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CHAPTER 7: Operation
This chapter describes how to use the Multiport Spooler VIII, whether by
itself, with its included software, or in a daisychain or cascade. The software
with which you can control the MPS-VIII includes the User’s Command
Transmission Program (UCTP) and the print-utility software (MPSWIN or
MPSDOS) with which you can select printers or other peripherals.
NOTE
If the UCTP is not installed, and you want to know how to send direct
control commands directly from the DOS prompt or embed them in a
task, refer to
Appendix D
.
7.1 MPS-VIII Hardware Operation
7.1.1 T
HE
MPS-VIII’
S
LED
S
While the Multiport Spooler VIII is in use, the LED indicator lights on its
front panel flash. When these flash differently from the ways described in
this section, the Multiport Spooler VIII might be signaling an error. Refer
to
Section 8.4
for a listing of error messages.
Input Ports
The port LEDs of parallel input ports or serial bidirectional ports used for
input flash
slowly
when the corresponding port receives a command and
quickly
when the corresponding port receives a task (a print job). If you
reserve a peripheral, the LEDs of both the computer’s port and the
peripheral’s port flash until you cancel the reservation.
Output Ports
The port LEDs of parallel output ports or serial bidirectional ports used for
output stay on from the time a transmission begins until one of three things
happens: The port’s buffer becomes empty, the current transmission ends, or
the port’s timeout expires.
NOTE
Timeouts for output ports are only required if two or more Multiport
Spooler VIIIs are daisychained or cascaded together (see
Section 7.4
).
7. Operation
Summary of Contents for PI750A
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