PRINTER FILE:

Generally, when a user initiates a print request or runs a program, a printer file is accessed, a
spooled file is generated, and that spooled file is sent to an output queue.

Output Queue

Spooled file A

Spooled file B

Spooled file C

Printer File

Job description

User profile

Printer Writer Workstation description

System value QPRTDEV

Printer

The above figure shows the elements that control the flow of printing on the AS/400, as represented
in the oval on the right.

These are the elements that OS/400 searches - in the order listed, starting with the printer file – to
determine the destination of print output.

OS/400 looks first at the printer file to determine the output queue and print device to use:

 If the printer file defaults, DEV(*JOB) and OUTQ(*JOB), are used, the printer file points to
the user’s job description.
 If the job description defaults, PRTDEV(*USRPRF) and OUTQ(*USRPRF), are used, the job
description points to the user profile.
 If the user profile defaults, PRTDEV(*WRKSTN) and OUTQ(*WRKSTN), are used, the user
profile points to the workstation or device description.
 If all defaults have been used the printer device specified in the QPRTDEV system value is
used to determine where the users print output goes. The default system printer device and
output queue is named PRT01.
The Search Path OS/400 uses to determine the Printer destination:

Printer file

Spool the data. *YES

Printer device *JOB
Output Queue *JOB

Job description

Printer device *USRPRF

Output Queue *USRPRF

User Profile

Printer device *WRKSTN

Output Queue *WRKSTN

Workstation Description

Printer device *SYSVAL

Output Queue *DEV

QPRTDEV System Value

Printer device PRT01

 Every request for printing is handled by a printer file.
For Ex: When you do a host print, an IBM – Supplied printer file is used. The Printer file is
named QSYSPRT.
 Printer file contain many parameters that tell the system how the output should be
formatted, what font to use for the printer output, whether to print on both sides of page,
and more.
 The following parameters that control how your output is handled and where it goes are:
 Spool the data (SPOOL)
 Device (DEV)
 Spooled output Queue (OUTQ)
 There are many ways in which a printer might be configured, depending on the type of printer, its
capabilities, and how it is attached

A printer device file is used to send records to a printer device. The printer device file
identifies the printer device used and the spooling requirements; it does not contain data.

The Create Printer File (CRTPRTF) command creates a printer device file from the
information specified on this command and, optionally, from the data description
specifications (DDS) contained in a source file.

There are two types of printer file:

A. Program described printer file

A printer file defined within an application program is called a program described printer
file. This means that the file, record, and field descriptions are defined internally within the
data division. With this method, report specifications are hard-coded into the program and
become part of the program’s compiled object.

B. Externally described printer file

Printer files that contain report specifications can be defined externally to any program
that uses them. This means that the report specifications for a printer file are described
separately from any programs and compiled into a printer file object (Type=PRTF).

Two ways of making Externally described printer file:

B (1)  Externally described printer file can be made directly using STRSEU.
B (2)  Externally described printer file can be made directly using STRRLU.

Advantages of using an externally described printer file

o Some changes can be made to a printer file without having to recompile the program using
it.
o It eliminates the specifications necessary to define the report within the program.
o There are some software tools that will allow you to generate reports and produce the DDS.
 Several programs can share the same printer file.
Printer Functions
 Printers and other Devices attached to the server
 Standard Emulator printer and IP Base Printer
 Frequently occurring issues with respect to printers/Remote Outq/Devices is its Quite
stable. Start printers or re-route spool files from one out queue to another.
 Provide Information regarding all other devices-controllers, tape devices, lines etc.
 No line printer and No special printer

POWER LOCK:
PowerLock, a security tool specifically designed to protect AS/400 data from unauthorized Internet
or network access via PCs and other networked systems. PowerLock uses OS/400 security
features to protect AS/400s from unauthorized access via server programs such as ODBC, File
Transfer, Shared Folders, and Remote Command.