Guardian User's Guide

Introduction to the Spooler
Guardian User’s Guide—425266-001
12-8
Routing Structure
Routing Structure
The spooler routing structure, which consists of a set of locations and printers, directs a
spooler job to a printer.
A spooler location is the logical destination of a job, while a printer is the physical
destination. This distinction allows flexibility when routing jobs. The spooler assigns
each job a location when it enters the spooler. The job eventually prints on the printer
associated with that location, if a printer exists with that name.
Location names have two parts: a group name and a destination name. The group name
is always preceded by a number (#) symbol. Examples of location names are:
#LP.EAST
#LP.WEST
#LP is a group name; EAST and WEST are destination names.
Broadcast and Nonbroadcast Groups
If you specify only the group name #LP as the location, the spooler supplies the
destination. If the group is a nonbroadcast group, the spooler routes the job to the
destination that can print the job soonest. If the group is a broadcast group, the job is
routed to all of the destinations in the group and prints on all the printers associated with
the group.
For example, assume that the location name #LP.EAST is associated with a line printer
on the east side of the machine room, and #LP.WEST is associated with a line printer on
the west side of the machine room.
If #LP is a broadcast group, a job routed to #LP prints at both line printers, and two
copies of the job are printed. If #LP is a nonbroadcast group, the first available line
printer prints the job, and only one copy of the job is printed. In either case, a job routed
to #LP.WEST will print once at the line printer at the west end of the machine room.
Your system operator can tell you the locations available to you, the printer associated
with each location, and the groups that are broadcast groups.
Default Routing
The spooler has a special location, #DEFAULT, which is used when you do not specify
a location for a job. For example, these two commands are equivalent; both send
TFORM output to $S.#DEFAULT:
Ask your system manager which physical printer or printers are associated with
#DEFAULT on your system.
10> TFORM / IN DAYREPRT, OUT $S /
11> TFORM / IN DAYREPRT, OUT $S.#DEFAULT /