[SOLVED] TN5250 Mocha Emulator Print Screen--HELP!

[Reba]

I'm taking an on-line course that uses the TN5250 emulator from Mocha. I use my HP desktop, Windows 7 computer.

Our labs require using the PrtScn function. Mine doesn't work. I'm supposed to click the PrtScn key and get a message on the bottom of the window. All subsequent labs depend on this.

I've had an A average in my three computer classes, so far. Now I could possibly fail this one because I cannot get this key to work.

I've asked my instructor for help but he says, "I have tested your account here and the PrtScn function works fine. I am concerned how this will affect you in future labs. I have never heard of this problem before and have not been able to find any information about it."



When I click on PrtScn, instead of getting a message at the bottom left of the Mocha window, my window flashes and I get a very brief "X-Print Wait" on the lower left of the window. Very brief flash.

Is there a do-around or solution?

 

[naisho]

What is the purpose of using Print Screen in Mocha Emulation?

Is it an on-screen button or are you supposed to press it on the keyboard? It's near the F12 on the F-keys function row.

You can also try to exit all background programs/apps you might have running that can conflict with your program.
I don't know what X-Print is, but it sounds like it could be a capturing tool.

 

[Reba]

What is the purpose of using Print Screen in Mocha Emulation?

The course is AS/400. The labs are working thru various steps of using iIBM. We students connect our home computers to the college IBM using Mocha emulator TN5250. Using the Print Screen is one of the steps that we use several times. The first time we used Print Screen was to see what message displayed on our Mocha window. Nothing displayed on mine. Zip, nada. So, that question, and any others that relate to it, I get a 0 grade. It also relates to spooling, print files, queues, etc. Other steps require us to change libraries, print files, etc. Then, we make a new Print Screen to show changes and new messages (which mine doesn't show).

Is it an on-screen button or are you supposed to press it on the keyboard? It's near the F12 on the F-keys function row.

We're supposed to use our actual keyboards. I know where mine is . . . it's labeled. I even tried it with various other key combinations (after searching online for solutions). I've tried it alone, with FN, with shift, with ALT, etc. I used the Reset/ESC in between each combination attempt.

You can also try to exit all background programs/apps you might have running that can conflict with your program.

I'm pretty sure I didn't have anything else running but I'll check. I also shut down, re-booted, signed out, signed in....

I don't know what X-Print is, but it sounds like it could be a capturing tool.

Maybe.

 

[naisho]

I've never ran a Mocha terminal, so I do not have a good understanding in this area of how the program works.
It looks like there's a free source for linux out there, but it's probably not the same source being used for your Windows 7 port/counterpart you are running on so some things may be different.

According to this manual written for UNIX background:
www.chowhouse.com/~james/tn5250-HOWTO.pdf

TN5250 HOWTO

4.8 Local printing

Usually pressing the print key results in the screen being printed by the iSeries. 
This behaviour can be changed to have the host on which tn5250 is running do the print screen by using the +local print key argument. +local print key will cause a print screen to be sent to the default printer when the print screen key is pressed (usually Control-P).

On unix-like systems there are a number of arguments associated with +local print key to control how the resulting postscript is generated. 
These are described in the following table:

Argument
outputcommand=CMD
psfontsize 80=NUM
psfontsize 132=NUM
pagewidth=NUM
pagelength=NUM
leftmargin=NUM
topmargin=NUM

Section 4: Configuration

Description
command to pipe postscript to
size in dots of font in 80 columns
size in dots of font in 132 columns
width in dots of page
length in dots of page
left margin of page in dots
top margin of page in dots

Default
lpr
10
7
612
792
18
36

Adding +local print key to our .tn5250rc file looks like this:
as400 {
host = as400.mydomain.com
env.TERM = IBM-3477-FC
env.DEVNAME = MYDISPLAY
+underscores
map= 37
env.USER = MYUSER
env.IBMSUBSPW = MYPASSWORD
env.IBMPROGRAM = MYPROGRAM
env.IBMMENU = MYMENU
env.IBMCURLIB = MYLIBRARY
+local print key
}

So reading from this, is it actually supposed to be printing something or updating/refreshing the terminal from what you are describing?

Can you check your default printer on your Win7 Desktop?
What is it set to?

