📺 Info Siaran: support/pages/ibm i access client solutions acs configuring printer session

Question & Answer

Question

This document includes instructions for creating a printer session to print to a printer using IBM i Access Client Solutions (ACS)

Answer

ACS Version Requirements:
ACS version 1.1.9.15 introduces authentication for telnet printer sessions. This or greater version must be installed when the following PTFs are installed:

IBM i 7.6 with PTF SJ11502
IBM i 7.5 with PTF SJ11523
IBM i 7.4 with PTF SJ11524
IBM i 7.3 with PTF SJ11522

Together, ACS version 1.1.9.15 or greater and the PTFs listed, introduce authentication and authority control for Telnet printer sessions. This security enhancement adds additional steps during configuration and may require administrative action. This will be referred to as “authenticated Telnet printing” throughout the remainder of the document.

User Authority Considerations:
During Telnet printer session establishment, the authenticated user’s authorities are checked. The authenticated user must have sufficient authority to the printer device.
Authority required depends on the state of the device at connection time.

The user must have *IOSYSCFG special authority when:

The device does not exist.
The device exists but is not the correct type.
i.e. a Telnet display session used a device of the same name
The device exists but requires option changes.
i.e. the font, form feed, transform, or any other negotiated printer option changes

The user requires *USE and *OBJMGT authority to the object or *JOBCTL special authority when:

The device is not “Vary on pending”.
The device is “Damaged”.
The controller is not “Active”.

In addition to the above, all users must have the following authorities:

*USE object authority to the output queue.
*USE object authority to library QUSRSYS.
One of the following:
- *SPLCTL special authority.
- *JOBCTL special authority and the output queue is configured with OPRCTL(*YES)
- *ADD *DLT *READ authority to the output queue and the output queue is configured with AUTCHK(*DTAAUT)
- User is the owner of the output queue, and the output queue is configured with AUTCHK(*OWNER)

See System Administrator: Pre-configuring a Printer Device section for instructions.

Options for Configuring a ACS Printer Session:
The following ways can be used to configure an ACS printer session, each with its own benefits. The options are listed with the most common configuration listed first

Configure the ACS printer session to use Host Print Transform (HPT): This is the most common configuration for PCL-capable and line printers. In using HPT, the conversion from the SCS or AFPDS printer data stream to the data stream for the PCL printer to be done on the operating system. This also provides control over how the output is printed by allowing you to retrieve, modify, and create your own Workstation Customization Table (WSCST). Note: If printing to a host-based HP LaserJet printer that also supports HP PCL5e, or a host-based HP OfficeJet that also supports PCL3, you may be able to still use Host Print Transform (HPT) with an ACS printer session. However, it is recommended that you configure a second instance that uses the HP Universal Print Driver for Windows, which you can download from hp.com. Your Windows applications can continue to use the printer driver supplied with the printer, but you can setup the ACS printer session to use the HP Universal Print Driver for Windows.
Configure the ACS printer session to use Java Print Service: This is referred to GDI printing, Windows Only or Host-Based printing. Note: Configuring the ACS printer session to use Java Print Service is the only option available for Host-based or Windows-only printers. Some users have had issues with the font selection when printing to a Host-based or Windows-only printer, however it may help to download, install and select a Universal Print Driver from the printer manufacturer, assuming a Universal Print Driver is available.
Configure the ACS printer session to use a Printer Definition Table (PDT): This gives you control over how the output is printed by allowing you to copy and modify a Printer Definition Source File (PDF) and then create your own PDT file.
Configure the ACS printer session to Print To File: At times it is necessary to generate a simple text file of the SCS spooled file. Use this option to print an SCS spooled file on the IBM i to an ASCII text file on the PC.

NOTE:
It is possible to configure 'Multiple Sessions' within ACS, where both a display and printer session can be started at the same time, by following next steps:

From ACS 5250 Session Manager, select the button on the right for NEW MULTIPLE SESSIONS.
This brings up a list of the existing .hod files.
Select the display session, then click ADD.
Select the printer session, then click ADD.
Add any other sessions as needed.
Select FILE / SAVE and provide a name.
This will be shown in the 5250 Session Manager.
Right click on the icon and select COPY TO DESKTOP.
The user would only need to double click the icon on the desktop to start the sessions.

