Printers - Spool file processing

When you configure BHCS, it is essential to understand how data gets handled so you can correctly set up data formats. If your data format settings are incorrect, your documents might not have the format required for correct printing or processing. This topic describes data formats for documents stored in the Barr spool queue, and how the data is converted on the way into and out of the Barr spool queue. The examples contain tips for setting up Windows printers and BHCS options to correctly route and print your data.

When you use BHCS to route jobs, files are processed at several stages. Processing puts them in the required format for each stage. Your goal is to enter settings so that your documents are correctly formatted for their ultimate destination, also called destination-ready format. For example, if data is intended for a printer, it becomes destination-ready when it is converted to the format the intended printer requires. Data format is affected by settings for Windows printers (including port and driver settings), BHCS printers, Barr product options, and Print Utility.

During its life cycle, a Barr spool queue document undergoes three significant format stages:

• Phase 1: Spool input format

• Phase 2: Spool resident format

• Phase 3: Spool output format

The document can be in destination-ready format before it arrives in the spool, converted to destination-ready format as it is received, or converted to destination-ready format as it exits the spool en route to its final destination.

The settings you select depend on the stage at which the document becomes destination-ready. As soon as the document becomes destination-ready, no further format processing is required. Thus, if a file is destination-ready in the spool, you must use a spool printer that has pass-through enabled to route the file.

See also:

• Data format examples

Phase 1: Spool input format

Format of the file before it arrives in the Barr spool queue. Usually the file is formatted by the program that creates it. The method you use to put the file in the spool converts the file as it gets spooled. For example, Print Utility or a spool-inbound Windows printer converts the file to the internal spool format before adding the file to the spool.

The Phase 1 processing for a file depends on the file source, as shown in the following table.

This table displays the formats that documents have when they are received by BHCS from various sources.

*ASCII, BARR/RJE, or SYSIN as the file type: NJE-wrapped Equivalent to the NJE format at the mainframe. The data is typically EBCDIC and is formatted as NJE records, with NJE record headers and NJE file headers. EBCDIC; Metacode or Binary (NJE) file type: NJE-wrapped, untranslated data; Binary (raw) or BARR/SPOOL from archive: No wrapping, no translation

NJE input When you receive NJE data from a host with the NJE module, the NJE service formats it as NJE-wrapped EBCDIC data. You can route this data to any BHCS destination device.

RJE input When you receive RJE data from a host with the RJE module, the RJE service converts the SCS carriage control to ASA carriage control and formats it as NJE-wrapped EBCDIC data. You can route this data to any BHCS destination device.

Print Utility input When you send jobs to the spool with Print Utility, the utility converts the file based on the file type you choose.

TCP/IP input When you receive files with TCP/IP (LPD), data formatting depends on the associated control file. You can configure Barr LPD to convert the data to a specific file-type based on the control files file type switch. The control file switches are set by the LPR device that sends the file to BARR/SPOOL. You specify the configuration settings on the BARR/PRINT TCP/IP Configuration Utility's File Properties dialog box.

For LPD to handle word processor data, set LPR to verbatim (-Ov) and LPD to Binary (raw).

The following table displays information for TCP/IP LPD and socket.

SYSIN data (JCL) is supported as a valid input data type. However, if the data contains an embedded command (a ## statement), the files referenced must be accessible on the receiving Barr computer.

Phase 2: Spool resident format

Its easier to understand inbound and outbound Barr spool queue data formats if you understand the valid formats that data can have when it resides in the Barr spool queue. Documents that reside in the Barr spool queue can have one of these two formats:

• NJE-wrapped format

• Binary (pass-through) format

The Windows and Barr software settings you select determine which format the data have when they arrive in the spool. Keep these points in mind when you direct data into the Barr spool queue:

• If you want to convert inbound data from its original format, you must convert them to NJE-wrapped EBCDIC. (Software settings for this conversion are discussed later.)

• If the inbound data is already in destination-ready format, the Barr spool queue treats the data as Binary (pass-through), meaning it does not change the data formats. You must direct destination-ready data to a destination spool printer that has the pass-through setting enabled.

