Technical Memo: USING THE EHANDLER MODULE TO CAPTURE PS ERRORS





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USING THE EHANDLER MODULE TO CAPTURE PS ERRORS

revised: 12-Aug-2002

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There are two modules that can be used to capture a hard copy of the PostScript errors encountered by the PostScript interpreter on the printer.

The PERM_EHANDLER module is different from the EHANDLER in that it also reports what was on the stack when the offending command was encountered, and it will remain in the printer until power-off.

When this memo was originally written, many PostScript printers didn't ship with debugging code; today, most printers ship with firmware which duplicates the functionality of EHANDLER.PS, and which is switchable either from the front panel or other administrative interface. However, sometimes it's just easier to use EHANDLER.PS, and so we still make it available to our customers on request.

ScriptServer® PAN Printing System

Either module can be defined as a resource.

EHANDLER can be used as part of a form.

PERM_EHANDLER can be used as part of a startup form.

ScriptServer® for VMS

Remember, when troubleshooting any printing problem, to make sure that your OPCOM messages are enabled by typing:

	$ REPLY/ENABLE

ScriptServer is distributed with a module called "EHANDLER" in the device control library:

$ SYS$LIBRARY:SSV$DEVCTL.TLB

The other module distributed with ScriptServer is the file:

$ SCRIPTSERVER:PERM_EHANDLER.PS

which can be inserted into the device control library, or sent directly to the printer in one of two ways. The file can be copied directly to the printer's device if the queues on that printer are stopped, and the device is not spooled as follows:

$ COPY SCRIPTSERVER:PERM_EHANDLER.PS LTA9999

However, if you are in a system account, you can just print this file to that queue, and it will automatically download the module:

$ PRINT/QUEUE=queue_name SCRIPTSERVER:PERM_EHANDLER.PS

You may wish to have one of these error modules automatically downloaded to a printer every time a particular queue is started. Assuming that the desired module is in the ScriptServer device control library (SSV$DEVCTL.TLB), this is easily accomplished by editing the file:

SCRIPTSERVER:DOWNLOAD.COM

and adding the following line:

$ DEFINE/TABLE=SSV$DOWNLOAD_TABLE SSV$queue_name_MODULES "EHANDLER"

Or, to use the module from the device control library only on specific jobs:

$ PRINT/QUEUE=queue_name/SETUP=EHANDLER file.ext

Or, to affect all jobs in a particular queue:

$ SET QUEUE/SEPARATE=RESET=EHANDLER queue_name