When a spooled output file is on an output queue, its status can vary depending on the mode of the output queue and the activity taking place with a particular spooled file.
Of particular interest to remote system printing are the statuses of SND and DFR.
When a spooled output file is being sent to a remote system, it has a status of SND. If the connection type is *SNA, the spooled output file might remain in SND status until a confirmation message from the remote system is received by the remote writer. At this time the spooled output file is deleted or saved, depending on the save spooled file attribute. If the writer is ended while spooled output files are in SND status, the spooled files are changed back to RDY status.
When a writer (printer or remote) is started to an output queue, it determines the maximum spooled file size for the current time. Any RDY spooled files which exceed the limit are changed to DFR status. If the spooled file exceeds the current limit and is added to the output queue (created or moved) after a writer is started to the output queue, the spooled output file status will be DFR.
When the system time-of-day changes such that a new maximum spooled output file size is to take affect, the writer goes through the output queue again and updates RDY spooled files to DFR, or DFR to RDY, depending on the new limit and the size of the particular spooled output file. When the writer is ended, all DFR spooled output files return to RDY.
When time ranges for the maximum spooled output file size overlap, the smaller of the number of pages values is used. For example, assume that there were two time ranges of 8:00:00 to 16:00:00 and 12:00:00 to 12:30:00, with number of pages 40 and 10 respectively. The largest spooled output file that would print from 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. would be 40 pages. The largest spooled output file that would print from 12:00 p.m. to 12:30 p.m. would be 10 pages. The largest spooled output file that would print from 12:30 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. would be 40 pages.
The following screen capture illustrates an output queue (RMTOUTQ) with a status of released and the first spooled output file (DMB18R1) being written (RLS/WTR). Because DMB18R1 is being sent to a remote system, its status is SND. The next spooled output file, DMB18R2, has a status of DFR. It could be deferred from activity because of its size and the time of day that certain sizes of spooled output files are allowed to be printed or sent.
Work with Queue (WRKOUTQ *RMTOUTQ)
Queue: RMTOUTQ Library: Lawson Status: RLS/WTR
Type options, press Enter.
1=Send 2=Change 3=Hold 4=Delete 5=Display 6=Release 7=Messages
8=Attributes 9=Work with printing status
Opt File User User Data Sts Pages Copies Form Type Pty
_ DMB18R1 LAWSON SND 1 1 *STD 5
8 STUMPF LAWSON RDY
_ DMB18R2 LAWSON TEST DFR 1 1 *STD 5
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Parameters for options 1, 2, 3 or command
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F3=Exit F11=View 2 F12=Cancel F20=Writers F22=Printers
F24=More keys