John Bawden wrote:
> I have a process on a Windows server that we have to
> manually start and I would like to automate it as
> follows:
>
> At the end of a job on the 3000, FTP a few files to
> the server and then initiate a batch file on the
> server to finish some file manipulation and then move
> the file to another directory.
>
> Is it possible to initiate the Windows batch file from
> the FTP connection from the 3000? If so, how is it
> done. If not, is there another way to trigger the
> batch file from the 3000?
There are several ways to do this. The best one will depend on such factors
as how much control you want and whether or not you can spend any money.
Here is an inexpensive good one. It involves spending a little money. The
steps are as follows:
1) The HP 3000 process outputs a file to a special "network printer" that
will give instructions to the program on the Windows server. It can
optionally ftp a file to an FTP server on the Windows machine. However, the
trigger to start processing on the Windows machine is the sending of an MPE
spoolfile to a "network printer".
2) A service is running on the Windows server that waits for output to go to
a "printer". This server can be configured to launch a program when it
receives output from the HP 3000.
3) The spoolfile on the HP 3000 has all of the information needed to process
the data you want to process. In other words, it contains any variable
parameters that might be needed.
We use this to do several things including sending print files to the
Windows machine and having them automatically converted to PDF and stored on
the Windows machine. In one case we update a SQL Server database with
information taken from the report header. However, there is no reason why
it can't be used for what you want to do. All you need to do is put your
processing instructions in a "report" that is sent to the printer.
Therefore, no special software is required on the HP 3000. This solution
does require some inexpensive software on the Windows machine to listen for
the print output. That program can call any windows program through either
a shell execute or as by invoking something with a COM/ActiveX interface.
The language you write it in is up to you. All communication is handled by
the HP 3000 network printing facilities and the little program on the host.
One program that you can use for this purpose is RPM from Brooks Internet
http://www.brooksnet.com/hp3000remoteprinting.html. You can download a
14day evaluation free. Last time we bought a copy it costs about $300.
Charles Finley
Transformix Computer Corporation
(760)-439-3146
> -----Original Message-----
> From: HP-3000 Systems Discussion [mailto:[log in to unmask]]On
> Behalf Of John Bawden
> Sent: Tuesday, December 30, 2003 11:59 AM
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: HP3000 to Windows server
>
>
> Fellow listers,
>
> I have a process on a Windows server that we have to
> manually start and I would like to automate it as
> follows:
>
> At the end of a job on the 3000, FTP a few files to
> the server and then initiate a batch file on the
> server to finish some file manipulation and then move
> the file to another directory.
>
> Is it possible to initiate the Windows batch file from
> the FTP connection from the 3000? If so, how is it
> done. If not, is there another way to trigger the
> batch file from the 3000?
>
> I would like to have the 3000 controlling when the
> Windows processing starts rather that waiting for a
> scheduler on the server to start the process (and
> frequently missing the correct start time)
>
> Thanks for any suggestions or solutions.
>
> John Bawden
> QualChoice
>
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