Introduction

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Installation & Use

Support & Troubleshooting

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updated: 6/17/98

 

 

 

Support &
Troubleshooting

Troubleshooting ASIP Print Server

This section includes tips for troubleshooting common problems with using LPR with the ASIP Print Server.

<Advanced>

Common Problems

Print Server will not start up.

    Check the print server log, which may indicate any of these possible error conditions:

    • Not enough memory available
    • AppleTalk not on.
    • A configuration problem.
    • Unable to locate ASIP Libraries
    • Incorrect version of Open Transport installed.
    • Moderm Memory Manager not turned on.
    • TCP/IP configuration problem.
    • Problems with ASIP Registry.
    • Another copy of the Print Server already running.

Can't attach printer to queue

  • Verify that printer is visible on the network (check Chooser for PAP, trying pinging it for LPR)

  • Verify that the printer is not busy or in some error state (out of paper, paper jam, offline).

  • Verify that the printer supports LW driver 8.4 or greater (or LPR/LPD, if attaching via LPR)

Attached printer can't be found

  • See if other devices on the network can see printer (in Chooser or ping it, if using LPR).

  • Restart the printer.

  • Verify printer's name and AppleTalk zone have not changed.

  • If using LRP, verify printer's IP address has not changed.

  • Check printers network connections, and connectivity between the server and the printer.

  • Try re-attaching the printer

A document can't be queued

  • Verify the queue is enabled for spooling.

  • Verify that enough disk space is available on the server.

  • Determine if security is enabled for the queue, if client has been given access, and if the LPR client software is compatible with the security feature (see the Related Topic on Print Server Security for details).

    • The user's name, as entered in the File Sharing control panel, is embedded in the Postscript file. Verify that this name matches the user's login name on the server.

  • If using LPR, see LPR troubleshooting flowchart, below.

A particular document can't be printed

  • Check Queue monitor; verify that print job is not on hold.
  • Test printing the document directly to the printer (by-pass print server to determine if its a problem with the print server).
  • Verify that print server is using correct PPD for the printer (create a test queue, and attach only the one printer to it).
  • If printing binary data, verify that this has been enabled for the queue, and that the printer supports it (some older Apple LaserWriters do not support binary data communications).

Known issues

  • Problems with Queue Names

    Some clients aren't able to send jobs to queues that contain a space character. On these clients, users will need to enter in the queue name up to, but not including, the first space character.

    The same is true for handling status requests for specific jobs in a queue with a a space in its name, e.g. "<x03>John Doe Queue 111 222 333\n". The space character is being used as a delimiter between the fields. The Print Server will only match to the short name, and it won't know where the queue name ends and the specific job names start.

    Macintosh users are accustomed to "Mac-friendly" names. However, this poses a problem for LPR printing, since it was designed with one-word queue names in mind. The Print Server will look at queue name for matches as follows:

      1. Start with the entire line.

      2. Remove trailing spaces (many LPR clients leave a trailing space in case they are going to pass additional arguments).

      3. Try to match this name against one of its queue names.

      4. If that didn't work then take the first characters on the line up to a space character.

      5. Try to match this short name against one of its queue names. (If this doesn't work, generate an error.)

      6. If this is a status command that may take additional arguments then start looking for these starting where the queue name left off (which varies based on the long name/short name above).

      In rare cases, a queue name may get mismatched: If a client specifies a queue name of "john doe" and the server has a queue called "john," the PrintServer will consider that a match.


  • Some Print Drivers don't support Security feature

      See the Related Topic on Print Server Security for details on how it works, and how to determine if a Printer Driver supports the security feature.

  • Personal File Sharing not supported on Print Server.

      The installation of the Print Server on a computer will alter the Users & Groups data file to be compatible with the Print Server (a copy of the Users & Groups Data File is first stored in a file named "Users & Groups Data File Backup"). Because the Users & Groups Data File is modified, Personal File sharing is disabled for that machine.

LPR Troubleshooting flowchart

Begin answering the questions from the top-down, but follow the links where appropriate.

 

General Questions

Do you receive a numeric error message?

Does the problem occur between the client and the print server, or between the server and the printer?

Which OS are you printing from?

Open the desktop printer. Do you still see the print job?

Did you get a choice of cancelling or trying again?

At any point, does the printer's green light start flashing?

Check the queue monitor and queue log: Is the print job there in queue, or does the log show the print job?

 

Mac OS Client <-> Print Server

Assumption: Something is preventing the print job from reaching the server. Check the print queue log for additional information.

