Preparing to Configure HP-UX for a Printer or Plotter

Choosing Means of Access

Printers and plotters can be connected to the system to be accessed locally, remotely, or through the network. In the following example, the printer print1 is physically connected to a system named sys1.

   /---------\   +--------------+ +--------------+
   		| printer |   | HP-UX system | | HP-UX system |
   | print1  |<--|     sys1     | |    sys2      |
   \---------/   +-----+--------+ +-------+------+
                       |        LAN       |
         <===============+===================+=========>

The physical connection might be serial (RS-232-C), parallel, or SCSI, depending on the system interface and printer. print1 is connected as a local printer to sys1. The LP spooler on sys1 is configured to include the local printer print1. Print requests generated on sys1 are spooled directly to print1.

Users on a system called sys2 can also access printer print1 as a remote printer, provided the LP spooler on sys2 is so configured. (The remote printer can be named anything for users on sys2, but consistency in naming simplifies the configuration.)

If you use the HP-UX command-line interface, the complexities of setting up remote access are accomplished using the lpadmin(1M) and rlpdaemon(1M)commands.

In the following example, the printer print1 is accessed by both sys1 and sys2 as a network printer. print1 is connected directly to the LAN and has its own IP address. There is no direct connection (RS-232-C, parallel, or SCSI) between the printer and any HP-UX system ( sys1 or sys2).

                 +--------------+      +--------------+
   		/---------\   | HP-UX system |      | HP-UX system |
   | printer |<--|     sys1     |      |    sys2      |
   | print1  |   +-----+--------+      +-------+------+
   \------+--/         |                       |
          |            |       LAN             |
         <=+=============+========================+=========>

Configuring access to a network printer is more complex than configuring access to a local printer; HP recommends using the HP JetDirect Network Interface, an optional product. SAM requires JetDirect configuration and hides any additional complexities.

When a user generates a request to a configured network printer, the LP spooler on the system from which the request is generated sends the print request over the LAN to the printer.

If printer print1 is configured to a terminal using Terminal Session Manager (TSM) as shown in the following exampe, only the user logged into that terminal has access to the printer.

                 +----------+   +--------------+ +--------------+
   		/---------\   | terminal |   | HP-UX system | | HP-UX system |
   | printer |<--|   using  |-->|     sys1     | |    sys2     |
   | print1  |   |    TSM   |   +-----+--------+ +-------+------+
   \---------/   +----------+         |                  |
                                      |       LAN        |
                  <======================+====================+=========>

This chapter discusses configuration of local and remote printers and plotters only. For network configuration, use SAM and HP JetDirect. For TSM configuration, use the Terminal Session Manager User's Guide. Consult the X Station User's Guide for the HP 700/RX or HP VUE 3.0 User's Guide for information on configuring a printer into an X or VUE environment.