> Another way to alert your operator to mount forms is the use of TELLOPs in
> the Jobstream, or execute a PRINTOP or PRINTOPREPLY intrinsic in the program
> itself and ditch the FORMS parameter on the FILE equation.  PRINTOP will
> place a message on the console.  PRINTOPREPLY will place the message on the
> console and ask for a reply.  If using COBOL, DISPLAY ... UPON CONSOLE and
> ACCEPT ... FROM CONSOLE will do the same thing.

Of course, this can only work if the printer is "hot."  Otherwise,
the operator would see the request but with no action on the printer.

Then, even given this, the program would never finish until some action
is taken on the console.  If the program is run interactively, this would
tie up the session (though that's less of a problem these days, since
another session could be launched in a different window on the PC).

Chances are, though, a program like this would run in batch.  Now it's
occupying a position in the job queue until there's response from the
operator.  This results in a loss of system throughput.

That "hot printer" thing is likely the biggest limitation, though.

--Glenn Cole
  Software al dente, Inc.
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