Checklist of the NPF tasks for all users (JES or VTAM)

Decide how many logical printers you will use.
Decide how you can effectively implement the routes you require. Should jobs be sent to one printer or to multiple homogeneous printers?
Decide how you will use the LPR print options. Which will be the system default options and which will be specified in your options file? Plan to use the OPTIONS function of the NPF EZAPPFL macro or the NPF ISPF interface to create the options records.
See the z/OS Communications Server: IP User's Guide and Commands for a complete description of LPR options.
Establish your own job header and trailer through LPR definitions; NPF does not provide job header and trailer options itself. If desired, use the IBM-supplied separator or banner defaults, provided with LPR. See the LPR documentation in the z/OS Communications Server: IP User's Guide and Commands.
Decide on unique major and minor names for your print routings. Plan to use the ROUTING function of the NPF EZAPPFL macro or the NPF ISPF interface to create the routing records.
Define the queue management function.
- Decide how to handle output that does print successfully. Do you want to delete the job immediately? Do you want to retain the job for a period of time for future use? Plan to use the RETAINS option on the ROUTING function of the NPF EZAPPFL macro or the ISPF panel interface to specify your choices.
- Decide how to handle output that does not print successfully. Do you want to delete the job immediately? Do you want to retain the job for a period of time for future use? Do you want to resend the data? If so, how many times do you want to attempt to resend? At what interval? Plan to use the RETAINU and RETRY options on the ROUTING function of the NPF EZAPPFL macro or the ISPF interface to specify your choices.
Determine if user exits are necessary. If so, design, code, and install them. Plan to specify them appropriately in the macros, data areas, parameter lists, and in the routing and options records.
See Writing exit routines to tailor the Network Print Facility.
Install the C run-time libraries to implement the ISPF interface. This will require a re-IPL to make the change permanent.
Configure your system for NPF by using the appropriate configuration statements.
See Configuring NPF using TCPIP.DATA and NPF.DATA statements.
Assign appropriate user authorization. This might relate to the alteration of your ISPF logon procedure to enable NPF.
See the appropriate RACF® manual or other security program publication.
Enable the NPF ISPF interface.
- Provide library access
- Update the ISPF primary menu to include an option to access NPF.
- Establish optional default values for the routing, options, queue, and trace files to display on the interface panels.
See Enabling the Network Print Facility ISPF interface.
Modify the program properties table with the JES PPT entry or the VTAM® PPT entry or both (see the checklist specific to JES or VTAM for the exact update). Modifying the PPT requires a re-IPL.
See the z/OS MVS Initialization and Tuning Guide for information about updating the PPT.
Define the JES capture point (NPF FSS writers) or VTAM capture point (applications), or both. See the Checklist for JES users, or the Checklist for VTAM users, on the following pages.
Allocate and initialize the VSAM files for routing, option, and queue files.
See Creating the Network Print Facility files.
Load the routing and options file records using the various NPF EZAPPFL macro functions.
See Creating the Network Print Facility files.
For each different VTAM capture point, JES capture point, or queue manager application, allocate a QSAM data set for the LOG file.
See Network Print Facility logging.
Start either the NPF FSS writer to process output from JES or the VTAM capture point to process output from VTAM, or both. Start the NPF queue manager to handle the retention and retransmission of print data sets. These require you to submit the JCL start procedures for each.
See Operating the Network Print Facility
Maintain your files by changing print options, routing destinations, and data fields that affect the disposition of print data sets. Use either the ISPF panel interface or the EZAPPFL macro.
See Creating the Network Print Facility files and Maintaining the Network Print Facility files with ISPF.
Note: Using the EZAPPFL macro updates the VSAM files in batch mode while ISPF performs the same function interactively. When large numbers of updates are required, using the EZAPPFL macro might be more efficient.
If a problem is encountered using the NPF panel interface, use the NPF ISPF trace to find inconsistencies in panel input and output.
See Using the NPF ISPF trace facility.