LU3 Print Sessions Do Not Support Transparent Print Sections

ID: Q195354

The information in this article applies to:


IMPORTANT: This article contains information about editing the registry. Before you edit the registry, make sure you understand how to restore it if a problem occurs. For information about how to do this, view the "Restoring the Registry" Help topic in Regedit.exe or the "Restoring a Registry Key" Help topic in Regedt32.exe.

SYMPTOMS

SNA Server's Host Print Server provides a Bypass GDI option for 3270 print sessions that is used to indicate whether the host print data is transparent or not. If this option is selected, all print data received through this 3270 print session will be treated as transparent data, and will be passed directly to the physical printer without modification. The Bypass GDI option has no effect for LU3 print sessions. LU3 print jobs that contain transparent data such as printer control codes (for example, HP PCL commands) or other pre-rendered print data will fail to print, or will print incorrectly even if the Bypass GDI option is enabled.


CAUSE

The Host Print Server was not designed to allow the Bypass GDI option to 


function with LU3 print sessions since LU3 print jobs were not intended for
use with transparent print data. IBM originally intended LU3 printing to be used for basic 3270 printing. IBM developed LU1 (SCS) printing to allow for more complex print jobs including transparent print data.


RESOLUTION

SNA Server 3.0

To resolve this problem, obtain the latest service pack for SNA Server version 3.0. For additional information, please see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:
Q184307 How to Obtain the Latest SNA Server Version 3.0 Service Pack

SNA Server 4.0

This problem was corrected in the latest SNA Server version 4.0 U.S. Service Pack. For information on obtaining this Service Pack, query on the following word in the Microsoft Knowledge Base (without the spaces): 


   S E R V P A C K


STATUS

Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in SNA Server versions 3.0, 3.0 Service Pack 1, 3.0 Service Pack 2, 3.0 Service Pack 3, 4.0, and 4.0 Service Pack 1. This problem was first corrected in SNA Server 3.0 Service Pack 4.


MORE INFORMATION

WARNING: Using Registry Editor incorrectly can cause serious problems that may require you to reinstall your operating system. Microsoft cannot guarantee that problems resulting from the incorrect use of Registry Editor can be solved. Use Registry Editor at your own risk.

For information about how to edit the registry, view the "Changing Keys and Values" Help topic in Registry Editor (Regedit.exe) or the "Add and Delete Information in the Registry" and "Edit Registry Data" Help topics in Regedt32.exe. Note that you should back up the registry before you edit it. If you are running Windows NT, you should also update your Emergency Repair Disk (ERD).

After applying the update, Bypass GDI is supported for LU3 print sessions if the print session is also configured to use a PDT (Printer Definition Table) file. In addition to applying the update, the following registry entry needs to be added:

  1. Start Registry Editor (Regedt32.exe).


  2. Locate the following key in the registry: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services \SnaPrint\Parameters NOTE: The above registry key is one path; it has been wrapped for readability.


  3. On the Edit menu, click Add Value, and then add the following registry value: 
    
      Value Name: BypassGDIForLU3
      Data Type:  REG_SZ
      Value:      Yes

      NOTE: Value can be set to anything (for example, Yes, On, and so on).
      As long as this parameter exists, the Bypass GDI option will be
      enabled for LU3 print sessions.


  4. Quit Registry Editor.


The following Knowledge Base article discusses an update that is included in SNA Server 3.0 SP3 and SNA Server 4.0 SP1 that allows the Host Print Server to pass EBCDIC X'27' characters for LU3 print sessions.

Q180150 LU3 Print Job Fails If Data Includes X'27' Control Codes
This capability was added to provide limited transparent section printing for LU3 sessions. The update for this issue required setting a registry parameter called LetHex27Pass to allow EBCDIC X'27' characters to pass through to the printer. However, the update described in this article removes support for the LetHex27Pass registry entry since the print server has been updated to support Bypass GDI for LU3 sessions. Enabling the BypassGDIForLU3 registry entry and applying this update will allow EBCDIC X'27' characters to pass through print server for LU3 sessions.

Additional query words: 


Keywords          : 
Version           : 
Platform          : WINDOWS 
Issue type        : kbbug

Last Reviewed: July 8, 1999