Using Procs for Printer, Tape and Floppy Disk Control

The Spooler system can be controlled to some extent from a Proc (see the PROC User Reference Guide for detailed information on the PROC processor). A Proc can use information in the secondary input buffer that is supplied by the ERRMSG processor and by the Spooler. All commands which use the ERRMSG file place error message numbers as well. Sources other than the ERRMSG processor can supply the following information to a Proc: the entry number for each print file when it is initialized, data on the condition of the printers, and tape or floppy disk attachment conditions for any process that attempts to attach a tape drive or floppy disk drive.

Data in the secondary input buffer can be inspected or transferred to one of the output buffers. It is lost after the execution of a Proc P command. If particular pieces of information are expected, conditional statements can be defined that perform some action upon encountering the specified information.

The main uses of a Proc include:

Hold File Retention

Controlling Tapes and Floppy Disks

Printer Control

See Also

Using the Print Spooler

Starting the Print Spooler

Reinitializing the Print Spooler

Assigning Print Spooler Specifications

Assigning a Printer to a Form Queue with the ASSIGNFQ Command

Checking the Print Queue

Cancelling Print Jobs

Manipulating Hold Files

Using the Print Spooler with Backup Media

Scheduling the Windows Print Spooler