1. With a Macintosh client, start by verifying the settings for the lpr desktop printer

  • Open the Desktop Printer Utility

  • Go to the File menu and select Open

  • Open the LPR desktop printer

  • In the "Internet Printer" section of the window, click on Change

  • Click on the verify button. Does it verify successfully?

    • Yes: client can find lpd print server. go to question 3
    • No: client cannot find the lpd print server. Continue.

2. The client cannot find the lpd server at the specified IP address.

  • Make sure the server's IP address is entered properly.

  • If you entered the doman name, DNS may not be working. Try using the IP address, instead.

  • Make sure lpd is enabled on the print server (under Print Server Settings), that there is an LPR queue, and that the print server is running.

  • Try verifying lpr printing from another client to the print server.

  • Verify IP connections at the client. Check other IP services (ex: www, ftp, mail) from the same client.

  • IP may not be configured properly on the server. Check to see if any other clients can connect to the server, or check IP services from the server.

  • Check network connection between the client and the server. Try connecting to other IP services on the server or use a ping utility to test the network connection.

3. Desktop Printer Utility verifies the printer, but still cannot print to print server

  • Make sure queue name is entered correctly in Desktop Printer Utility. The queue name is case sensitive.

  • Recheck for a numeric error message. If error message found, go to ASIP LPD Errors chart.

  • Try printing from another application. Problem may be related to the application or document.

  • If security is enabled for the queue, make sure client's name in File Sharing control panel matches his username on the server.

  • Make sure the password option for security is not checked. Currently, there is no UI to supply a password using LPR.

Print Server <-> Printer

Assumption: problem occurred after client has sent the print job to the print server.

  • Check the print queue log and status windows for additional information.

  • Make sure printer information for the print queue was entered correctly.

  • Try printing directly to the printer from the client. Problem may not have anything to do with the server (ex: PostScript problems often won't cause errors until it reaches the printer)

  • Try printing to another printer. Problem may be isolated to that printer.

Windows 95/98 Client <-> Server

1. Start by verifying the settings for the lpr client. Configuration steps will vary depending on the lpr client. Make sure IP address and queue name are entered properly. The queue name is case sensitive.

2.Server's address and queue name are entered properly but still does not print.

  • If you entered the doman name, DNS may not be working. Try using the IP address, instead.

  • Make sure lpd is enabled on the server, that the queue allows LPR queueing, and that the Print Server is running.

  • Try verifying lpr printing from another client to the print server.

  • IP may not be configured properly on the client. Check other IP services (ex: www, ftp, mail) from the same client.

  • IP may not be configured properly on the server. Check to see if any other clients can connect to the server, or check IP services from the server.

  • Check network connection between the client and the server. Open a command prompt and type in "ping ip_address" to test network connection between the client and the server.

  • Recheck for a numeric error message. If error message found, go to ASIP LPD Errors chart.

  • Try printing from another application. Problem may be related to the application or document

  • Make sure the password option for security is not checked. Currently, there is no UI to supply a password using LPR.

Windows NT Client <-> Server

1. Start by verifying the settings for the lpr client.

  • For Windows NT 3.51
    • Open Print Manager
    • Select your printer
    • Select Properties from Printer menu
    • Examine the currently checked port. The name of the port will appear in the format ip_address:queuename or DNS_name:queuename.

  • For Windows NT 4.0:
    • Open the Printers folder and get Properties on your Printer icon.
    • Go to the Ports tab
    • Examine the currently checked port. The name of the port will appear in the format ip_address: queuename or DNS_name:queuename.

  • Make sure IP address and queue name are entered properly. The queue name is case sensitive, but Windows NT may only show you this information in all capital letters, even fi the settings are stored in the proper case. If this is so, delete and re-add the port being careful about the case, to verify these settings are correct.

2. Server's address and queue name are entered properly but still does not print.

  • Make sure security is not active. Windows NT's PostScript printer driver does not support this feature.Go to the ASIP security page for more information.

  • If you entered the doman name, DNS may not be working. Try using the IP address, instead.

  • Make sure LPR is enabled for the server, that LPR is enabled for the queue, and that the Print Server is running.

  • Try verifying lpr printing from another client to the print server.

  • IP may not be configured properly on the client. Check other IP services (ex: www, ftp, mail) from the same client.

  • IP may not be configured properly on the server. Check to see if any other clients can connect to the server, or check IP services from the server.

  • Check network connection between the client and the server. Open a command prompt and type in "ping ip_address" to test network connection between the client and the server.

  • Recheck for a numeric error message. If error message found, go to ASIP LPD Errors chart.

