Skip to main contentClick to view our Accessibility Statement or contact us with accessibility-related questions.

PhaserShare


Configuring a host

Adding the printer to the host table

Add the printer's name to the host table and assign an IP address to the printer's name. Depending on your host system, you may do this one of three ways:

Assigning a print queue to the printer

Assigning print queues with PhaserPrint for UNIX

For UNIX environments, Tektronix offers PhaserPrint for UNIX software, which provides fast raster printing and a graphical user interface with push-button control of printer features. For more information on PhaserPrint software, see Tektronix PhaserPrint for UNIX software.

If you want to print using PhaserPrint for UNIX software, you must use PhaserPrint software to configure your host. Refer to the PhaserPrint for UNIX user manual or the instructions provided with the PhaserPrint for UNIX CD-ROM for configuration information. PostScript and PDF versions of the manual are available from the Tektronix ftp site:

ftp.tek.com/cpid/UNIX/phaserprint2.0/demo/MANUALS

Required remote printer queue names

The printer's internal LPR queue uses the BSD protocol; its known queues are listed in the following table. These are the only remote queue names that the printer recognizes. If you use another name, the printer automatically defaults to AUTO.

Queue name Language
PS

PostScript

HPGL

HP-GL (Hewlett-Packard Graphics Language)

PCL

PCL (Printer Control Language)

AUTO

Automatic Language Selection (the printer automatically senses the language of the print job and processes it accordingly)


Note: Your printer model may not support all the languages listed in the table. See your printer's user documentation for information on the languages supported by your printer.
With some printers, PCL must be authorized with an authorization code before it can be used. If you use PCL for the remote printer queue name, make sure that PCL has been authorized in the printer. See your printer's user documentation for more information on authorization codes and PCL.

Using PostScript utility files to control printer features from queues

As you set up a spool queue for the printer, you can use the PostScript utility files provided with your printer's software to control printer features (for example, selecting upper or lower paper trays, or selecting print quality modes). See your printer's user documentation for more information on these utility files.

Example installation for a typical BSD UNIX system

The following procedure is an example spooler configuration that will work for many BSD systems, including SunOS 4.x and 5.x (Solaris 1.x and 2.x) and Digital UNIX.

In this procedure, you modify the /etc/hosts file to identify the printer to the workstation and modify the /etc/printcap file to describe the printer to the workstation.

  1. Log on to your system as root.

  2. Make a backup copy of the /etc/hosts file.

  3. Edit /etc/hosts and add a line that defines the printer's IP address when it was configured. The name you specify in this line is the name by which your workstation identifies the printer. (You will enter this same remote name in your /etc/printcap file in the next step).

Example:

134.62.33.138 Phaser340

In this example, 134.62.33.138 is the printer's IP address and Phaser340 is the printer's remote name.

  1. Make a backup copy of the /etc/printcap file.

  2. Edit /etc/printcap and add an entry for your printer. Refer to the following example and descriptions of printcap parameters to create your entry.

Sample printcap file

# Printer: Tektronix Phaser340
# Print queue name: colorprinter
# Remote machine name: Phaser340
# Remote printer queue name: PS
# Spool directory: /usr/spool/lpd/colorprinter
colorprinter:
:lp=:
:rm=Phaser340:
:rp=PS:
:mx#0:
:lf=/usr/spool/lpd/ERRORLOG:
:sd=/usr/spool/lpd/colorprinter:
#

Descriptions of printcap parameters

Parameter Description
lp

The name of the device to open. This parameter must be left empty.

rm

The remote machine name. This is the name by which the workstation identifies the printer; it must match the name in the /etc/hosts file.

rp

The remote printer queue name. This is the queue name that the printer recognizes. It must be one of the following:

mx

The maximum file size. Set this parameter to 0 for unlimited file size. This allows the print command to handle large PostScript or image files.

lf

The name of the log file where print command error messages are collected. Some systems have a log file for each print queue. Refer to your workstation's documentation for more information.

sd

The spool directory on your host. You must make a separate spool directory for each queue.

  1. Set up spool directories. After you have edited the /etc/hosts and /etc/printcap files, you must create and set permissions for the spool directory you specified.

Example:

cd /usr/spool/lpd
mkdir colorprinter
chown daemon colorprinter
chgrp daemon colorprinter
chmod 770 colorprinter

Refer to your UNIX documentation for the correct command syntax for your workstation.

