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Status Future consideration
Workspace IBM i
Categories Print
Created by Guest
Created on Oct 11, 2018

PCL 6 Manufacturer Types and Models needed

When printing through a printer session set up to use Host Print Transform ( HPT ) to a PCL6 ASCII printer, nothing physically prints on the printer. This happens using both IBM i Access Client Solutions ( ACS ) and IBM i Access for Windows.


Use Case:

Case in point:
Client purchases a PCL 6 ASCII printer and installs the print driver on their Windows 10 PC. They can successfully print from Windows. An IBM i Access Client Solutions ( ACS ) or IBM i Access for Windows printer session is configured to print to the printer. The printer session is configured to use Host Print Transform ( HPT ) with the Printer Manufacturer of HP and Printer Model of HP LaserJet 4000 series (*HP4000), or any PCL 5 manufacturer type and model ( MFRTYPMDL ). The session is configured to use the Windows PCL 6 driver that was installed for the printer. When releasing a spooled file on the IBM i to print through this printer session, the spooled file will go to SAV status, if set to be saved, or disappear from the output queue. The file can be seen in the Windows print queue and being sent to the printer, but nothing physically prints on the printer. ACS development believes that the PCL 6 print driver is not backward compatible to PCL 5, thus the reason the file does not physically print.
The resolution to this is to download and install either a PCL 5 or Universal Print Driver ( UPD ) for the printer and use that print driver for the printer session. A UPD is backward compatible to PCL 5.

If the IBM i were to send a PCL 6 data stream that is compatible with the Windows PCL 6 driver, this issue, in theory, would not happen. Providing a PCL6 version of the existing PCL5 MFRTYPMDLs available on the IBM i, or even a select few, would be very helpful.


Idea priority Medium
  • Guest
    Reply
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    Apr 9, 2024

    Our company restricts users from installing print drivers. Our tech teams have restrictions on what drivers they are authorized to install. We waste literally hours and hours every time a user gets a new printer. We currently have several staff members that are unable to print from the IBM i, so they have to walk all the way across the office to retrieve their print-outs from our network printer -- even though they have printers plugged into PCs at their desk. This is a MAJOR issue for us. Please keep up with current technology and fix this. Thank you.

  • Guest
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    Sep 12, 2023

    This change is necessary for IBM to continue to be relevant as a viable printing option. We do not want customers to have to rely on non-IBM licensed programs to deliver core printing function.

  • Guest
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    May 23, 2023

    I am seeing more and more of PCL6 printers.


  • Guest
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    Jan 30, 2023

    Hello Team, This is a good feature to have as some users update the print drivers to latest versions and they don't get the print out from iACS, we had a Major incident for this issue and would request IBM to prioritize this item and support for PCL 6 drivers.

  • Guest
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    Nov 17, 2022

    As new printers are coming on line, more and more PCL6 is needed. I would vote to make his a priority.

  • Guest
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    Oct 9, 2020

    .Just a quick update to confirm that the IBM i print team considers this to be a high priority work item.

  • Guest
    Reply
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    Feb 25, 2020

    The CAAC has reviewed this requirement and recommends that IBM view this as a high priority requirement that is important to be addressed. Perception of IBM i is degraded when IBM i does not keep up with current technology.

    Background: The COMMON Americas Advisory Council (CAAC) members have a broad range of experience in working with small and medium-sized IBM i customers. CAAC has a key role in working with IBM i development to help assess the value and impact of individual RFEs on the broader IBM i community, and has therefore reviewed your RFE.

    For more information about CAAC, see www.common.org/caac

    For more details about CAAC's role with RFEs, see http://www.ibmsystemsmag.com/Blogs/i-Can/May-2017/COMMON-Americas-Advisory-Council-%28CAAC%29-and-RFEs/

    Nancy Uthke-Schmucki - CAAC Program Manager

  • Guest
    Reply
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    Dec 20, 2018

    This enhancement is under consideration by development.

  • Guest
    Reply
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    Nov 16, 2018

    Hello All,

    There a suitable workaround in our current environment. For the HP LJ M60x series printers, the Ricoh Universal Print Driver PCL 6 for Windows 10 64-bit plus setting the HPT model to Ricoh AP3200 allowed us to successful print AS400 generated AFPDS reports.

  • Guest
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    Nov 7, 2018

    This is a critical requirement because HP Support say a PCL 5 Universal Printer Drives for Windows 10 will not be delivered. And newer HP business level printers seem to only support the new PCL 6 language. Workarounds that worked in Windows 7 do not work in Windows 10. I had to ask a group of user to downgrade to Windows 7 so IBM 5i Reports could print on their HP LJ m601 printers.

  • Guest
    Reply
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    Oct 12, 2018

    We get a large number of calls in support for help in this area. This would solve a big issue for a lot of IBM clients.

  • Guest
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    Oct 11, 2018

    Please note that this issue occurs regardless of the version of Windows. The example stated Windows 10, but the version is not relevant. It is the PCL 6 Windows print driver.