Printing Problems Can be Caused by Timeout, Spooler (97500)

SUMMARY

Sometimes print problems arise if a large file is printing when a small job is sent to the spooler. The large job's FormFeeds can become fouled, or the second job can print in the middle of the large one. These problems can be caused by incorrect spooler file versions or locations, or by CHARTIME timeout (which you can fix by adjusting the CHARTIME setting in the [networks] section of LANMAN.INI). Both conditions are described below.

MORE INFORMATION

Spooler Files

Make sure you do not have multiple copies of the spooler files on the hard drive, and that you have the directory containing the correct version of those files in your LIBPATH.

For LAN Manager 2.1, you should be using:

   C:\OS2\DLL\PMSPL.DLL    8-17-92
   C:\OS2\DLL\PMSPOOL.DLL  8-17-92
   C:\OS2\PMSPOOL.EXE      8-17-92

CHARTIME Timeout

By default, the redirector closes a print job after CHARTIME (default 0.25 seconds in LAN Manager 2.0 and 2.1, 3 seconds in 2.2) logs its preset limit of idle time. If the application printing the large job has a lull in its data stream longer than this limit, the redirector sends END_OF_JOB to the server, and the server prints the data that has already arrived as if it were a complete print job. If a small job has arrived and is waiting in the queue, it is printed next. When the application printing the large job resumes its data stream, the remainder of its job is treated as another print job.

To fix this problem, increase the CHARTIME parameter so that it doesn't timeout so quickly. Try 5 seconds. CHARTIME is located in the [networks] section of LANMAN.INI.