Some Information About Specifying a Workstation ID

ACS printer sessions support device naming (requesting a specific operating system device description name) by specifying a workstation ID. It is recommended that you specify a specific workstation ID for your ACS printer sessions so you can rely on it always having the same name. Otherwise, your printer session could connect with one device description name one day and a different device name the next day. If a specific name is used all the time, that name can be specified in a user profile or a printer file to direct output to that specific printer.

The workstation ID must follow the same rules as any other operating system device description:

Must be 10 characters or less
Must start with an alphabetic character (A through Z)
The remaining characters can be an alphabetic character (A through Z), a numeric character (0 through 9), "$", "#", "@", "_" or "."

If a Workstation ID is not specified, then the printer device name will be named using the default naming convention, QPADEVxxxx, where xxxx is a four character alphanumeric value. The Generate option for the Workstation ID allows you additional options to assign the workstation ID:

Use computer name. Use the name of the computer as defined on the Identification tab of the Network properties page of the Windows Control Panel.
Use user name. Use your Windows logon user ID.
Specify workstation ID. Provides a space for you to type the name of this workstation (up to 10 characters, must not start with a numeric and cannot contain a blank or any of the following characters: &, *, %, =, and +).
Add prefix to indicate printer or display. Specify this option to append a P or an S to the beginning of the device name.
Avoid duplicate names on this workstation. Specify this option to append a short session ID (A, B, C, and so on) to the end of the device name. This ensures that your workstation ID will not conflict on this workstation.
Avoid duplicate names with other workstations. Specify this option to append a character in the range of 1 through 9 and A through Z to the end of the device name. This ensures that your workstation ID does not conflict with the workstation IDs from other workstations. If you specify Avoid duplicate names on this workstation in addition to this option, the short session ID is appended first.

Note: It is recommended that Avoid duplicate names on this workstation and Avoid duplicate names with other workstations not be used with printer sessions. These options can be very useful for display sessions because they allow a user to bring up several display sessions and to sign on multiple times to a single server. There is rarely ever a need to configure several printer sessions for a single printer to the same server. These options can cause the workstation ID to change each time the printer session is connected; therefore a user can not rely on their printer having the same name each time. It could also cause a specific workstation ID to be assigned to one user's printer on one day, and another user's printer the next day.

Note:
If you do not have authority to create printer devices, you must specify an existing device name that you have been granted authority to. Allowing the system to choose a default device name will likely result in a connection failure.
If you have not been granted authority to a printer device, or are seeing 8928, 8925, or 8917 errors, contact your system administrator to have the device pre-configured before connecting.
See System Administrator: Pre-configuring a Printer Device section.

Printer Must First be Installed within Windows

To configure an ACS printer session, the printer's print driver must first be installed and configured within Windows and the Windows PC must be able to successfully print to that printer.

Note: When using Host Print Transform with a PCL-capable printer, the IBM i is sending a PCL 5 data stream. It may be sending a PCL 4 data stream depending on the Printer Model selected, however, PCL 5 is the most common. If the printer hardware is using PCL 6, ensure that the print driver is a STANDARD driver, which is backward compatible to PCL 5. Often, a PCL 6 print driver is listed only as PCL 6, which may be the ENHANCED driver, which is not backward compatible to PCL 5. If a PCL 6 Standard driver is not available for the printer, locate and download a Universal Print Driver (UPD) for the printer, which should be backward compatible to PCL 5. If unable to locate a PCL 5 or UPD for the printer you are using, contact the printer manufacturer to ask what PCL 5 driver will work with your printer.

PC print drivers may be automatically installed or can be installed using the Add Printer Wizard from the Windows Printers and Devices program folder.

For assistance with installing the print driver, please refer to the manufacturers instructions or contact the manufacturer or Windows support for assistance.

After the print driver is installed, confirm that Windows is able to successfully print to the printer.

