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Troubleshooting Reflection LPR Printing
Technical Note 1152
Last Reviewed 14-Jul-2005
Applies To
Reflection LPD version 12.0 through 14.x
Reflection LPR version 10.x
Summary
Technical Note 1152
Last Reviewed 14-Jul-2005
Applies To
Reflection LPD version 12.0 through 14.x
Reflection LPR version 10.x
Summary
This technical note provides troubleshooting techniques for resolving LPR (line printer requester) printing problems. Most problems result in either no output or incorrect output (garbled or unexpected text). This document addresses both types of problems by looking at workstation and host configuration issues.
Note: For information on troubleshooting Reflection LPD (line printer daemon) see Technical Note 1430. This document also may be relevant if you are printing from Reflection LPR on one PC to Reflection LPD on another PC.
Version Information
Reflection LPR is no longer available starting in Reflection version 11.0. For information about alternative LPR options, see Technical Note 1554. Reflection LPD continues to be available and is included in Reflection version 12.0 and higher.
What is LPR?
Reflection LPR allows you to print a local PC file to an LPD server queue associated with a printer.
In contrast, Reflection LPD allows you to make print services on your locally attached printer available to others on the network. LPD servers can reside on a variety of host computers, printer cartridges, hardware devices, or on a PC configured with Reflection LPD.
For information about configuring and using Reflection LPR or Reflection LPD, see your product documentation or online help.
Troubleshooting LPR
LPR Troubleshooting is broken down into the following two sections:
- Troubleshooting Reflection LPR on the Workstation
- Troubleshooting Host Side Configuration
Troubleshooting steps may be performed in any order. Use this information to help guide you to the most likely causes of your LPR printing problem.
Troubleshooting Reflection LPR on the Workstation
Follow the suggestions below to verify your PC and Reflection LPR print settings.
Is your TCP/IP network functioning properly?
Try one or more of the following tests to verify that your PC can successfully make network connections:
- Ping the host computer.
- Make a Telnet connection to your host computer.
- Transfer a file to your host computer using FTP (file transfer protocol).
Does your Reflection LPR queue name match the host LPD queue name?
Check the queue name or IP address defined in Reflection LPR and on the host computer. Remember that UNIX host computers are typically case sensitive.
Are you using the correct Windows printer driver?
- Make sure the Windows printer driver matches the printer connected to the host computer.
- Verify that the printer driver in Windows has been set up properly to print to the queue defined in LPR, and verify that the queue name or IP address is correct.
Can you print a text file directly from the Reflection LPR application?
Open Reflection LPR. Select Print on the File menu, and then try printing a small text file. If the file prints, there may be a problem with your printer driver configuration. Verify that your printer driver in Windows is configured to print to the Reflection LPR queue.
Are you able to print to this LPD queue using Microsoft LPR?
For details regarding how to enable and configure Microsoft LPR refer to Microsoft articles 195643 and 124734 at:
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=
If you are unable to print to the LPD queue using Microsoft LPR, you most likely have a remote LPD or printer problem.
Note: Microsoft LPR is not available on Windows 95 and Windows 98. If you have access to a Windows NT or Windows 2000 machine, try the test from there. Or, use Microsoft networking from the Windows 95 or Windows 98 machine to access an LPR printer queue configure on a Windows NT or Windows 2000 machine.
Are printer commands being added to the print output?
Some PJL (Print Job Language) and PCL (Printer Command Language) commands may not be compatible with the LPR protocol. For example, the LPR protocol is not compatible with bi-directional communications. Depending on the print driver, you may be able to disable conflicting PJL or PCL settings from the printer properties.
If you are still unable to print, install and test using a different print driver to see if this resolves the problem.
The following Microsoft articles discuss this topic.
For Windows 95 and Windows 98 see article 162669 at:
For Windows NT see article 174544 at:
Other articles at this site may also be helpful.
Are print jobs only partially received by the remote LPD?
Some LPD systems do not support the default disconnection method used by Reflection LPR. If this is the case, you may receive partial printouts, or a spool file with no print data. Two Reflection settings can be edited to resolve this problem, the IBM MVS Compatibility setting and the LingerOption registry key.
Edit IBM MVS Compatibility
Follow the steps below to modify the MVS compatibility setting in Reflection LPR.
Note: Do not select IBM MVS Compatibility if you print to an HP Jet Direct card. Enabling this setting may produce a HP 40 MIO error on your printer and cause print attempts to fail.
- Start Reflection LPR.
- Select the appropriate Printer Queue from the dropdown list.
- On the Options menu, click Edit Queue.
- Select IBM MVS Compatibility. Click OK.
- Exit Reflection LPR.
Edit LingerOption
Follow the steps below to modify disconnection setting in Reflection LPR.
Note: Do not edit the LingerOption registry key if you are printing to an IBM printer.
The steps below require that you edit the Windows registry. It is highly recommended that you back up your registry before proceeding.
Warning: Proceed with extreme caution when editing the Windows Registry. For full warning information regarding editing the Windows Registry, see Microsoft article 256986:
- On the Windows Start menu, click Run.
- In the Open field, type regedit, and then click OK.
- Select HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE and navigate to:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Reflection\LPR32 QUEUES\<queue name>Note: <queue name> is the name of your Reflection LPR queue.
- With <queue name> selected, click Edit, point to New, and the click Binary Value. A new entry named New Value #1 will be created in the right column.
- Rename New Value #1 to LingerOption.
Note: There is no space between "Linger" and "Option."
- Double-click LingerOption. In the Edit Binary Value dialog box, type 0.
Note: "0" is the number zero.
The Value data should now look as follows: 0000 00.
- Click OK. (The key Name should now display as LingerOption and the Data as 00.)
- Exit the Registry Editor.
Troubleshooting Host Side Configuration
Follow the suggestions below to verify your host computer print queue settings.
Are you able to print from a host LP or LPR queue to the host LPD queue?
From a host terminal session, try printing a file to the LPD queue. On a BSD UNIX host, use the command:
lpr -P<printer> <file>On a System V UNIX host, use the command:
lp -d<printer> <file>If the file does not print correctly, then there may be a problem with the configuration of the print queue on the host computer. For information on configuring the LPD print queue, see your host computer man pages.
Is the host queue set up properly and in an active state?
Use lpc status (BSD UNIX) or lpstat (System V UNIX) to verify that the host LPD queue is active.
Does the client PC have adequate permissions to print to this host computer?
Try adding the PC host name of the workstation running Reflection LPR to the /etc/hosts.lpd file on the host computer.
Do Reflection LPR spool files appear on the host computer?
Hold the LPD queue on the host computer using lpc stop (BSD UNIX) or disable (System V UNIX). Print from Reflection LPR. If spool files appear in the spool directory for this LPD queue on the host, then Reflection LPR is working properly. Check your host print queue setup.
Spool directories are normally located in /var/spool/<printer> or /usr/spool/<printer>.
Attachmate Technical Support
If you are unable to resolve your LPR or LPD printing problem using the recommendations in this technical note and technical note 1430, please contact Attachmate technical support with the results of your troubleshooting efforts. For information about contacting Attachmate technical support, see http://support.attachmate.com/contact/.
When contacting Attachmate technical support, please be prepared to provide the following information:
- A description of the problem.
- A description of the troubleshooting performed and its results.
- The version and patch level (if applicable) of Reflection LPR.
- The operating system of the workstation running Reflection LPR.
- The vendor and operating system version of the remote LPD host or device.
- The make and model of your printer.
- If applicable, a hardcopy or scanned graphic file demonstrating the printing problem, which can be faxed or emailed to Attachmate technical support.
- Control and data files received by remote LPD system.