  • Try printing from another application. Problem may be related to the application or document

Other <-> Server

1. Start by verifying the settings for the lpr client. Configuration steps will vary from operating system to operating system.

2. IP address is entered properly but still does not print.

  • Make sure security is not active. The system's PostScript printer driver may not support this feature.Go to the ASIP security page for more information.

  • If you entered the domain name, DNS may not be working. Try using the IP address, instead.

  • Make sure lpr is enabled for the Print Server and for the queue, and that the Print Server is running.

  • Try verifying lpr printing from another client to the print server.

  • IP may not be configured properly on the client. Check other IP services (ex: www, ftp, mail) from the same client.

  • IP may not be configured properly on the server. Check to see if any other clients can connect to the server, or check IP services from the server.

  • Check network connection between the client and the server. Open a command prompt and type in "ping ip_address" to test network connection between the client and the server.

  • Recheck for a numeric error message. If error message found, go to ASIP LPD Errors chart.

  • Try printing from another application. Problem may be related to the application or document .

ASIP LPD Errors Chart

 

No. Error String (visible on some clients) Description Basic meaning, suggestions Notes
1 error: unrecognized command '0x##' Client sent an invalid daemon command (ie: not specified in RFC 1179, part 5). Problem is with print client. Will never occur with LaserWriter 8.
2 error: unsupported command '0x##'

user attempted an unimplemented daemon command:

  • 01: print waiting jobs (lpc)
  • 05: remove jobs from queue (lprm)
These are lpd queue adminstration commands. ASIP does not allow remote lpd queue administration. Use ASIP Print Admin instead. Will never occur with LaserWriter 8. LaserWriter 8 does not implement these commands.

Mostly found in unix as lpc and lprm.
3 error: unrecognized read job command '0x##' Client sent an invalid read job subcommand (ie: not specified in RFC1179, part 6). Problem is with print client. Will never occur with LaserWriter 8.
4 error: unsupported read job command '0x##'

user attempted the following unimplemented receive job subcommand:

  • 01: abort job
This error may occur with some 3rd party lpr clients when aborting a job. Will never occur with LaserWriter 8. LaserWriter 8 uses a different abort job method (TCP reset conection).
5 error: line too long Line exceeded ASIP maximum length. Unlikely to occur if lpr client conforms to RFC 1179. Will never occur with LaserWriter 8.
6 error: read control file line too long Control file line exceeded ASIP maximum length Unlikely to occur if lpr client conforms to RFC 1179. Will never occur with LaserWriter 8.
7 error: read control file received nak ('0x%X') Client sent nak where an ack was expected Communication problem between client and server.
8 error: read data file received nak ('0x%X') Client sent nak where an ack was expected Communication problem between client and server.
9 error: no default queue, client must supply queue name Client tried to use the default queue but none was specified in print server admin. Select a default queue in ASIP Print Admin or supply a queue name on the client. Occurs if queuename left blank in DPU.
10 error: default queue not found Default queue no longer exists. Should not occur. Select a new default queue in ASIP Print Admin or supply a queue name on the client
11 error: queue 'queuename' not found Queue name not entered correctly. reenter queue name on the client, or create a new queue with a matching name.
12 error: too many requests User specified too many job #s in status command(s) Generated from an lpq (display queue) request. Shorten the list of job numbers in your request. Will never occur with LaserWriter 8, which does not implement this command.
13 error: too many users User specified too many users in status command(s) Generated from an lpq (display queue) request. Shorten list of users in your request. Will never occur with LaserWriter 8, which does not implement this command.
14 error: invalid receive job file name Received file name "dfa123JobName" isn't in the correct format problem with lpr client (does not conform to RFC1179). Will never occur with LaserWriter 8.
15 error: queuename: spooling disabled Server is on hold or already has 500 jobs or has 32 spool sessions. Release hold on the print queue or wait until server is not maxed.
16 error: memory allocation failure Problem at print server. Should never happen. Gather data and escalate
17 error: memory allocation failure Problem at print server. Should never happen. Gather data and escalate
18 error: admin canceled the job Occurs if admin kills job in ASIP Print Admin
19 error: job has no data An internal only error - should never happen
20 error: can't open printer A despool error - should never happen
21 error: network problem A general protocol error
22 error: disk full Not enough disk space on volume. Free up space on print server hard drive
23 error: PostScript data format error PostScript data format error
24 error: invalid assigned printer A despool error - should never happen
25 error: security violation
26 error: incomplete PostScript job An internal only error - should never happen
27 error: general problem A catch all - should never happen
other Not an ASIP error message error is not specifically related to LPD