Configuration procedures for common System V UNIX hosts

Sun Solaris

To avoid a problem with the Solaris communication portion of TCP/IP printing, use the sol_apps.tar provided with your printer's networking software. The sol_apps.tar file is also available from the Tektronix ftp site:

ftp.tek.com/cpid/UNIX/sun/sol_apps.tar

This file works for all internal PhaserShare cards and redirects the print jobs to the printer's AppSocket port (port 9100) instead of the LPD port (port 515).


Note: If you do not want to redirect the print jobs to the printer's AppSocket port, see
Adding a LPD queue in Solaris.
  1. Untar the sol_apps.tar file by typing this command:

    tar -xvf phaser.sun5

    The following files are executing into the indicated directories:

    asprint.sun5 to /usr/bin

    tektcp.sun5 to /usr/spool/lp/model

  2. To create a working spool queue, edit the file /etc/hosts to create an entry for the printer.


    Note: The network name and the queue name for your printer must be identical for the enclosed model file to work.
  3. Execute the following commands:

    lpadmin -p queuename -v /dev/null -i /usr/spool/lp/model/tektcp.sun5 -I postscript

    enable queuename

    accept queuename

    where queuename is the name entered for the printer in the /etc/hosts file.

The print queue is now enabled.

Adding a LPD queue in Solaris

Add the printer to the host table. This is done by either editing the local host table /etc/hosts (if not running yp or NIS), or updating the NIS data base on the NIS (yp) server.

Here is an example of how to add a postscript queue named phaser printing to a printer named Tektronix while in the Bourne shell.

/bin/sh

lpsystem -t bsd Tektronix

lpadmin -p phaser -s Tektronix!PS -I postscript

The queue name can be anything you want. The printer name should be the same name used in the host table.

The !PS names the remote queue name. There are four valid remote printer names: PS, HPGL, PCL, and AUTO.

Use the following commands to enable the new queue:

enable phaser

accept phaser

If Solaris 2.2/2.3 print jobs get stuck in the queue

  1. Change directory (cd) to:

    /usr/spool/lp/temp/workstation-name

  2. To remove any jobs, type:

    rm

  3. Change directory (cd) to:

    /usr/spool/lp/requests/workstation-name

  4. To remove any jobs, type:

    rm

  5. Type:

    kill -pid

    where pid is the process ID number /usr/lib/lpsched.

  6. To restart lpsched, type:

    /usr/lib/lpsched

  7. Remove any jobs that have not printed from the Print Tool.

SGI IRIX 5.3 and 6.x

In this procedure you will modify the /etc/hosts file to identify the printer to the workstation.


Note: You need superuser privileges to edit this file.
  1. Log onto your system as root.

  2. Make a backup copy of the /etc/hosts file.

  3. Edit /etc/hosts and add a line that defines the printer's IP address and its name. The IP address you enter here for the printer must be the same address you specified as the printer's IP address when it was configured. The name is the name by which your workstation identifies the printer.

IRIX 5.3 and IRIX 6.x with Impressario Client

The following procedure describes how to use the SGI Printer Manager program to configure a workstation running IRIX 5.3 and IRIX 6.x with Impressario Client to support a color PostScript printer.

  1. From the Toolchest, click System/Printer Manager, or type printers at the command line.

  2. Click Printer and select Add from the pull-down menu.

  3. Fill in the fields; refer to the following table.

    Field name Description
    New Printer Name

    The name of the print queue (this can be anything).

    Connection Type

    Select Network.

    Remote Host Name

    The name that you entered in your /etc/hosts file as the remote machine name.

    Remote Printer Name

    The queue name that the printer recognizes:

  4. Click OK.

IRIX 6.x with Impressario Server

The following procedure describes how to use the SGI Printer Manager program to configure a workstation running IRIX 6.x with Impressario Server to support a color PostScript printer.

  1. From the Toolchest, click System/Printer Manager, or type printers at the command line.

  2. Click Printer and select Add from the pull-down menu.

  3. Fill in the fields; refer to the following table.

    Field name Description
    New Printer Name

    The name of the print queue (this can be anything).

    Printer Connected To

    Select Local Host.

    Location Code

    Optional; may contain information describing the location of the printer.

    Location Description

    Optional; may contain information describing the location of the printer.

    Printer Type

    Select one of the Generic Color PostScript entries.

    Printer is Attached to

    Select Network.

    Printer's Name (or IP Address)

    The name that you entered in your /etc/hosts file as the remote machine name.

    Printer is Attached to Network With

    Network card Installed in printer.

  4. Click OK.

AIX 3.x and 4.x (IBM RS/6000)

In this procedure you will modify the /etc/hosts file to identify the printer to the workstation.

