  Dataset hangup with LAT printer queue? (plotter) 
 The Question is:
 
Hello,
We have a strange problem with two of our HPGL/2 plotters.
Sometimes the queue hangs up with the following error:
 
$show queue pl7plot1
Terminal queue PL7PLOT1, idle, on AHKAD1::LTA9930:, mounted form DEFAULT
Entry  Jobname     Username    Blocks   Status
-----  -------     --------    ------   ------
  181  GPAH11      PLOT        2047     Retained on error
     %PSM-E-WRITEERR, error writing !AS
     -SYSTEM-F-HANGUP, data set hang-up
       Completed 27-NOV-1998 11:20:14.71 on queue PL7PLOT1
  949  GPAH23      PLOT         390     Retained on error
     %PSM-E-WRITEERR, error writing !AS
     -SYSTEM-F-HANGUP, data set hang-up
       Completed 27-NOV-1998 14:36:34.93 on queue PL7PLOT1
  899  GPAH45      PLOT        1373     Retained on error
     %PSM-E-WRITEERR, error writing !AS
    -SYSTEM-F-HANGUP, data set hang-up
      Completed 30-NOV-1998 11:05:35.38 on queue PL7PLOT1
 
When we delete the jobs and start a job again the job sometimes plots
normal.
What is the !AS that can't be written?
 
thanks in advance,
Olaf Ruijters
 
 
 The Answer is:
 
  !AS is a placeholder for sys$fao arguments in the signal array, and
  elements of the signal array are not likely available at the time
  that the SHOW	QUEUE command is executed, hence the string substitution
  cannot be made.
 
  The communications link to the printer would be the immediate suspicion
  here -- a dataset hangup indicates that the printer connection has likely
  failed.  This could be an electrical connectivity problem (intermittant
  wiring), a network problem (LAT), or a protocol error or misconfiguration
  involving the printer.
 
  The Wizard would recommend seeking out available network driver and LAT
  ECO kits, as well as any available print symbiont and queue manager ECOs,
  and applying those.  Also verify that the printer is operating as
  expected on the serial line and that the terminal server port involved
  is correctly configured, and the firmware on the server and on the
  printer (if any) is current.  Also consider, as an experiment, reducing
  the baud rate on the server and the printer, to determine if this is a
  flow-control problem, or flow-control configuration problem.  Failing
  these, please contact the customer support center directly.
