In article <[log in to unmask]>,
[log in to unmask] says...
>
> In <[log in to unmask]> [log in to unmask]
writes:
>
>> Is anyone out there using ESPUL from RACC consulting; in a MANMAN/ASK
>> environment??(if so, can you give me a "rundown" of how you have chosen to
>> utilize it)  I just received the package, and was really interested in the
>> AUTOMATED REPORT DISTRIBUTION capabilities, but I cannot seem to see where
>> this software has anymore power than standard MPE Spooler.  Am I missing
>> something??
>>
>> Right now, I keep a Dist-File on the system that has all the correct
>> information(requestor,report parms ect..), and it is fine as long as people
>> update with new information. It is a Home Grown product, and I was looking
>> for something a little more operator friendly.  Any Suggestions??  Thanks in
>> Advance.............
>
>I'm not using ManMan (but do use it in a MACS environment). If all you're
>looking at is the Espul program, you might think that. The power comes in the
>setup in the ASPCONF file, where you can define rules for spoolfiles based on
>the creator of the file, report name, destination device, and other parms. We
>use it to scan $stdlists from production jobs, if it finds errors it uses a
>mail package to email the $stdlist to admins. We also (using a combination of
>MPE scripts and MPEX/Security3000 features) have it lookup the email address
>or site of the user that streamed the job and notify them; or alter the
>report to a printer in their vicinity... all unattended.
>
>We also have it archive all our reports (for varying time periods) so we can
>recall and reprint them at will; we send certain reports to other systems to
>print; we created a script so that espul copies reports sent to certain
>devices to a holding area where they're converted to HTML and viewable from
>web browsers; and even wrote a script that chops up certain very large
>spoolfiles (containing letters to customers) into smaller 'chunks' which are
>then routed to a group of high-speed lasers - one chunk prints on each laser;
>speeding up overall printing, and making recovery from paper jams/reprints
>much easier. Finally, we use Espul to directly control some (non HP) laser and
>line printers that HP's spooler won't talk to by itself.
>
>Geee, I should get a referral from RAC on that diatribe...;-) (but I have no
>vested interest in them) We're just satisfied customers.
>
>  -Chris Bartram
>
>P.S. One caveat; reading our ASPCONF file is a bit intimidating. As you can
>   probably guess from the above, we're probably excercising most of what the
>   product can do, and the configuration gets a bit involved with all those
>   options.
>

Thanks Chris. Appreciate the kind words!
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Richard Corn                          e-mail: [log in to unmask]
RAC Consulting                         Voice: (360) 357-9572
P.O. Box 12299                           fax: (360) 352-8453
Olympia, WA. 98508 USA             home page: www.racc.com
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