Controlling *nix Print Queues and Jobs with UniData VOC/PA Commands

One of the problems I've had since moving to UniData on AIX in 2001 is being able to monitor and/or control Print Jobs and Form Queues once AIX has the file. I found I could do a lot of maintenance using smit, but that seemed a bit tedious.

I did some research and created a few useful PA commands in the VOC file. I can use these at the SB+ TCL command prompt to simplify my life. Here they are for your free use!! Note the use of the <<angle bracket>> options to prompt for missing parameters.

Command Summary:

LP [queue] - List Printer - Show all jobs waiting to print. Limit to specified queue if needed.

Code:

001: PA
002: IF <<C2,QUEUE>> = '' THEN GO L100
003: !lpstat -p<<C2,QUEUE>> | more
004: GO DONE
005: L100: !lpstat | more
006: DONE: *

LPQ - List Printer Queue - Show *nix Statistics for files waiting to print

Code:

001: PA
002: !ls -lt /var/spool/qdaemon

MOVE.JOB jobnum newqueue - Move a job to a different print queue (e.g., when stuck behind a large job)

Code:

001: PA
002: !qmov -m <<I3,NEW QUEUE>> -# <<I2,JOB ID>>

MOVE.QUEUE oldqueue newqueue - Move all jobs to a different queue (e.g., when printer is out of service)

Code:

001: PA
002: !qmov -m <<I3,NEW QUEUE>> -P <<I2,OLD QUEUE>>

HOLD.JOB jobnum - Puts a print job on "Hold", so it won't print

Code:

001: PA
002: !qhld -# <<I2,JOB ID>>

REL.JOB jobnum - Release a previously held job

Code:

001: PA
002: !qhld -r -# <<I2,JOB ID>>

These two commands are also useful, but I haven't created PA items for them.

!disable queue - Disables a queue, marking it down
!enable queue - Restarts a down queue

Hope these help...

--Tom