🚀 go-pugleaf

>  We have a Xerox 4850 and are using the Entire software. We've had the
>printer only a few months and are still adjusting to running it, but
>we've run into some problems with large (2,600+ pages) PostScript jobs.
>  First, it's slow. Each page is converted to an Interpress *.IMG and
>transferred over the network. The file must be completely received
trim...trim..
>  The second problem w/ our 2,600 PostScript job is that we sometimes
>fill up the printer's disk, and when this occurs, no message is
>received on the printer's console, the job just appears to be "stuck"
>on a page on the Unix queue monitor.
trim..trim..trim..
>  The third problem is that abort PostScript jobs don't clean up after
>themselves, they leave all the *.IMG files on the disk, making it more likely
>that the disk will fill up. We have to remember to clean up the disk
>regularly.
trim...trim..trim
>  Back to the transfer... The queue monitor on our Unix host shows us the
>number of pages converted to Interpress format, and the number transferred
>to the printer. We invariably see the conversion run ahead of the transfer
>until it fills up its buffer, getting 228 pages ahead, then a page will
>convert every time a page transfers. On the printer side, we've been told
>that each page image requires a contiguous chunk of disk space, and it
>seems that the printer's file system is relatively simplistic, since it
..trimmed..
>  These disk-related issues weren't explained to us when the printer
>was installed, and we've stumbled upon them via trial and error. If
>anyone knows of other things to get better performance out of our
>PostScript jobs, please post.

Stu,
Not much about PS in prticular, but a couple of questions come to mind:
1) Which ESS/Controller do you have? Is it the newer SCSI model (CPU, 
   peripheral cabinet are separate) or the FDDC (one piece)?  The SCSI 
   unit fixed a number of quirky printing problems, and is faster.
2) What controller OS is being used? V3.5, or V4.0? I seem to remember a 
   problem with the controller page processing having to 'catch up' to the 
   printer, but it was fixed I think with V4.0 R1.8.  There were also 
   disk fill up/freeze up probs w/older versions, if memory serves me 
   correctly.
3) Are you using an Ethernet network or otherwise? Until recently, I belive 
   they were _still_ perfecting ENET w/ the OS.

Also, these IMG files can be rather large. This combined with your print 
volumes may warrant a larger drive. During devel./test of the 4850 and 
4890, we used either a 492MB ESDI or 500MB SCSI drive, each with our 
test library which included the whole Xerox library of images, fonts, 
forms, and logo files used internally for Image Quality, and all sorts 
of other stuff, and still had a fair amount of work space. I think the 
base drive is a 250MB or so. Sounds like maybe Mr./Mrs. Salesperson 
dodn't do their homework :-). Requiring contiguous disk space does seem 
a tad archaic, doesn't it. I remember that being the case withthe FDDC 
controller, but I'm not sure with the new units. 

As far as Postscript inparticular is concerned, Interpress is used almost 
exclusively where I was for obvious reasons, so my PS exposure w/ 4050F 
is somewhat limited to volumes much smaller than yours, though Entire is 
used w/in Xerox for 4050F PS printing. What do your friendly CSEs & 
TechReps have to say about these problems? Seems like they should be 
doing something for you. Hope any of this helps.

Mike



>
>Stu Derby
>Baylor College of Medicine
>Systems Support Center
>-- 
>------------------------------------------------------------------------
>Stu Derby          | 
>sderby@bcm.tmc.edu |      This space intentionally left blank.
>Houston, Texas     |