Three files (VSAM key-sequenced data sets) serve as the foundation of the Network Print Facility processing. The routing and options files contain user-defined records that provide the Network Print Facility with the information it needs to route print data. The routing file defines where output will be printed, and the options file defines how it will print. The queue file contains temporary records created by the system to keep track of NPF print data sets.

In addition to these three files, NPF also maintains capture point and queue manager log files to track print data processing and a trace file to track NPF ISPF processing.

This section explains the type of information in each file and how the files relate to each other. You can find instructions for initializing and loading the NPF files in Creating the Network Print Facility files and for updating them in Maintaining the Network Print Facility files with ISPF.