This is the way it should work. I think it was designed this way so
     that users could have a "printer pool". In other words you can send a
     bunch of files to the device class and they would print on multiple
     printers rather than one at a time on a single printer.

     Stuart Smith
     Quest Software
     "These are my words and nobody else's"



______________________________ Reply Separator _________________________________
Subject: Printing question
Author:  Barry Lake <[log in to unmask]> at Internet-Link
Date:    10/22/96 10:57 AM


Hi folks,

I recently added a second HP LaserJet 5Si to our system and configured it
through NMMGR to have the same printer profile as the first one. Therefore,
it has the same device class, in this case LJ.  I thought it was logical to
assume now that we have two printers with the same device class that any
printout sent to class LJ would generate a console message requiring a reply
to resolve which printer we intended (as is currently the case with our
three tape drives, all configured with the device class TAPE).  Instead the
HP seems to choose arbitrarily a printer on its own.  I once sent several
print jobs at the same time to device class LJ and found, surprisingly, that
the printouts had been split between the two printers.

I have since worked around the problem by allowing the users via command
files to set up a default printer based on the LDEV number, rather than
device class.  However, the above-mentioned behaviour doesn't seem normal,
or consistent with what I've experienced in the past with MPE.  Any
comments or explanations?

TIA,

Barry Lake
System Manager
Stanford Alumni Association