System Administrator: Pre-configuring a Printer Device

Low authority users must be granted authority to a device by a system administrator. A complete list of authority requirements is listed above in User Authority Considerations section. There are several ways to satisfy those authority requirements. This section will describe one way an admin could grant a minimum amount of authority to a Telnet printer user.

The admin must create the printer device that will be assigned to this user. This can be done manually with the CRTDEVPRT command or can be done by following the steps in Create a New Printer Session section for the user's device as an admin. Either way, the options selected must exactly match the options needed by the Telnet printer user. The user will not be able to change these settings and if they don’t match what was configured their connection attempt will be rejected.
Grant the user ownership of the output queue (The output queue is created when the printer device is created and has the same name as the printer device).

CHGOUTQ OUTQ(QUSRSYS/DEVNAME) AUTCHK(*OWNER)

CHGOBJOWN OBJ(QUSRSYS/DEVNAME) OBJTYPE(*OUTQ) NEWOWN(username)
Grant the user *OBJMGT authority to the device. This allows the user to vary the device on and off. Without this authority, the user can only establish a Telnet printer session with this device when the device is in “Vary on pending” state.

GRTOBJAUT OBJ(QUSRSYS/DEVNAME) OBJTYPE(*DEVD) USER(username) AUT(*OBJMGT)
Provide the user with the exact device name (DEVNAME) to use as their Workstation ID in the ACS Connection settings. The user must also follow Create a New Printer Session section and their selected options must exactly match the values specified by the admin during device configuration. If they do not match and the user does not have authority to change the device, the connection will be rejected.) to use as their Workstation ID in the ACS Connection settings. The user must also follow “Create a New Printer Session” below and their selected options must exactly match the values specified by the admin during device configuration. If they do not match and the user does not have authority to change the device, the connection will be rejected.

Create a New Printer Session

After the Windows print driver has been installed and confirmed that you are able to print a Windows Test Page to the printer, create a new ACS printer session by using the step-by-step instructions below. Not all configuration screens are included and are assumed will be left at the default settings. Not included are the Advanced, Backup Servers, TLS/SSL, SLP, Preferences, Start Options and Language settings. Though you may make changes to those settings, they are typically left as the default. Use HELP if you have further questions on settings not covered in this document.

1.	From the IBM i Access Client Solutions Welcome window, ensure the System is identified, then in the Management section, click on 5250 SESSION MANAGER.
2.	From the Session Manager, click on NEW PRINTER SESSION

Screen of IBM i Access Client Solutisons Welcome window, highlighting to Select a System, 5250 Session Manager and selecting New Printer Session

3.	On the CONNECTION settings, specify the DESTINATION ADDRESS as either the system name or IP address and WORKSTATION ID. Refer to the section titled Some Information About Specifying a Workstation ID for more information on the Workstation ID options. Set the Host Code Page accordingly. Optionally, you can provide a Session Name, which will be showed at the top or on the tab of the started printer session on the PC. A suggestion would be to set it to the same name as the Workstation ID. If using SSL for the connection, the Destination Port and Protocol can be changed accordingly. Leave the Auto-Connect and Auto-Reconnect as the default or optionally, change one or both to No.

Print screen of ACS 5250 Printer Connection settings, hightlighting the Destination Address, Workstation ID and Host Code Page

4.	Select one of the configuration options below based on the printer being configured

1. Configuring a printer to use Host Print Transform (HPT)

1A.	To configure a PCL-capable printer to use Host Print Transform (HPT): On the OS/400 Options settings: Select Use HPT as Yes Select the appropriate Printer Manufacturer and Printer Model. Specify the Paper size (Source 1) as the paper size loaded in the printer. Do the same for Paper size (Source 2), if applicable. Unless using a Workstation Customization Object (WSCST), Use Customizing Object would be No. If a WSCST object will be used, then select Yes and specify the Customizing Object Name and Library.

