Usage considerations by DSS for accounting information

This section contains more information about server accounting information by DSS. It also gives suggestions for working with the various DSSs when using the accounting information in InfoPrint Manager.

BSD DSS

The page count recorded in the accounting log for destinations using the BSD DSS is based on these criteria:

• If the user specifies a job-page-count job attribute or a page-count document attribute with the print job, InfoPrint Manager records that number in the accounting log.
• If the user has not specified job-page-count or page-count, and the data being printed is PCL, PDF, or PostScript, InfoPrint Manager attempts to calculate the page count and records the calculated page count in the accounting log.

CUPS DSS

• If wait-for-job-completion is set to True and the job completes successfully or is canceled, then the page count shown in the accounting log is the number of pages stacked at the printer. For example, a three-page document printed simplex records three pages in the accounting log and three pages are stacked; a four-page duplex document records four pages in the accounting log even though only two sheets are stacked. Depending on the printer and the back end used, jobs held at the printer log zero pages completed.
  Note:
  • When you use CUPS DSS, make sure that the cups-libs version is 1.4.2 or higher for accurate accounting information.
  • If your physical printer has a time-out setting, make sure it is disabled or the time-out value is high enough when you specify True or Yes for wait-for-job-completion. A low time-out value causes incorrect information and the back end fails.
  • If your physical printer does not support nested PJL JOB commands, you must configure the actual destination printer-command attribute. For more information, see wait-for-job-completion.
• If wait-for-job-completion is set to False, the page count is not based on the number of pages stacked on the printer. In this case, InfoPrint Manager uses these methods to calculate a page count:
  1. The printer backend can return a non-zero page count that is based on the number of pages it is sending to the printer. If this number is returned, InfoPrint Manager uses it for the page count that is reported in the accounting log.
  2. If the printer back end returns a zero for the page count and if the user has specified a job-page-count with the job, InfoPrint Manager reports that page count in the accounting log.
  3. If the printer back end returns a zero for the page count and the user has not specified a job-page-count and the job is PCL, PDF or PostScript, then InfoPrint Manager tries to calculate a page count and records that calculated page count in the accounting log.
• Limitation: The octet count reported for canceled or paused jobs might not be accurate.

DFE DSS

• If the wait-for-job-completion attribute is set to True and the job completes successfully or is canceled, then the page count shown in the accounting log is the number of pages stacked at the printer. For example, a three-page simplex document records three pages in the accounting log and three pages are stacked; a four-page duplex document records four pages in the accounting log even though only two sheets are stacked.
• If the wait-for-job-completion attribute is set to False, the page count is not based on the number of pages stacked on the printer. In this case, InfoPrint Manager uses these methods to calculate a page count:
  1. The page count recorded in the accounting log is the number of pages PSF reports it has sent to the printer driver, except for the case when the document-formats-ripped-at-destination actual destination attribute is set.
  2. If the document-formats-ripped-at-destination actual destination attribute is set to the input datastream and the job is PCL, PDF or PostScript, then InfoPrint Manager attempts to calculate a page count and records that calculated page count in the accounting log. The only exception occurs when the user specifies a job-page-count attribute and InfoPrint Manager records the user-specified value of that attribute.
• Limitations: The page count and octet count reported in the accounting log for canceled jobs is not accurate.

Email DSS

The page count recorded in the accounting log for destinations using the Email DSS reflects the number of pages generated and sent to the email recipient by InfoPrint Manager. It is not based on the number of pages received by the email recipient.

IPP DSS

The page count recorded in the accounting log for destinations using the IPP DSS is based on these criteria:

• Depending on the capabilities of your particular IPP printer, if the printer reports pages-completed information through the Internet Printing Protocol and the job completes successfully, that information is used. The auxiliary sheet is not included in the count.
• If the user specifies a job-page-count job attribute or a page-count document attribute with the print job, InfoPrint Manager records that number in the accounting log. The auxiliary sheet is not added to the count.
• If the user has not specified job-page-count or page-count, and the data being printed is PCL, PDF, or PostScript, InfoPrint Manager retrieves the page count from the printer, if the particular printer supports that function. The auxiliary sheet is not included in the count.
• Limitations: Because all information is obtained through the Internet Printer Protocol, the attributes required for pages-completed might not be supported by a particular printer model.

Note: For accurate results with this DSS, make sure that you set the sides default (whether simplex or duplex) in the printer to match the value on the sides actual destination attribute.

PSF DSS with Command attachment type

The page count recorded in the accounting log for destinations using the command is the number of pages PSF generates and sends to the printer. It is not based on the number of pages received or printed by the printer. The page count does include start pages, separator pages, and end pages.

PSF DSS with Other-Driver attachment type

• If wait-for-job-completion is set to True and the job completes successfully, then the page count shown in the accounting log is the number of pages stacked at the printer. For example, a three-page simplex document records three pages in the accounting log and three pages stacked; a four-page simplex or duplex document reports four pages in the accounting log even though only 2 sheets are stacked.

  The page count recorded in the accounting includes the auxiliary sheets.

  A duplex four-page job with a header sheet provides a page count of five, because the auxiliary sheets are included in the count and both sides of each page are counted.

• If wait-for-job-completion is set to False, the page count is not based on the number of pages stacked on the printer. In this case, InfoPrint Manager uses these methods to calculate a page count:
  1. The page count recorded in the accounting log is the number of pages PSF reports it has sent to the printer driver, except for the case when the document-formats-ripped-at-destination actual destination attribute is set.
  2. If the document-formats-ripped-at-destination actual destination attribute is set to the input datastream and the job is PCL, PDF or PostScript, then InfoPrint Manager attempts to calculate a page count and records that calculated page count in the accounting log. The only exception occurs when the user specifies a job-page-count attribute and InfoPrint Manager records the user-specified value of that attribute.
• Limitations: The page count and octet count reported in the accounting log for canceled and paused jobs is not accurate.

PSF DSS with TCP/IP attachment type

• On jobs that complete successfully, the page count shown in the accounting log is the number of AFP pages stacked on the printer, including start pages, separator pages, and end pages.
  Note: For n-up documents, up to n pages are counted for each sheet-side that prints.
• Limitations:
  • When printing a multiple-document job in which all the documents are ASCII, the accounting log only shows pages for the last document printed.
  • If a job is paused or canceled, the page count shown in the accounting log might not be accurate.
  • On paused jobs, the octet count is always zero (0).