pcl2afpd utility: starts the pcl2afpd daemon

Syntax

pcl2afpd [-C ConfigurationFile]

Description

Use the pcl2afpd utility to start the pcl2afpd daemon. The pcl2afpd daemon manages the PCL interpreter portion of the InfoPrint PCL transform program. You must start the pcl2afpd daemon somewhere on the network before you can use the pcl2afp transform command to transform PCL data streams for printing or transmission with InfoPrint.

The startsrv or start_server utility automatically starts the pcl2afpd daemon if it is installed and not running.

If the pcl2afpd daemon stops running, you can restart it by issuing this command: 

/usr/lpp/psf/bin/pcl2afpd

InfoPrint uses the pcl2afpd daemon configuration file to determine the default parameters of the pcl2afpd daemon. The /usr/lpp/psf/pcl2afp/pcl2afpd.cfg file is installed with InfoPrint, and InfoPrint uses it as the default configuration file. You can, however, copy the configuration file, use an editor to edit the copy of the file, and rename it so that you can customize the pcl2afpd daemon for your applications. After you make the modifications, you specify the new configuration file with the -C flag of the pcl2afpd daemon utility.

Note: If you create your own configuration file, you must specify it with the -C flag of the pcl2afp transform command when you transform PCL files.

Flag

The pcl2afpd daemon utility uses the following flag:

-CConfigurationFile
Specifies the configuration file InfoPrint uses with the transform. The value is:
ConfigurationFile
A valid PCL configuration file name. If you do not specify a file, InfoPrint uses the file /usr/lpp/psf/pcl2afp/pcl2afpd.cfg.

Configuration file keywords and values

The pcl2afpd.cfg file contains the same keywords as the pcl2afp.cfg file except that the transform daemon configuration file does not have the server keyword. The pcl2afpd.cfg contains several additional keywords.

For the keywords common to both configuration files, see The pcl2afp and pcl2afpd configuration files.

The PCL transform daemon configuration file can also contain these keywords:

device_controls=[plex,][ inputn=(pcl_bin=m)][ inputn=…)]
Specifies whether to recognize the plex command in the PCL data stream, and optionally, how to associate the AFP input tray (inputn, where n is between 1 and 255) with the pcl bin (pcl_bin=m, where m is between 0 and 59). When you do not specify inputn=(pcl_bin=m) with plex, InfoPrint recognizes the plex command with no tray mappings.If you do not specify plex and tray mapping is not supplied, InfoPrint uses the settings in the default formdef (which is duplex).
Note: You can specify inputn=(pcl_bin=m) up to twenty times.
If the device_controls attribute is specified in the pcl2afpd.cfg file, an internal formdef is embedded in the pcl2afp output the transform generates and the plex command from the input file (simplex, duplex, or tumble) is recognized. The appropriate IMM (Invoked Medium Map) is used so the output of simplex, duplex, or tumble is specified in the input file.
log_file={WorkDirectory/pcl2afpd.log | PathName} DEFAULT=WorkDirectory/pcl2afpd.log
Specifies the file in which the transform daemon logs errors and messages when it converts a data stream from PCL to an AFP data stream.

Valid keyword values are:

WorkDirectory/pcl2afpd.log
This is the default log file, where WorkDirectory is the value of the work_directory keyword. The default work directory is /var/psf/pcl2afp.
PathName
The full path name of a log file

log_size={100 | Size} DEFAULT=100
Specifies in kilobytes how large the log file can get before it is renamed <log_file>.bak and a new empty log file is used.
mail_command={/usr/bin/mail | PathName}DEFAULT=/usr/bin/mail
Specifies the executable file that the pcl2afp command uses to send transform status notifications.

Valid keyword values are:

/usr/bin/mail
The AIX or Linux mail command
PathName
The full path name of a communication program

notify={root | UserID}DEFAULT=root
Identifies the user to receive notification about problems found during transformation of the PCL file into an AFP data stream file. If a particular user runs most of the PCL transform jobs, you might want to send notifications to that person using this keyword.

Valid keyword values are:

root
The user at the server console
UserID
An AIX or Linux user ID

pcl_program={/usr/lpp/psf/bin/pcl6 | PathName} DEFAULT=/usr/lpp/psf/bin/pcl6
Specifies which PCL-to-AFP transform program (the PCL interpreter) to run. Generally, you will not change this value.

Valid keyword values are:

/usr/lpp/psf/bin/pcl6
The default PCL interpreter
PathName
The full path name of a PCL interpreter file

work_directory={/var/psf/pcl2afp | PathName} DEFAULT=/var/psf/pcl2afp
Specifies the path to the directory where the transform daemon puts its work files. The transform daemon must have read, write, and execute permissions to this directory. The transform daemon is owned by the root user, but runs as daemon, and is in the printq group.

Values are:

/var/psf/pcl2afp
The default work directory
PathName
A directory path

Examples

  • To restart the pcl2afpd daemon with the default configuration file, enter: 
    pcl2afpd
      Note:
    1. If you have not set the PATH environment variable to include /usr/lpp/psf/bin, you must enter the path name with the pcl2afpd daemon.
    2. Anyone can start the pcl2afpd daemon, but only a person with root user authority can stop it.
  • To restart the pcl2afpd daemon with the configuration file myfile.cfg, which is installed in the directory /usr/lpp/psf/pcl2afp, enter: 
    pcl2afpd -C /usr/lpp/psf/pcl2afp/myfile.cfg

Files

/usr/lpp/psf/bin/pcl2afpd
Transform daemon
/usr/lpp/psf/pcl2afp/pcl2afpd.cfg
pcl2afpd daemon configuration file
/usr/lpp/psf/bin/pcl6
PCL interpreter program
Parent topic: Daemon utilities for InfoPrint Manager for AIX or InfoPrint Manager for Linux