KnowledgeBase Archive

An Archive of Early Microsoft KnowledgeBase Articles

View on GitHub

Q326108: PCL Codes are Ignored After You Install Host Integration Server

Article: Q326108
Product(s): Microsoft SNA Server
Version(s): 
Operating System(s): 
Keyword(s): 
Last Modified: 01-AUG-2002

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The information in this article applies to:

- Microsoft Host Integration Server 2000 
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

SYMPTOMS
========

Ignored Printer Control Language (PCL) codes are printed at the top of the first
page after you install Host Integration Server Print Sessions by using the
SNACFG utility.

PCL codes that are similar to the following are printed:

    <1B>&l6D<1B>&k2S<1B>&l63F<1B>&d@<1B>(s0B<1B>&k0S<1B>(0N<1B>E<1B>&l1o4.3c8e88P<1B>&l2A<1B>(s16.67H

CAUSE
=====

The PCL codes are ignored because the print sessions were not created through
the SNA Manager interface.

By creating the print sessions using the SNACFG command line tool, the underlying
devmode structure of the print server session becomes corrupt. As a result,
embedded PCL codes under 0x40 are converted to spaces, which is the default
behavior if a character is unrecognized by Host Integration Server 2000.

WORKAROUND
==========

To work around this problem so that host print jobs that contain PCL codes are
processed and the data prints correctly, follow these steps:

1. Right-click SNA Print Service, and then click Properties.

2. Click to select the "Ignore Characters 3F and Under" check box, and then
  click Apply.

3. Click to clear the "Ignore Characters 3F and Under" check box, click Apply,
  and then click OK.

4. Save the configuration.

5. Resend the print job. It prints correctly.

STATUS
======

Microsoft has confirmed that this is a problem in Host Integration Server 2000.

MORE INFORMATION
================

PCL commands are escape codes that can be embedded by the Mainframe Host into
the 3270 printer data stream. These PCL commands give instructions to the
printer on how to format the print job.

When this problem occurs, SNA Print Internal traces (SPRTINTx.ATF) shows that the
EBCDIC 0x27 Escape Character is converted to an ASCII 0x20 Space instead of an
ASCII 1B Escape Character:

DUMPD (session: 0604  ISPR49-MOD-C-SUITE-290, job #1)  
DUMPD (session: 0604  ISPR49-MOD-C-SUITE-290, job #1)

  NOTE: The EBCDIC 27s appear correctly as
  27C52750 93F196F4

DUMPD (session: 0604  ISPR49-MOD-C-SUITE-290, job #1) | 4BF383F8 85F8F8D7 | 
DUMPD (session: 0604  ISPR49-MOD-C-SUITE-290, job #1)

  NOTE: The EBCDIC 27s appear correctly as
  275093F2 C1274DA2

DUMPD (session: 0604  ISPR49-MOD-C-SUITE-290, job #1) | F1F64BF6 F7C8     | 
DUMPD (session: 0604  ISPR49-MOD-C-SUITE-290, job #1)
INTRN SNAP-3270   S3PPPDAT  CODE CONVERT PBUF 
INTRN SNAP-3270   S3PPPDAT  SINGLE BYTE SESSION 
INTRN SNAP-3270   S3PPPDAT  CONVERT CHARACTERS < 
PPDAT Converting 39 
PPDAT Converting 39 
PPDAT Converting 39 
PPDAT Converting 39 
PPDAT (session: 0604  ISPR49-MOD-C-SUITE-290, job #1) DATA TO FLUSH (AFTER ASCII CONVERSION) 
DUMPD Enter 
VLJOB Enter, id=0x23A0D4 
VLJOB Found Job 
VLJOB Leave 
DUMPD (session: 0604  ISPR49-MOD-C-SUITE-290, job #1)  
DUMPD (session: 0604  ISPR49-MOD-C-SUITE-290, job #1)

  NOTE: The EBCDIC 27s are converted to ASCII 20s (spaces)
  20452026 6C316F34

DUMPD (session: 0604  ISPR49-MOD-C-SUITE-290, job #1) | 2E336338 65383850 | 
DUMPD (session: 0604  ISPR49-MOD-C-SUITE-290, job #1)

  NOTE: The EBCDIC 27s are converted to ASCII 20s (spaces)
  20266C32 41202873

DUMPD (session: 0604  ISPR49-MOD-C-SUITE-290, job #1) | 31362E36 3748     | 
DUMPD (session: 0604  ISPR49-MOD-C-SUITE-290, job #1) 
INTRN SNAP-3270   S3PPPDAT  GDI WRITE


REFERENCES
----------

For additional information, click the article number below to view the article in
the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

  Q326084 BUG: Print Server Translates EBCDIC Chars Under 0x40 to Spaces

For additional information about Host Integration Server 2000 printing, download
the following white paper:

  Microsoft SNA Print Service White Paper
  http://www.microsoft.com/hiserver/evaluation/previousversions/Snaprint.doc
  (http://www.microsoft.com/hiserver/evaluation/previousversions/Snaprint.doc)

For additional information about PCL commands, see the following resources:

- PCL 5 Printer Language Technical Reference Manual, Hewlett Packard, HP Part
  No. 5961-0509, October 1992.

- PCL 5 Comparison Guide, Hewlett Packard, HP Part No. 5961-0634, May 1994.

Additional query words:

======================================================================
Keywords          :  
Technology        : kbAudDeveloper kbHostIntegServ2000
Version           : :
Issue type        : kbbug
Solution Type     : kbpending

=============================================================================

THE INFORMATION PROVIDED IN THE MICROSOFT KNOWLEDGE BASE IS PROVIDED "AS IS" WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND. MICROSOFT DISCLAIMS ALL WARRANTIES, EITHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING THE WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. IN NO EVENT SHALL MICROSOFT CORPORATION OR ITS SUPPLIERS BE LIABLE FOR ANY DAMAGES WHATSOEVER INCLUDING DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, CONSEQUENTIAL, LOSS OF BUSINESS PROFITS OR SPECIAL DAMAGES, EVEN IF MICROSOFT CORPORATION OR ITS SUPPLIERS HAVE BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES. SOME STATES DO NOT ALLOW THE EXCLUSION OR LIMITATION OF LIABILITY FOR CONSEQUENTIAL OR INCIDENTAL DAMAGES SO THE FOREGOING LIMITATION MAY NOT APPLY.