Print screen of OS/400 Options settings, highlighting USE HPT as YES, Printer Manufacturer as HP, Priner Model as HP Laser Jet 4000 series, Paper size as Letter and Use Customizing Object as No

	To configure a line printer to use Host Print Transform (HPT): On the OS/400 Options settings: Select Use HPT as Yes Note when selecting Use Customizing Object as Yes, the Printer Manufacturer and Printer Model fields are greyed out. Specify the Paper size (Source 1) as the paper size loaded in the printer, such as Continuous sheet (80 columns) or Continuous sheet (132 columns). Select Use Customizing Object as Yes. Specify the Customizing Object and Object Library names.

1B.	On the Printer Setup settings: NOTE: It is recommended that the Windows print driver that will be used for the printer session be assigned as the Windows Default print driver, which is how the following screen shows. To designate the Windows print driver as the default driver, right click on the print driver from the Devices and Printers program group and select Set as Default Printer. Once set as default, there will be a check mark by the image of the printer. Specify Print To as Windows Printer Specify Choose Windows Printer as Use Default (recommended) NOTE: Refer to step 2B in the section titled 2. Configuring a Windows Only / Host-Based Printer to Use Java Print Service for an example of selection Other for the Windows print driver. Specify Use Printer Definition Table as No NOTE: This option will override the use of Host Print Transform on the OS/400 Options settings. Leave this set to No if intending to use HPT.

Print screeen of Printer Setup options with the Print To option specified as Windows Printer, the Choose Windows Printer setting set to Use Default and the appropriate Windows Printer Name is identified and Use Printer Definition Table is set to No.

1C.	Click on OK to create the printer session.

2. Configuring a Windows Only / Host-Based Printer to use Java Print Service (JPS)

Use this option only if using a Windows Only or Host-Based printer. Also known as GDI Printing.

2A.	On the OS/400 Options settings: Select Use HPT as No

Print screen of OS/400 Options settings identifying Use HPT as No

2B.	On the Printer Setup settings Specify Print To as Windows Printer Specify Choose Windows Printer as Use Default (recommended), or in this example, select Other, then click on Select Printer to select from a list of Windows printers installed on the PC Specify Use Printer Definition Table as No Click on Select Printer...

Print screen of Printer Setup settings, identifying Print To as Windows Printer, Choose Windows Printer as Other and the Select Printer button highlighted and Use Printer Defintion Table as No

	In the Print Setup window which is displayed after clicking the Select Printer ... button: Use the pull down list to select the appropriate print driver Note that the paper size and orientation can be set here also Click on OK after making any selections

Print sreen of Print Setup window

2C.	On the Page Setup settings Select User Java Print Service as Yes Optionally, select if Automatic Page Orientation or Best Fit scaling is to be performed. The recommendation is to set Best Fit to Yes Note: Automatic Page Orientation will be performed for any spooled file that has a width greater than 80 columns. If the file is greater than 80 columns, the output is rotated 90 degrees for a landscape page. If Best Fit is also specified as Yes, the output will be scaled to fit on the page.

Print screen of Page Setup settings showing Use Java Print Service as Yes, Automatic Page Orientation as Yes and Best Fit as Yes with the OK button highlighted

	If Automatic Page Orientation is set to No, the Page Setup options allow you to select if the file is to print portrait or landscape and optionally set margins.

Print screen of Page Setup settings identifying Automatic Page Orientation as No and the Page Setup button highlighted
Print screen of the Page Setup box

	Click on OK after making any changes to Page Setup.

2D.	Click on OK to create the printer session.

3. Configuring the Printer Session to use a Printer Definition Table (PDT)

3A.	On the OS/400 Options settings Select Use HPT as No

Print screen of the OS/400 Options setting identifying Use HPT as No

3B.	On the Printer Setup settings Specify Print To as Windows Printer Specify Choose Windows Printer as Use Default (recommended), or select Other, then click on Select Printer to select from a list of Windows printers installed on the PC Specify Use Printer Definition Table as Yes Select the Printer Definition Table to use from the pull-down list NOTE: For more information on migrating existing PDT files or creating PDT files, refer to the Help Contents from the IBM i Access Client Solutions - Session Manager (HELP / HELP CONTENTS). Locate and click the Printer Definition Table Compiler link under the PDT Compiler Tool Menu Option.

