Troubleshooting
Problem
Resolving The Problem
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To determine if a printer from this manufacturer will work with the IBM i, visit the manufacturer’s website to review the printer hardware specifications.
Look for these specifications:
Emulation or Printer Languages: PCL 4, PCL 5 or PCL 6 (search on PCL)
Supported Network Protocols: SNMP, Port 9100, TCP/IP, LPR/LPD, port 515 or IPP
For label and line printers, PCL may not be listed but SNMP, TCP/IP or LPR/LPD might be found.
The recommended configuration for PCL-capable printers is a LAN SNMP printer device description. For label printers, such as Zebra, the most common configuration is a remote output queue.
See IMPORTANT NOTES for additional information and troubleshooting information.
If a printer has already been purchased:
Test using one of the following configurations.
After the printer device is created:
Vary on the printer device: VRYCFG CFGOBJ(DeviceName) CFGTYPE(*DEV) STATUS(*ON)
And start the print writer: STRPRTWTR DEV(DeviceName)
For remote output queues, the remote writer should automatically start when AUTOSTRWTR is set to 1. If not, use STRRMTWTR OUTQ(QUSRSYS/OutputQueueName) to start the remote writer.
Where x.x.x.x is the printer's IP address in the configuration examples:
For a LAN-attached PCL capable printer that has drawers:
SNMPv 1-3
SNMPv1:
CRTDEVPRT DEVD(PrinterDeviceName) DEVCLS(*LAN) TYPE(3812) MODEL(1) LANATTACH(*IP) PORT(9100) ONLINE(*YES) FONT(11) FORMFEED(*AUTOCUT) PRTERRMSG(*INFO) INACTTMR(*SEC15) TRANSFORM(*YES) MFRTYPMDL(*LEXOPTRAT) RMTLOCNAME('x.x.x.x') USRDFNOPT(*IBMSHRCNN) SYSDRVPGM(*IBMSNMPDRV)
SNMPv3:
CRTDEVPRT DEVD(PrinterDeviceName) DEVCLS(*LAN) TYPE(3812) MODEL(1) LANATTACH(*IP) PORT(9100) ONLINE(*YES) FONT(11) FORMFEED(*AUTOCUT) PRTERRMSG(*INFO) INACTTMR(*SEC15) TRANSFORM(*YES) MFRTYPMDL(*LEXOPTRAT) RMTLOCNAME('x.x.x.x') USRDFNOPT(*IBMSHRCNN) SYSDRVPGM(*IBMSNMPDRV) SNMPUSR(SNMPUserName) SNMPCNTX(SNMPContextName)
**NOTE: The SNMP User and SNMP Context need to be the same as what is defined on the printer hardware and for the network. Contact your network administrator if there are questions about the SNMP User and Context.
SNMPv 1-3
For SNMPv1
CRTDEVPRT DEVD(PrinterDeviceName) DEVCLS(*LAN) TYPE(3812) MODEL(1) LANATTACH(*IP) PORT(9100) ONLINE(*YES) FONT(11) FORMFEED(*CONT) PRTERRMSG(*INFO) INACTTMR(*SEC15) TRANSFORM(*YES) MFRTYPMDL(*IBM6500 -or- *EPFX1170) RMTLOCNAME('x.x.x.x') USRDFNOPT(*IBMSHRCNN) SYSDRVPGM(*IBMSNMPDRV)
For SNMPv3
CRTDEVPRT DEVD(PrinterDeviceName) DEVCLS(*LAN) TYPE(3812) MODEL(1) LANATTACH(*IP) PORT(9100) ONLINE(*YES) FONT(11) FORMFEED(*CONT) PRTERRMSG(*INFO) INACTTMR(*SEC15) TRANSFORM(*YES) MFRTYPMDL(*IBM6500 -or- *EPFX1170) RMTLOCNAME('x.x.x.x') USRDFNOPT(*IBMSHRCNN) SYSDRVPGM(*IBMSNMPDRV) SNMPUSR(SNMPUserName) SNMPCNTX(SNMPContextName)
If the PCL-capable printer is not SNMP-capable
CRTDEVPRT DEVD(PrinterDeviceName) DEVCLS(*LAN) TYPE(3812) MODEL(1) LANATTACH(*IP) PORT(9100) ONLINE(*YES) FONT(11) FORMFEED(*AUTOCUT) PRTERRMSG(*INFO) INACTTMR(*SEC15) TRANSFORM(*YES) MFRTYPMDL(*LEXOPTRAT) RMTLOCNAME('x.x.x.x') SYSDRVPGM(*HPPJLDRV)
To use a remote output queue for a PCL-capable printer
CRTOUTQ OUTQ(QUSRSYS/OutputQueueName) RMTSYS(*INTNETADR) RMTPRTQ(‘raw’) AUTOSTRWTR(1) CNNTYPE(*IP) DESTTYPE(*OTHER) TRANSFORM(*YES) MFRTYPMDL(*LEXOPTRAT) INTNETADR('x.x.x.x') DESTOPT(XAIX) SEPPAGE(*NO)
For a LAN-attached label printer or a printer that uses it’s own printer language, such as Zebra (ZPL)
CRTOUTQ OUTQ(QUSRSYS/OutputQueueName) RMTSYS(*INTNETADR) RMTPRTQ(‘portLF1’) AUTOSTRWTR(1) CNNTYPE(*IP) DESTTYPE(*OTHER) TRANSFORM(*YES) MFRTYPMDL(*WSCST) WSCST(QWPDEFAULT)
INTNETADR('x.x.x.x') DESTOPT(XAIX) SEPPAGE(*NO)
If the line or label printer has an IBM or Epson emulation mode
CRTOUTQ OUTQ(QUSRSYS/OutputQueueName) RMTSYS(*INTNETADR) RMTPRTQ(‘pr1’) AUTOSTRWTR(1) CNNTYPE(*IP) DESTTYPE(*OTHER) TRANSFORM(*YES) MFRTYPMDL(Based on the emulation: *IBM42011 -OR- *EPFX850) INTNETADR('x.x.x.x') DESTOPT(XAIX) SEPPAGE(*NO)
The remote writer should automatically start when AUTOSTRWTR is set to 1. If not, use STRRMTWTR OUTQ(QUSRSYS/OutputQueueName) to start the remote writer.
