uses the unsupported LPR Print Driver (TSPLPRD) utility.

Note: This limitation can be addressed by switching from using a Remote Output Queue (RMTOUTQ) to using a *LAN 3812 printer device description instead. For more information, refer to the section titled "Switching to Use a *LAN 3812 Printer Device Description" below.




Switching to Use a *LAN 3812 Printer Device Description

Many of the limitations listed above can be addressed by switching from using a remote writer, which is the type of writer started for Remote Output Queues (RMTOUTQs), to using a printer writer instead, which is type of writer started for *LAN 3812 printer device descriptions and PC5250 printer sessions. Specifically, the limitations addressed by switching to use a *LAN 3812 device description or a PC5250 printer session include page range support, printing multiple copies, receiving message CPA3394 - Load form type '&4' device &5 writer &1, receiving message CPA4002 - Verify alignment on printer &3 (when printing to a continuous form printer), printing file separators or job separators, starting a writer by using the Work with Writers (WRKWTR) command and taking Option 1 (Start) next to the writer name, and managing the writer and spooled files from iSeries Navigator.

There are limitations to printing through a *LAN 3812 device description or a PC5250 printer session, though there are fewer limitations than with RMTOUTQs. For more information, please refer to the following documents:

N1019003: Capabilities and Limitations of *LAN 3812 Printer Device Descriptions
N1019636: Capabilities and Limitations of Printing when Using iSeries Access for Windows

Software Knowledge Base document New contains links to several other documents. Each of the documents listed contain information on printers from one of various manufacturers, and provides information about the printer data streams supported by each printer, whether the printer is a Microsoft Windows Only printer, whether the printer will work with and how it will work with Personal Communications 5250 (PC5250), Host Print Transform (HPT), Remote Output Queues, *LAN 3812 PJL device descriptions, *LAN 3812 SNMP device descriptions, and *LAN 3812 IPP device descriptions. For information on printers from other manufacturers, please refer to the following document:

N1019605: Information on Printers from Various Manufacturers

Switching to use a *LAN 3812 PJL, SNMP, or IPP device description requires support for the HP PJL (Printer Job Language), SNMP (Simple Network Management Protocol), or IPP (Internet Print Protocol) in the printer hardware, as well as in the internal network interface card (NIC) or external print server used with that printer. For more information, please refer to the following documents:

N1010134: Configuring a *LAN 3812 PJL Device Description
N1019572: Configuring a *LAN 3812 SNMP Device Description
N1019375: Configuring a *LAN 3812 IPP Device Description

If it looks like the printer, network interface card (NIC) or print server do not support PJL, SNMP or IPP, or if unable to get a *LAN 3812 PJL, SNMP, or IPP device description to successfully print to the printer, then another option would be to switch to using a *LAN 3812 device description that uses the unsupported LPR Print Driver (TSPLPRD) utility. For more information, please refer to the following document:

N1019586: Configuring a *LAN 3812 Device Description that Uses the LPR Print Driver (TSPLPRD) Exit Program

You could also configure a PC5250 printer session on a Windows PC that is able to print to the printer and that has System i Access for Windows or Windows iSeries Access for Windows installed. However, the Windows PC would need to be powered on and the PC5250 printer session would need to started in order to print. When printing to a LAN attached printer, it is generally better to use a *LAN 3812 device description that uses the unsupported LPR Print Driver (TSPLPRD) utility, particularly when you already know that you are able to print to the printer using LPR/LPD by use of a RMTOUTQ. However, for step-by-step instructions on configuring a PC5250 printer session, please refer to the following documents:

N1018716: IBM i Access for Windows: Configuring a PC5250 Printer Session



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    Historical Number

    14143423

    Document Information

    Modified date:
    18 December 2019

    UID

    nas8N1019659