User`s guide

4-42
Guide to Printers and Printing
Printer Attachment Files
Attachment files provide a simple interface for developers of printer attachments to create
System Management Interface Tool (SMIT) screens that support new printer attachments.
To learn more about attachment files, see:
• Understanding the SMIT Interface
• Attachment File Naming Conventions, on page 4-42
• Structure of Attachment Files, on page 4-43
• Attachment File Field Definitions, on page 4-44
Each new attachment type is defined in an attachment file. The attachment file contains the
name of SMIT object IDs used to perform various printing tasks. The name of an attachment
type is limited to 10 characters.
Understanding the SMIT Interface
Attachment files direct the branching from SMIT menus to SMIT object IDs. Every
attachment file controls the branching from some or all of these SMIT menu options:
• Start a Print Job
• Add a Print Queue
• Add an Additional Printer to an Existing Queue
• Change/Show Print Queue Characteristics
• Change/Show Printer Connection Characteristics
• Remove a Print Queue
• Pre–Processing Filters
For example, when the Add a Print Queue menu option is selected from a SMIT dialog
screen, the first information required from the user is which attachment type is being used.
The user selects the desired attachment type, and SMIT searches the attachment type file
to discover which SMIT object ID file to branch to.
SMIT selectors and dialogs for new printer attachments must create dialogs that add,
change, and remove a print queue for the new attachment type. The names of the new
SMIT dialogs are placed in the attachment file. The dialog names in the file are
automatically branched to when creating, changing, or removing queues for the new
attachment type.
Attachment File Naming Conventions
Attachment files must be named according to the following naming convention:
Attachment_type.attach
The Attachment_type string must contain a unique string that identifies the attachment. All
attachment files must be located in the /usr/lib/lpd/pio/etc directory. The following
attachment files are supplied:
local.attach Contains the local system attached printers file.
xsta.attach Contains printers attached to Xstations file.
ascii.attach Contains ASCII–terminal attached printers file.
file.attach Contains the output–to–file attachment file.
remote.attach Contains the remote print queues attachment file.