Using the Print Spooler

The Spooler is a special process used by the operating system to control all printers that are connected to the system. (It can also use the tape drive or floppy disk drive as an I/O device.) The Spooler runs as a separate phantom process - that is, a process that is not linked or attached to any line. The Spooler is always the last process on the system. For example, if 17 user processes (0 to 16) have been configured, the Spooler will run on process 16.

This section describes the command-oriented procedures used to control or modify the Spooler’s operation. This section contains the following topics related to using the print Spooler.

Starting the Print Spooler	Describes automatic startup processes and describes the application of the :FILELOAD and :STARTSPOOLER commands.
Reinitializing the Print Spooler	Provides additional information pertaining to the :FILELOAD and :STARTSPOOLER commands as they affect Spooler reinitialization.
Assigning Print Spooler Specifications	Describes how to use the SP-ASSIGN command and its affects on Spooler assignments (printer output).
Assigning a Printer to a Form Queue with the ASSIGNFQ Command	Describes how to use the ASSIGNFQ command to assign a printer device driver to a spooler form queue.
Checking the Print Queue	Describes the use of the LISTPEQS command, and information about print jobs.
Cancelling Print Jobs	Describes the use of the SP-KILL and SP-EDIT commands, and their use when cancelling print jobs.
Manipulating Hold Files	Describes use of the SP-EDIT command for manipulating hold files of various types.
Using the Print Spooler with Backup Media	Describes how to use various commands when using the Spooler to backup data on various backup media.
Using Procs for Printer, Tape and Floppy Disk Control	The Spooler can be controlled to some extent by a Proc. This topic describes how to use various options and methods for controlling various peripherals from the Spooler.
Scheduling the Windows Print Spooler	Describes how to select an option in the Windows Printers utility that spools print jobs more quickly. This is for use with very fast printers.