Tag Archives: 3287 printer

Configuring a 3287 Printer

The native way of printing on most IBM mainframes is to a 3287 printer. This method of printing is totally different from the print spoolers that send print jobs via batch processing to LPD or socket print servers. It is often much faster. Common names for this type of printing are session bound, SNA, associated or LU printing. With 3270E the data is normally in SCS (SNA Character String) format. Also supported is the older 3270 Data Stream with SSCP (System Services Control Point).

(Another “session bound” method of printing may be created from mainframe applications written in Natural/Adabas or any application that can generate the Natural file transfer screens FileTransNatural. This method uses only one terminal session to handle both screen and printer data. The terminal side setup is simpler than 3287. It corresponds to the back- or thru-printing of VT terminals.)

The Inet3270 terminal emulator can be configured to be a printer by changing the terminal typeTermTerminalType to IBM-3287-1. Other common terminal typesTermTerminalType are 3230, 3262, 3268, 3288 and 3289.

How to set up your 3287 printer:

  • Start an Inet3270 terminal.
  • Change the terminal typeTermTerminalType to IBM-3287-1 on the Setup | Telnet pageHIDD_TELNETOPTIONS.
  • If the mainframe is not going to assign an LU name, enter your printer LU name on the Setup | Telnet pageHIDD_TELNETOPTIONS.
  • Set up the printer options under Setup | Printers | 80 Column Host PrinterHID_1ST_HOST_PRINTER_SETUP (or Setup | Printers | RTF Host PrinterHID_RTF_HOST_PRINTER_SETUP if you expect RTF data).
  • Specify the mainframe address and port under Connection | OpenHIDD_OPEN_CONNECTION. Also select the “Auto connect when loading this configuration” option.
  • Select View | Minimize to system trayHID_MIN_TO_SYSTRAY to hide your printer in the system tray.
  • NB: Do not Save – use File | Save AsHIDD_SAVE_AS_CONFIGURATION to create the new configurationTermConfiguration.
  • For automated start up of the printer, either
    • create an icon in your StartUp group or
    • enter this new configurationTermConfiguration name in your normal terminal session’s Setup | SettingsHIDD_3270_SETTINGS at the “Auto start 3287 printer” box.

Note: When you close the terminal session, the printer session will not be closed automatically.
Future extensions to Inet3270 may include the facility to print multiple formats (e.g. Portrait/Landscape and 80/132 column) from the same logical printer, even to different physical printers if required.

Printing

Printing is one of Winet’s strongest points. We supply both robust printing methods and highly configurable options to accommodate the widest variety of needs expressed by our clients. The printing is not a case of “one size fits all”. Therefore it would be very valuable for a system administrator or support person to read through this whole section.

  • No printer installed
  • Stand alone print servers:
    • LPD/LPR – Popular printing method (from the Unix world)
    • Print Server (Socket printing) – a.k.a. IP printing
    • 3287 printer3287printer – for session bound printing from an IBM mainframe
  • Developer’s notes on formatted printing
    • Merge printing for developers of formatted printing
    • RTF notes for developers of formatted printing
    • Inet Format escape sequences for developers of formatted printing

Winet 6.04 Released

Many new features have been added:

  • Inet3270 adds the IND$FILE file transfer protocol for IBM mainframes.
  • Inet5250 emulation had major improvements and was expanded to include more structures and facilities.
  • Direct printing allows you to add static header and footer files with data or commands to be sent to the printer before and/or after print jobs. It can be used similar to mail merge or template applications.
  • The Copy&Paste in terminals now include an AutoCopy option that will automatically put marked text in the clipboard.
  • Inet3270 adds “session bound” or SCS printing for the 3287-printer with improved setup facilities. When opening an Inet3270 terminal it can automatically load and connect the 3287 printer.
  • For additional security, the following facilities may be disabled by system managers in terminal emulators: All drop down menus, the toolbar (or only selected buttons on the toolbar), the right-click menu, Copy, Paste, ScreenPrint (not the Windows PrintScreen), Write Log, Trace, Script and Read input file.
  • Lots of small improvements in the user interface and a few bug fixes.