LaserWriter Pro 810: HP/UX Configuration

The LaserWriter Pro 810 can print using three types of print jobs: text, PCL, or PostScript. If you plan on using only one type of print job, you can configure your printer directly with SAM, the Hewlett Packard (HP) administration tool. This article describes how to configure a LaserWriter Pro 810 and HP/UX workstation to print using only one print job type either text, or PCL, or PostScript.
HP/UX and LaserWriter Pro 810 for only one type of print job.

Part 1 - Configure the LaserWriter Pro 810
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These instructions assume your LaserWriter Pro 810 has an IP address already assigned.

Step 1
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Using the LaserWriter Pro 810 control panel (located on the printer), print the virtual printer list by doing the following:

1) Press the "online" button to deactivate the printer temporarily.
2) Press the "print status" button to print the printer status pages.
3) Press the "online" button to restore the printer to service.

Step 2
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Examine the Virtual Printers report (second sheet to print). There will be a virtual printer entry called "lpd." Look for the Interpreter entry, top row, left most column. The different values can be; none, PCL4, or PostScript. The table below shows the print job type with its corresponding Interpreter entry:

Interpreter entry Print job
------------ ---------
PCL4 or none Text
PCL4 PCL
PostScript Postscript


Step 3
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If you need to change the Interpreter setting, you must connect to the LaserWriter Pro 810 through either NCP, or Telnet, or the maintenance port. Sign on as the super user, and use the following command:

change service lpd <PCL or PostScript>

If you want to print text, you should use PCL in the command line.


Step 4
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Turn the printer off and back on. Then confirm your changes by again printing the printer status pages as done in step 1.


Part 2 - Configure the HP workstation
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1) Login as root

2) Run SAM

3) Open "printers and plotters"

4) Open the "printers/plotters" menu

5) Select "actions: add remote printer/plotter"

6) Fill in the fields of "add remote printer window"

7) Printer name: <the local name of the printer the users will see.>

8) Remote system name: <hostname of your printer from DNS or /etc/hosts>

9) Remote printer name: <PASSTHRU or TEXT> "PASSTHRU" if you are sending postscript, and "TEXT" if you are sending text or PCL.

NOTE: PASSTHRU or TEXT must be in upper case.

10) Click on "remote printer is on a BSD System"

11) Click okay

If you need to print all job types: text, PCL, and Postscript. You will need to configure a virtual printer on the LaserWriter Pro 810 for each, and install the UNIX apprint software that comes with the LaserWriter Pro 810.
Published Date: Feb 19, 2012