  1. Log onto your system as root.

  2. Make a backup copy of the /etc/hosts file.


    Note: You will need superuser privileges to edit this file.
  3. Edit /etc/hosts and add a line that defines the printer's IP address and its name. The IP address you enter here for the printer must be the same address you specified as the printer's IP address when it was configured. The name is the name by which your workstation identifies the printer.

AIX 3.x

The following procedure describes how to use the AIX System Management program (SMIT) to configure a workstation running AIX 3.x to support a color PostScript printer.

  1. Log in as root on your workstation.

  2. From the command line, type smit.

  3. Select Devices.

  4. Select Printer/Plotter.

  5. Select Manage Remote Printer Subsystem.

  6. Select Client Services.

  7. Select Remote Printer Queues.

  8. Select Add a Remote Queue.

  9. Fill in the fields; refer to the following table.

    Field name Description
    NAME of queue to add

    The name of the print queue (this can be anything).

    DESTINATION HOST for remote jobs

    The name that you entered in your /etc/hosts file as the remote machine name.

    Name of QUEUE on remote printer

    The queue name that the printer recognizes:

    NAME of device to add

    You can use any name you want.

  10. Press Enter to process the information. Make sure that SMIT finishes with an OK in the upper left hand corner. Press F3 to return to the first Printer/Plotter Devices menu.

AIX 4.x

The following procedure describes how to use the AIX System Management program (SMIT) to configure a workstation running AIX 4.x to support a color PostScript printer.

  1. Log in as root on your workstation.

  2. From the command line, type: smit.

  3. Select Print Spooling.

  4. Select Add a Print Queue.

  5. Fill in the fields; refer to the following table.

    Field name Description
    Attachment Type

    Select remote.

    Type of Remote Printing

    Select Local filtering before sending to print server.

    Remote Printer Type

    Select Other, then generic.

    Name of NEW print queues to add

    Use the down-arrow key to move down to PostScript, then type in the print queue name on the right side. This can be anything.

    HOSTNAME of remote server

    The name that you entered in your /etc/hosts file as the remote machine name.

    Name of QUEUE on remote server

    The queue name that the printer recognizes:

    TYPE of print spooler on remote server

    Press F4 and select BSD.

    Send PASS-THROUGH FLAG to queue on remote server?

    Select F4 and select no.

  6. Press Enter to process the information. Make sure that SMIT finishes with an OK in the upper left hand corner. Press F3 to return to the first Printer/Plotter Devices menu.

HP-UX versions 9.x and 10.x

  1. Log in as root on your workstation.

  2. Edit /etc/hosts and add a line that defines the printer's IP address and its remote machine name.


    Note: You need supervisor privileges to edit this file.

    The IP address you enter here for the printer must be the same address you specified as the Tektronix printer IP address when you configured the printer. The remote machine name is the name by which your workstation identifies the printer. (You will enter this same name as the remote system name later in this procedure.) For example:

    134.62.33.138 tekphaser

    In this example, 134.62.33.138 is the printer's IP address and tekphaser is the printer's remote machine name.

  3. Use the HP System Administrator Manager program (SAM) to configure an HP workstation. From the command line, type: sam

  4. Perform the appropriate step for your HP-UX version:

  5. Perform the appropriate step for your HP-UX version:

  6. From the Actions menu, select Add Remote Printer/Plotter.

  7. Fill in the fields. See the following table for example entries and descriptions.

    Field name Example entry Description
    Printer Name

    phaser360PS

    The name you use to access the printer. You can use any name you want.

    Remote System name

    tekphaser

    The name that you entered in your /etc/hosts file as the remote machine name.

    Remote Printer name

    PS

    The queue name that the printer recognizes:

    Remote cancel model

    rcmodel

    Remote status model

    rsmodel

    Printer class (version 9.x)

    Optional

    Remote printer is on a BSD system?

    Check the box for a BSD system.


    Note: Access SAM's help utility for additional information about these fields.
  8. Click OK at the bottom of the window. This saves your changes.

  9. When you are asked about sending a test file to the printer, type no. (It is recommended that you do not let SAM send a test file because it may not be compatible with your printer.)

  10. Exit SAM:

    1. From the File menu, select Exit.

    2. Click the Exit SAM button.

Return to Networking Topic List

Support Home Page
Network Printers Support Home
Additional Information

Register your Printer
ASPs & TPMs
About Software Support
Color Connection
Printer Warranties
Material Safety Data Sheets
Supplies & Cartridge Recycling Program