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04 - Operator Commands (User SYSTEM)

These are the commands used by the operator / user SYSTEM to run the spooler: starting and stopping it, defining how it behaves, managing forms and the page pool, and controlling a print-out live. Everyday user commands for submitting jobs are in 05-USER-COMMANDS.md.

Sources: ../../Reference-Manuals/ND-60.128.5 EN SINTRAN III Reference Manual.md; ../../Reference-Manuals/ND-60.050.06 SINTRAN III Users Guide.md section 3.8.1; ../../Reference-Manuals/SINTRAN-COMMANDS-REFERENCE.md.

1. Starting and stopping the spooler

@START-SPOOLING <peripheral file name>

Starts the spooling program for the named peripheral. The physical device is then reserved by the spooling program and can no longer be used directly; the spooler prints every file on that device's spooling queue until stopped (Users Guide 3.8.1.1).

  • If more than one version of the file is a peripheral file, the spooling programs for all peripheral versions are started; include a version number to start one specific device.
  • Error if the name is not a peripheral, or if no spooling program was generated for it (see 03-CONFIGURATION.md section 1).
@START-SPOOLING LINE-PRINTER

@STOP-SPOOLING <peripheral file name>

Stops the spooling program and releases the peripheral (it can then be accessed directly again). Any file currently printing is finished first; the queue is left intact and files may still be appended. Printing resumes from the head of the queue when @START-SPOOLING is issued again (Users Guide 3.8.1.2).

2. Defining how the spooler behaves

@DEFINE-SPOOLING-CONDITIONS

@DEFINE-SPOOLING-CONDITIONS <peripheral file name>,
    <printing name of spooling files?>,
    <stop and wait for START-PRINT between files?>,
    <no. of lines per page>

Sets per-device behaviour (Reference Manual):

  • printing name of spooling files? - whether the file's name/banner is printed.
  • stop between files? - YES = an automatic @STOP-PRINT between every file (so the operator can, e.g., change paper), used together with @DEFINE-SPOOLING-FILE-MESSAGE. Can be YES only if the printing-name option is YES.
  • no. of lines per page - the page length the spooler assumes; this also governs how @BACKSPACE-PRINT / @FORWARD-SPACE-PRINT count pages.

Example: @DEFINE-SPOOLING-CONDITIONS LINE-PRINTER,NO,NO,, - files are printed back-to-back without interruption.

@DEFINE-SPOOLING-FILE-MESSAGE

@DEFINE-SPOOLING-FILE-MESSAGE <text>,<print message independent of conditions?>

Defines a text written on the error device whenever a user's file is printed on the spooling device (Reference Manual). With the second parameter YES the text is printed unconditionally; NO (default) prints it only when @DEFINE-SPOOLING-CONDITIONS requested it. Useful for "MOUNT FORM-1"-style operator prompts.

3. Forms and headers

@SET-SPOOLING-FORM <peripheral file name>,<form identification>

Sets the form type/parameters in use on the spooling device (e.g. standard, wide, special stationery).

@LIST-SPOOLING-FORM <peripheral file name>

Lists the current spooling-form information for the device.

@INSERT-SPOOLING-HEADER / @REMOVE-SPOOLING-HEADER

Insert or remove a header (banner) that the spooler prints. (Commands Reference lists both; use them to turn separator/identification headers on or off.)

4. Managing the spooling page pool

The spooler's disk buffers draw from user SYSTEM's pages, capped by default at 500 pages (see 01-OVERVIEW-AND-CONCEPTS.md section 5).

Command Effect
@SPOOLING-PAGES-LEFT Reports the number of free spooling pages (e.g. 500 SPOOLING PAGES LEFT).
@GIVE-SPOOLING-PAGES <n> Raise the limit by n pages.
@TAKE-SPOOLING-PAGES <n> Lower the limit by n pages.

Keep at least as many unused SYSTEM pages as there are spooling pages left, or programs writing spooling files will block until pages free up.

5. Controlling a print-out live

Once a file is printing, the operator can steer that print-out. All of these act on the currently printing file on the named device.

@ABORT-PRINT <peripheral file name>

Abort the current print-out and let the spooler continue with the next file in the queue. Only effective when the spooler is started and a file is actually printing (Reference Manual).

@STOP-PRINT <peripheral file name>

Pause the current print-out (the counterpart that @START-PRINT, @BACKSPACE-PRINT, @FORWARD-SPACE-PRINT build on).

@START-PRINT <peripheral file name>

Resume a print-out that was stopped (e.g. after an operator paper change, or after a <printing message?> wait requested by @APPEND-SPOOLING-FILE).

@BACKSPACE-PRINT <peripheral file name>,<no. of pages>,<no. of lines>

After @STOP-PRINT, re-print the specified number of pages/lines and then continue to the end of the file. Valid only while spooling is started and printing has been stopped. The page size comes from @DEFINE-SPOOLING-CONDITIONS.

Example: back up two pages and resume: 

@STOP-PRINT LINE-PRINTER
@BACKSPACE-PRINT LINE-PRINTER,2,0
@START-PRINT LINE-PRINTER

@FORWARD-SPACE-PRINT <peripheral file name>,<no. of pages>,<no. of lines>

The opposite of backspace: after @STOP-PRINT, skip the specified pages/ lines and resume printing further into the file.

6. Quick operator reference

Command Purpose
@START-SPOOLING Reserve device, begin printing the queue.
@STOP-SPOOLING Finish current file, release device, keep queue.
@DEFINE-SPOOLING-CONDITIONS Lines/page, name printing, stop-between-files.
@DEFINE-SPOOLING-FILE-MESSAGE Operator message on the error device per file.
@SET-SPOOLING-FORM / @LIST-SPOOLING-FORM Manage stationery/forms.
@INSERT-/@REMOVE-SPOOLING-HEADER Banner header on/off.
@SPOOLING-PAGES-LEFT / @GIVE- / @TAKE-SPOOLING-PAGES Manage the disk page pool.
@STOP-PRINT / @START-PRINT Pause / resume current print-out.
@BACKSPACE-PRINT / @FORWARD-SPACE-PRINT Reprint / skip pages after a stop.
@ABORT-PRINT Drop current file, go to next in queue.