Print screen of Printer Setup settings, highlighting Print To as Windows Printer, Use Printer Defintion Table as Yes and highlighting the Printer Definition Table field as well as the OK button

3C.	Click on OK to create the printer session

4. Configuring the Printer Session to Print to File

In using IBM i Access for Windows to print a spooled file to a PC text file, the Windows print driver was configured to Print To File. When a file was printed though the PC5250 printer session configured to use that Windows print driver, a prompt was displayed for the user to identify the path where the text file would reside and the name of the file.

In using IBM i Access Client Solutions, the Windows print driver is not configured to Print To File. If it is, no prompt will appear for the user to specify the path and name of the file.

4A.	On the Printer Setup settings: Specify Print To as File In the Print-to-File section, specify Separate Files as Yes or No NOTE: If Separate Files is Yes, each spooled file will be a separate text file on the PC. The name provided in the File Path and Name field will be appended with an alphanumeric value to prevent duplicate text file names. If Separate Files is No, all spooled files will be contained in a single text file. Specify the File Path and Name

Print screen of the Printer Setup settings, identifying Print To as File, Separate Files as Yes and File Path and Name highlighted as well as the OK button

4B.	Click on OK to create the printer session.

After clicking on OK to create the printer session, you will be prompted with a Signon to IBM i window to provide your IBM i log on credentials.
After entering your IBM i user ID and password, click on OK

This is an example of the started session that shows the Session Name as configured on the Connection settings, the Host Name as configured as the Destination Address on the Connection settings and the Windows print driver as configured on the Printer Setup settings.
Print screen of the started printer session highlighting the Session Name at the top, the Host Name and Printer

Troubleshooting:
Several error codes may be returned. Some are listed below with common causes.
0004 – username not found, password not correct, authentication factor not valid
0005 – Password/passphrase/token is expired.

Error Code	Possible Causes	Solutions
8917 – Not authorized to object.	The user does not have authority to the output queue. The device is not in “Vary on pending” state and the user does not have authority to vary the device. The device is in “Vary on pending” state but the negotiated options differ from what is configured. The user does not have authority to vary off the device in order to change it.	Change the device name to one that you have been granted authority to. Change the ACS settings to match the values configured by your system administrator. Contact your system administrator to be granted authority to a device and/or have a device and output queue configured for your use. See System Administrator: Pre-configuring a Printer Device section.
8925 – Creation of device failed.	The device does not exist. The user does not have authority to create the device.	Contact your system administrator to be granted authority to a device and/or have a device and output queue configured for your use. See System Administrator: Pre-configuring a Printer Device section.
8928 – Change of device failed.	The device does exist, but the user chose ACS settings that do not match the values configured for the device. The user does not have authority to change the device.	Change the ACS settings to match the values configured by your system administrator. Contact your system administrator to be granted authority to a device and/or have a device and output queue configured for your use. See System Administrator: Pre-configuring a Printer Device section.

The view of this session can be modified by changing the Preferences (EDIT / PREFERENCES / APPEARANCE / WINDOW SETUP ...)
Print screen of Window Setup preferences
Additionally, other information can be shown in the display by selecting the VIEW menu option. The optional information that can be included are:
Menu, Graphic Display, Graphical OIA, Textual OIA, Status Bar and Quick Connect

5.	Save the printer session by clicking on FILE / SAVE Specify the desired name for the session and click on SAVE The session will then appear in the Configured Sessions box of the Session Manager You can restart the printer session by either double clicking on the printer session ICON or selecting the ICON and clicking on Start

Print screen showing the configured and saved printer session in Session Manager

6.	Test printing a spooled file NOTE: It has been found that the printer session may need to be saved by clicking on FILE / SAVE before it will print. If spooled files are still not printing, make the Windows print driver the Windows Default driver and test again. If using a PCL 6 printer, ensure the PCL 6 Windows print driver is backward compatible to PCL 5 or download and use a Universal Print Driver for the printer. This topic is discussed at the beginning of the document too.

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IBM i Access Client Solutions (ACS): Configuring a Printer Session