In <[log in to unmask]> [log in to unmask] writes:

> Has anybody seen LPQ printers drop characters when used with network
> printing? The response center said that it couldn't happen, but I've seen
> it. This scares me when I'm about to replace our main LP.

Nothing's *impossible*... but it is highly unlikely. If there is character
loss, I'd look at the mechanical stuff first (especially ribbon and print-
heads).

The network connection uses TCP to transmit data to the printer, which has
built in error detection/correction... though a "broken" hardware piece in
the printer could theoretically cause loss of data in the buffer. We run lots
of LPQ printers though and don't see dropped characters, so if it's a problem,
I suspect it's a local one.

> One of my favorite parts of the conversation with the RC was the finger
> pointing over the need for PJL_SUPPORTED=FALSE. The software people say it's
> the printers fault and the hardware guys are saying its the software. ACK!!
> I just want a printer that works right! Is that to much to ask?
>
> Just needed to vent a little,
> Lane

<rant on>

Amen to that. After having open HPRC calls since 10/98 (!!) and doing dozens
of data/socket traces for them, they finally came back and tell us "it's
broken. Ref SR#5003-464131". So we have to live with hundred+ page printouts
having to restart whenever there's a printer jam. This after all the traces
and work the HPRC spent (they tried hard) tracking it down; and after we
installed *two* patches that were supposed to fix the problem -- but didn't.

   *UNACCEPTABLE*

Anyone else out there annoyed at this, I suggest that (at a minimum) you add
your names to the list waiting for SR 5003-464131 to get fixed.

Reprinting invoices/letters/labels/etc OVER and OVER is *not* a workaround.
Besides the waste of materials, it bring about alot of manual labor in going
through and figuring out exactly what reprinted and eliminating dups.

I may be wrong here, but I don't think any of the third-party spooler packages
speak "PJL" (with UDP) with the printers to do auto-recovery at this level
either, so as far as I know we have no workaround til HP gets this fixed. (I
*do* know that the packages I'm familiar with DON'T do the SNMP/UDP PJL stuff)
Then again, I wouldn't be crazy about having to go out and buy (more) 3rd
party printing software because HP's printer divisions don't talk to their
software divisions. We should be able to print from an HP3000 to a "supported"
*HP* printer without having to go elsewhere... With over 40 (new) HP Lasers
and line printers connected to one system alone, it makes us wonder why we
bothered spending the extra $$$ on an all HP solution...

BTW; the problem is that the new printers speak a new variation of PJL, with
    some extended "responses" that the MPE/iX spooler software doesn't
    understand. The problem is that the MPE/iX spooler (network printing)
    software apparently wasn't coded in a way that made it "forward compati-
    ble" with newer PJL revs, so it gags on responses it doesn't understand.
    I'd say it's clearly a software problem; the spooler needs to at least
    ignore responses it doesn't understand -- like "tray 2 is empty, using
    tray 3" type messages. I can understand the spooler not keeping up with
    every new printer/PJL rev out there, but just like web browsers; if the
    syntax is ok but ya don't understand the command, let it go...

</end rant>

  -Chris (not having a good day!) Bartram