Creating and Maintaining Default Print Definitions

You can define sets of characteristics for each printer at your installation through Information Center Facility panels. Each definition consists of the printer location, (for example, NY/Bldg-A/Rm-9), a print format (report), and a description of the printer and format (6670 printer, standard reports). By filling in the panels as described in Adding a Print Definition, you can define characteristics for each printer in your installation. These print definitions appear on a list for administrators as follows:

Figure 1. Information Center Facility – List of Printers for Administrators

 
ICQAPE00          Printer Support - List of Print Definitions
Command ===>                                                  Scroll ===> PAGE

Type an action character in ACTION column or type T (tutorial), A or ADD on the
command line.  Action characters:  A (add)  C (copy) D (delete)  M (modify)

Action    Location         Format    Type      System    Printer Name
        _ NJ/321/SYS       MAIL      3800      NJTSO/E
        _ NJ/321/R88       MAIL      6670      NJVM      LU75$1
        _ NJ/321/R88       MEMO      6670      NJVM      LU75$1
        _ NJ/327/R12       MAIL      6670      NJTSO/E
        _ NY/701/R09       LETTER    6670      NYTSO/E   RMT001
        _ NY/922/R23       GENERAL   6670      MVS
        _ RI/070/R105      NOTE      6670      MVS
        _ RI/127/SYS       REPORT    3800      NJTSO/E   3800
********************************* END OF LIST *********************************

When a user wants to print a job, the system can then display these definitions in a list from which the user can select. If a user chose to send mail from a New Jersey printer and requested a list by typing, NJ*, the following list might appear:

Figure 2. Information Center Facility – List of Printers for Users

 
ICQCPE00        INFORMATION CENTER FACILITY - LIST OF PRINTERS     ROW 11 OF 13
COMMAND ===>                                                   SCROLL ===>

To select a printer, type S to the left of the selected printer.

  LOCATION         FORMAT       DESCRIPTION
_ NJ/321/SYS       MAIL         3800 printer, hand-delivered output
_ NJ/321/R88       MAIL         6670 printer, letter with logo
_ NJ/327/R12       MAIL         6670 printer, confidential
**************************** END OF LIST ********************************

More than one print definition can apply to one physical printer. Thus, you can have separate definitions specifying different print characteristics for use on the same printer.

You can add a print definition by choosing the Add (A) option, or you can modify an existing print definition by choosing the Modify (M) option. Your installation will, most likely, establish standards on how to fill the various fields of the definition. You should be familiar with these standards before you define or modify a print definition. For example, whoever integrates your existing printing applications with the Information Center Facility can tell you the SYSOUT classes available to you.

At the end of this chapter is a worksheet you can use to plan how to define printers for your installation. For more detailed information on installation and use of print definitions, see z/OS TSO/E Programming Services.