• For the greatest flexibility in output processing, use settings to format your data as NJE-wrapped EBCDIC, so it can be routed to any Barr spool queue destination device. (You must direct NJE-wrapped data to a destination spool printer that has the pass-through setting disabled, the default setting.)

• To handle specialized data from other programs, such as Microsoft Word print output, use Binary data format and enable the spool printers pass-through setting.

Phase 3: Spool output format

When the spool routes the file from the spool folder to another device, it processes files according to the spool configuration options you selected. For example, it might attach job separator headers or trailers. The spool also converts the file to a format that the destination devices driver requires, unless the file already is in destination-ready format and you enabled the Pass-through spool printer option. Destination devices, such as printers, require files to be in formats they support. If a file is not in destination-ready format, as it leaves the spool the corresponding device driver converts the file to the format the destination device supports.

Phase 3 processing depends on these factors.

• BHCS configuration options

• BHCS printer settings

• Windows printer settings

This table displays the formats that documents have when they are outbound from BARR/SPOOL to their destination.

Barr LPR output When you route outbound files with the Barr LPR feature, Barr LPR does not perform data conversion. Instead, you set switches on the Barr LPR port or LPR command line that instruct the LPD destination device how to convert the data.

• BHCS treats the data as Binary (Raw) if the pass-through setting is enabled on the spool printer.

• Otherwise, the Windows operating system processes the data.

See the standard printer output section later in this topic.

NJE and RJE output When you route data to a host, your settings depend on whether the data is SYSIN or SYSOUT.

SYSIN data

• To be correctly formatted when it arrives in the spool, SYSIN data must be received from the Print Utility.

• Make sure that the execution node An NJE node that is intended as the destination for print output or jobs. Synonymous with destination node. (NJHGXEQN) and destination node (NDHGNODE and NDHBNODE) are specified in the corresponding header fields.

• You can include ## data in the JCL.

SYSOUT data

• Make sure that the destination node (NDHGNODE and NDHBNODE) is specified in the corresponding header fields.

• You must define your outbound Windows printer with the Barr NJE port and the Barr Jobs to Mainframe printer driver. RJE does not support sending SYSOUT data to the host.

• The pass-through setting must not be enabled on the spool printer that will route the data to the host.

Standard printer output The printer driver for the outbound spool printer will process data in the NJE-wrapped EBCDIC format. The printer driver converts the data to the format that the printer requires, adding control codes One or more nonprinting characters used by a computer program to control the actions of a device, used in printing, communications, and management of display screens. and formatting commands based on settings such as those from the FCB and form. For the outbound spool printer, select the Barr ASCII printer driver or any other non-Barr printer driver. Be sure that the pass-through setting is disabled. For instance, if the output spool printer uses the HP LaserJet printer driver, PCL Acronym for Printer Control Language. Hewlett-Packard uses this language in its LaserJet, DeskJet, and RuggedWriter printer lines. commands will be added as necessary.

Barr File port output When you route data to a file destination using a Windows printer defined with the Barr File port, you can select the output format. The output format settings are included in the File port configuration and are applied as the local spool printer routes the file to its destination. Choose the output format on the File Format tab when you configure the Barr File port.

Data format examples

The following are data formats for documents stored in the Barr spool. Data is received from hosts and printed to various destinations.

SYSIN data to an NJE or RJE host

JCLs sent to an NJE host are handled as SYSIN data, and are sent as a number of 80-character records. The data must be formatted as SYSIN before it arrives in the Barr spool queue.

Refer to the Sending files (JCL SYSIN) to the RJE host or Sending files (JCL SYSIN) to the NJE host topic for more information.

SYSOUT data to an NJE host

NJE can move print data between hosts for printing on any printer in the NJE network. You can send any spool-resident print data that is in NJE-wrapped EBCDIC format to a host on the NJE network for printing.

If you specify the destination node in the NDHBNODE and NDHGNODE fields, the NJE node that BHCS is connected to will check the value of these fields and route the job appropriately.