The PrintKit software functions as a symbiont process, managed by the OpenVMS Job Control Program. It can be accessed through the DCL PRINT command, DECwindows PRINT FileView Widget, and standard applications print interfaces.
Version 2.3
User interface

Full DECprint parameter set

BORDERS, DATA_TYPE, FONTS_USED, INPUT_TRAY, LAYUP_DEFINITION, MESSAGES, NUMBER_UP, OUTPUT_TRAY, PAGE_LIMIT, PAGE_ORIENTATION, PAGE_SIZE, ROUTE, SHEET_COUNT, SHEET_SIZE, SIDES, TAB

Includes advanced LAYUP_DEFINITION controls 1

ALTERNATE, BORDERS, FIRSTPAGE, GRID, MARGINS, PAGEORDER, PAGESPERSHEET

Media selection parameter

DEFAULT_MEDIUM

Finishing parameter set

FINISHING, FINISHING_INCLUDES_DOCUMENT

Document specification parameter

INITIAL_VALUE_DOCUMENT

Default job parameter configuration using generic or logical queues

Multiple device control libraries, each with associated data type

Administration utility

Defines, modifies and displays PrintKit queues and configuration database definitions

DCL command line and interactive interfaces
Configuration database

Printer model definitions

/DEFAULT (COMMUNICATIONS, EMULATIONS, JOB_CONTROL, OPTIONS), /INPUT_TRAY_SUBSTITUTION, /JOB_CONTROL (AIS, PJL, POSTSCRIPT), /OUTPUT_TRAY_SUBSTITUTION, /PPD, /VERSION
Adobe PostScript Printer Description (PPD) files used for configuration

Queue definitions (attributes supplement OpenVMS queue definitions)

/AUTOSTART_ON, /BASE_PRIORITY, /BLOCKLIMIT, /CHARACTERISTICS, /COMMUNICATIONS (protocol, ADDRESS, PORT, LOCAL_ADDRESS, LOCAL_PORT, GATEWAY, OPTIONS), /DEFAULT (BURST, DOCUMENT, FEED, FLAG, FORM, SHEET_SIZE, TRAILER), /DESCRIPTION, /ENABLEGENERIC, /FORM_MOUNTED, /GENERIC, /LIBRARY, /NOTIFY (DEFAULT, PRINTER, QUEUE), /ON, /OWNER_UIC, /PRINTER (EMULATIONS, JOB_CONTROL, MODEL, OPTIONS), /PROCESSOR, /PROTECTION, /PROTOCOL, /RETAIN, /SCHEDULE, /SEPARATE (BURST, FLAG, TRAILER, SHEET_PACKAGE)

Document specifications

/DATA_TYPE, /DEFAULT_MEDIUM, /DESCRIPTION, /FINISHING, /FIN_INCL_DOC_SHEET, /FONTS_USED, /INPUT_TRAY, /LAYUP_DEFINITION, /MESSAGES, /NUMBER_UP, /OUTPUT_TRAY, /PG_LIMIT, /PG_ORIENTATION, /PG_SIZE, /SHEET_COUNT, /SIDES, /TAB, /VERSION

Medium specifications

/COLOR, /DESCRIPTION, /OVERLAYS, /SIZE, /TYPE, /WEIGHT, /VERSION

Imposition (layup) specifications

/ALTERNATE, /BORDERS, /DESCRIPTION, /FIRSTPAGE, /GRID, /MARGINS, /PG_ORDER, /PAGES_PER_SHEET, /SIGNATURE, /VERSION

Finishing specifications

/DESCRIPTION, /SPECIFICATION (STITCHING, BINDING, FOLDING), /VERSION

Sheet package specifications

/DESCRIPTION, /SHEETS, /VERSION
Document data types

Automatic document data type sensing, based on document content PostScript (printer based) 2

PCL/HPGL (printer based) 3

ANSI_PPL3 (translated to PostScript) 2

Complete implementation
Sixel graphics, soft fonts, color operators, paper selection, duplexing
Forms overlays

Electronic forms overlays 1, 2

Uses PostScript Forms Resources to define forms

Front and back sheet sides

See current Forms Design Software list for compatible forms creation packages

Printer emulations

PostScript, PCL 4/5

Automatic emulation switching as required by document data types

Printer job control

PostScript

Hewlett-Packard Printer Job Language (PJL)

PostScript or PJL based accounting 4

Error handling and reporting 4

Communications interfaces

TCP/IP Socket (HP LaserJet JetDirect protocol)

Compatible with all commercial TCP/IP interfaces for OpenVMS
If no TCP/IP interface is configured, uses self-contained TCP/IP services (Northlake Software PEP, lightweight TCP/IP services for printer communications)

lpr/lpd

Same TCP/IP interfaces as TCP/IP Socket
Compatible with UNIX, Windows NT print servers

LAT

Internal interface card or separate server
Bi-directional or uni-directional interface

Serial

Bi-directional or uni-directional interface
Print job status and logging

Job log file

Job specification, errors and completion status
Job-generated messages from printer 4

Job status, printer attention messages directed to user terminal

Printer attention messages directed to operator terminal

Printer compatibility

See current Supported Configurations list for printer models and communications interfaces

Selected application compatibility

PATHWORKS, DQS, ALL-IN-1, WordPerfect, Interleaf, MASS-11

Installation and configuration

VMSINSTAL installation

Interactive configuration utility, configuration checklists

Documentation

User Manual

VMS HELP facility supplement

Prerequisites

VMS 5.4 or later, License Management Facility

16K blocks disk space

1. ANSI-PPL3 and PostScript only  2. requires Level 1 or 2 PostScript emulation on printer  3. requires PCL emulation on printer  4. requires bi-directional communications interface