If the printer has an IPDS card installed
Create a PSF configuration object to set the release timer:
CRTPSFCFG PSFCFG(LibraryName/PSFConfigName) IPDSPASTHR(*NO) RLSTMR(*SEC15)
Create the *LAN *IPDS printer device description:
CRTDEVPRT DEVD(PrinterDeviceName) DEVCLS(*LAN) TYPE(*IPDS) MODEL(0) LANATTACH(*IP) AFP(*YES) PORT(5001) ONLINE(*YES) FONT(11) FORMFEED(*AUTOCUT) RMTLOCNAME(‘x.x.x.x’) USRDFNOBJ(LibraryName/PSFConfigName *PSFCFG)
**Where USRDFNOBJ is the name of the PSF configuration object created with the first command
IMPORTANT NOTES:
- PCL 3 GUI or GDI printers will require using a 5250 printer session. For this type of printer, the IBM i Access Client Solutions (ACS) printer session must be configured to use Java Print Service.
IBM i Access Client Solutions (ACS): Configuring a Printer Session: https://www.ibm.com/support/pages/ibm-i-access-client-solutions-acs-configuring-printer-session
Follow the section titled Create a New Printer Session to create the printer session, then section 2. Configuring a Windows Only / Host-Based Printer to Use Java Print Service
- Majority of the Manufacturer Type and Models (MFRTYPMDL) on the IBM i are PCL 5. *LEXOPTRAT, *HP4, *HP4000, *RICOHxxx, etc. all use the same PCL5 commands, apart from drawer selection. Matching the MFRTYPMDL with the actual printer hardware is not necessary.
- If the printer hardware is prompting for paper in a different drawer or not printing from the expected drawer, try using different MFRTYPMDLs, such as *LEXOPTRAT, *HP4000 and *HP5SI. Each of these provide a different drawer selection value for drawer 1.
- For remote output queue configurations, most newer printers do not require a specific Remote Print Queue (RMTPRTQ) value. If the error message in the writer job log indicates an incorrect remote print queue value, select the appropriate value to use from Recommended Remote Printer Queue (RMTPRTQ) Values for Remote Output Queues (RMTOUTQs): https://www.ibm.com/support/pages/node/683155.
- To locate the writer job log:
If the writer is still active:
WRKJOB JOB(WriterName)
Select the ACTIVE job from the SELECT JOB screen, if applicable
Select option 10. Display job log, if active, on job queue, or pending
Press F10=Display detailed messages
Press F1=Help on the messages to see the message identifier
If the writer has ended:
WRKSPLF SELECT(QSPLJOB *ALL *ALL WriterName) to locate the job log
Use the appropriate Configuration Settings and Error Messages document for known causes and resolutions for the message(s) in the job log.
Supporting documentation:
For SNMP:
Configuring a *LAN 3812 SNMP Device Description: https://www.ibm.com/support/pages/node/644613
Recommended SNMP Port Number Values for *LAN 3812 SNMP Device Descriptions:
https://www.ibm.com/support/pages/node/644611
Configuration Settings and Error Messages for *LAN 3812 SNMP Device Descriptions:
https://www.ibm.com/support/pages/node/644609
For PJL:
Configuring a *LAN 3812 PJL Device Description:
https://www.ibm.com/support/pages/node/683083
Recommended PJL Port Number Values for *LAN 3812 PJL Device Descriptions: https://www.ibm.com/support/pages/node/644811
Configuration Settings and Error Messages for *LAN 3812 PJL Device Descriptions:
https://www.ibm.com/support/pages/node/644749
For Remote Output Queues:
Configuring a Remote Output Queue (RMTOUTQ):
https://www.ibm.com/support/pages/node/683003
Recommended Remote Printer Queue (RMTPRTQ) Values for Remote Output Queues (RMTOUTQs): https://www.ibm.com/support/pages/node/683155
Configuration Settings and Error Messages for Remote Output Queues (RMTOUTQs):
https://www.ibm.com/support/pages/node/644623
For IPDS:
Configuring a *LAN IPDS Device Description:
https://www.ibm.com/support/pages/node/683149
Recommended IPDS Port Number Values for *LAN IPDS Device Descriptions: https://www.ibm.com/support/pages/node/644385
Configuration Settings and Error Messages for *LAN IPDS Device Descriptions:
https://www.ibm.com/support/pages/configuration-settings-and-error-messages-lan-ipds-device-descrip
Historical Number
555892683
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Document Information
Modified date:
11 March 2024
UID
nas8N1012384