This is the README for pConnector.2.6.NIHS.b.tar.gz [Download] [Browse] [Up]
pConnector 2.6 pConnector integrates QMS printers with network interface, running the CROWN operating system, into the OPENSTEP environment. The integration of a real printer server into the printer itself enables a QMS printer to act as a fully functional network mode. The ability of QMS printers to accept multiple jobs from different hosts at the same time and to process print jobs while other jobs are printed give a tremendous printing power to the user. pConnector uses a high-performance network protocol based on TCP/IP for communication and installs a direct communication channel based on this protocol. Furthermore pConnector supports processing of backchannel information, so status messages like 'paper jam' from the printer are displayed on the screen immediately. We call this 'hot status messages'. To access all features of QMS printers pConnector uses optimized ppd's. The multi-threaded approach of pConnector guarantees high-performance data transfer and still ensures real-time processing of status information. With pConnector the printer is accessible in the PrintPanel like any other printer. Furthermore any special options of the printer are accessible in the PrintPanel. One can install the QMS printer 'OPENSTEP-like', which means that one machine will act as a dedicated printer server for the network printer. Each print job from any other machine on the network will be spooled to this server (using the OPENSTEP printing system) and the printer server will transmit the job to the printer over the network. The other (preferred) possibility is to set up a direct network communication channel from each machine to the printer and to use serverless printing. QMS printers running the CROWN operating system have their print server built in and can handle several print jobs at a time; this is a very efficient way of printing. While the first option requires pConnector to be installed on the print server, the second one requires installation on each host sending jobs to the printer or installation of the software on a file-server. For highest performance serverless printing should be used. pConnector can handle both ways of installation. Hot status will always be delivered to the machine opening the direct communication channel. Accounting information can be obtained through the QMS backchannel from the printer or through pConnector. pConnector generates host-based accounting information even with the printer accepting several jobs at the same time. Currently pConnector supports the following Printers: *QMS 1060 Print System *QMS 860 Print System, QMS 860+ Print System *QMS 1660 Print System *QMS 1725 Print System *QMS 1725 SLS Print System *QMS 2425 Print System *QMS ColorScript 210, QMS ColorScript 230 *QMS ColorScript Laser 1000 *QMS magicolor plus, QMS magicolor LX und QMS magicolor CX *QMS 2xxx und 3xxx Serie For more information please contact: iXpoint Informationssysteme GmbH Daimlerstrasse 3 76275 Ettlingen Phone: ++49-7243-37750 Fax: ++49-7243-377577 email: sales@ixpoint.de WWW: http://www.ixpoint.de
These are the contents of the former NiCE NeXT User Group NeXTSTEP/OpenStep software archive, currently hosted by Netfuture.ch.