i tried a couple other things over and above what you all have suggested. i gone as far as testing the cables a second time and even replacing the IBM console with a new one. I get the same test results as before:

PRT02 does not work, I jhave redirected the displays printouts to another displays printer such that the two displays (DSP03 and DSP04) are sharing a printer. This i did through STRDFU.

The message I get when printing is: PRT02 is either powered off, unavailable for use or in use by another job.
The printer is still under Job name: Qsysarb and user qsys (which is not the case with other jobs)
Given what I have gone through so far Im thinking its a software related matter thus I am going full on with further playing around with your suggestion, addative to which I am researching on this “QSYSARB” as it does not seem to stop inspite of the commands you have provided to assist me in. i have never seen this before (well I am not he most experienced in these) but I am open and keen to learning it.

If you have further ideas, or addatives on previous discussions, they are more than welcome.

Many thanks to all of you for your time and efforts.

Efie

I’m not sure what that means. The PRTDEVADR command doesn’t generate any jobs at all; it just prints a short report that shows the relationship between device descriptions and ports/switches for a single device controller.

I also discovered the command WRKSPLF Opt5 for QPDCDEVA

Yes, QPDCDEVA is the report generated by the PRTDEVADR command.

Your output shows that the system expects device PRT02 to be on port 1 with switch address 3. You need to ensure that the printer is indeed set for switch address 3 (and that it is cabled into port 1).

By the looks of it, you have this printer connected to port 1 because it’s attached with DSP03 and DSP03 is working correctly, right?

DSP03 is a 3487 HC terminal. It is used to configure the attached printer switch setting. Do you have a manual for your 3487 terminals? Do you know how to access the switch settings for these devices?

Tom

I tried making the printer unavailable and then available (I suppose this is what you mean by “vary on” and “vary off”. I haven’t seen “vary on” or “vary off” for printer, only for displays.
The twinax cable signals the console which powers the display.
I don’t have a conflicting printer (or workstation) all others are working properly. These are:
Display Printer Comment
DSP01 none Master display
DSP02 PRT01 Working
DSP03 PRT02 Problem Printer
DSP04 PRT03 Working
DSP05 PRT04 Working
CADSP06 CAPRT05 Working, using window
CADSP07 CAPRT07 Working, using window

NickHutchesor

Nothing has ever changed on our hardware configuration
I checked the address and there are no conflictions at all, see table below:

Switch Setting> 0 1 2 3

Port 0 DSP01
*DSP
3486 BA

Port 1 DSP02 PRT01 DSP03 PRT02
*DSP *PRT *DSP *PRT
3487 HC 5256 2 3487 HC 4214 2

Port 2 DSP04 PRT03 DSP05 PRT04
*DSP *PRT *DSP *PRT
3487 HC 4214 2 3407 HC 4214 2

Port 3

Port 4

I ended the writer
Powered off the writer with the 10 seconds wait
VRYCFG PRT02 *off. Display the status to make sure it is varied off.
Powered on the writer with the 10 seconds wait
VRYCFG PRT02 *on.
Strprtwtr PRT02.

Infact I deleted the entire printer set up/description and reconnected the printer hoping for auto-config to do the “set-up” (I verified the auto-config to be set to 1), and this still didn’t work.
Any messages: same on I keep getting: writer PRT02 cannot use device PRT02 because the device is not powered on, varied on or in use by another job

TomLiotta

The twinax cable signals the console which powers the display.
I don’t have a conflicting printer (or workstation) all others are working properly. These are:
Display Printer Comment
DSP01 none Master display
DSP02 PRT01 Working
DSP03 PRT02 Problem Printer
DSP04 PRT03 Working
DSP05 PRT04 Working
CADSP06 CAPRT05 Working, using window
CADSP07 CAPRT07 Working, using window

I tried using the command you gave me but it generates a lot of print jobs on our printrer. I also discovered the command
WRKSPLF
Opt5 for QPDCDEVA

Switch Setting> 0 1 2 3

Port 0 DSP01
*DSP
3486 BA

Port 1 DSP02 PRT01 DSP03 PRT02
*DSP *PRT *DSP *PRT
3487 HC 5256 2 3487 HC 4214 2

Port 2 DSP04 PRT03 DSP05 PRT04
*DSP *PRT *DSP *PRT
3487 HC 4214 2 3407 HC 4214 2

Port 3

Port 4

I hope this helps, I tried all these things.
Thanks for your time

If the device is allocated to QSYSARB, there is no writer active.

I get a message waiting with error code CPA3387…

And you can’t start a writer because the writer fails from CPA3387.

How many twinax ports do you have available? If you run PRTDEVADR for the twinax controller, does that device show up in the right location?

Tom