Some googling around looks like X print (not X-Print) is a software dependency from Mozilla for some unix/debian operating systems, unless it was supposed to come bundled along with the mocha installation.

X Print Service

Most X client software is designed to use native printing on the host where the client is running (which may be remote or local). Some X client software (Xedit, Xman, Xmore, etc. in X.org release 6.71 and later), Netscape 7.0, Mozilla FireFox) now supports printing via a X print service (Xprint) Xprt server to a postscript capable printer on the local workstation. (The X print service assumes that the target printer will have PostScript engine and all necessary fonts to render the page.) A Xprt server is integrated in to the Exceed server. For information about Xprint/Xprt see:

• http://xprint.mozdev.org/docs/Xprint_FAQ.html
• http://xprint.mozdev.org/

The X print service uses the same internet ports as the X Windows System and this may further limit the number of X Windows System users that a system with X-client software can support. There are other Unix printing solutions for printing via the Internet, for example:

 

[naisho]

I installed the Mocha TN5250 trial, but I do not have an AS400 server IP nor credentials to access and try the software out.
I'll see if I can eventually find some free test servers out there but I doubt it.

 

[Reba]

I installed the Mocha TN5250 trial, but I do not have an AS400 server IP nor credentials to access and try the software out.
I'll see if I can eventually find some free test servers out there but I doubt it.

That would be a problem, yes. We are allowed to use the IP address of our college server, under their license, with an assigned user name and password.

 

[Reba]

I've never ran a Mocha terminal, so I do not have a good understanding in this area of how the program works.
It looks like there's a free source for linux out there, but it's probably not the same source being used for your Windows 7 port/counterpart you are running on so some things may be different.

I think it's specific to each OS.

Can you check your default printer on your Win7 Desktop?
What is it set to?

We're not actually printing out on our own printers. We're just spooling the print file to a queue that is in line to print at the server location but we don't actually complete the process. (No trees were harmed in this process ) We just manipulate the spooled files.

Some googling around looks like X print (not X-Print) is a software dependency from Mozilla for some unix/debian operating systems, unless it was supposed to come bundled along with the mocha installation.

I have Mozilla on my computer but for my lab assignments I use Internet Explorer. (The college strongly recommends IE and Windows 7 for all our online courses.) I didn't want to risk any glitches, so I use what they suggest.

I wonder if just having Mozilla present, even if not in use, could be a problem?

 

[naisho]

Yes, I understand what you meant about spooling. I meant more in terms of in checking your local/client printers list to see if there is something installed on there that could override the PrtSct function - there are some third party software like PDF printers, Tiff/imagers that can bind themselves to the key.


Personally, I don't know why X print is on your PC as it seems could be more for development or client-server related purposes. The average user wouldn't have it installed.

Looks like Outlook users may also have it installed by default:
OL2000: General Information About the XPrint Control and Add-in

 

[The Highlander]

I'm taking an on-line course that uses the TN5250 emulator from Mocha. I use my HP desktop, Windows 7 computer.

Our labs require using the PrtScn function. Mine doesn't work. I'm supposed to click the PrtScn key and get a message on the bottom of the window. All subsequent labs depend on this.

I've had an A average in my three computer classes, so far. Now I could possibly fail this one because I cannot get this key to work.

I've asked my instructor for help but he says, "I have tested your account here and the PrtScn function works fine. I am concerned how this will affect you in future labs. I have never heard of this problem before and have not been able to find any information about it."



When I click on PrtScn, instead of getting a message at the bottom left of the Mocha window, my window flashes and I get a very brief "X-Print Wait" on the lower left of the window. Very brief flash.

Is there a do-around or solution?

Bring your laptop and show it to your instructor in the person and explained about hardware issue.

Or get another wireless keyboard?

I used TN5250 a lot from old Canon job for report/parts/etc. It was pretty stable and very quick.

 

[Anij]

Wirelessly posted (Blackberry Bold )

You might also want to pull up the onscreen keyboard that comes installed on all windows OS - see if using the printscreen key on that will work "properly" (just incase it's a physical keyboard issue)

 

[Reba]

Bring your laptop and show it to your instructor in the person and explained about hardware issue.

I've been using my desktop PC, not my laptop. My instructor knows about the problem. He said he doesn't know how to resolve it. He said that I could come to the campus and use a school computer for the labs but that would defeat the purpose of taking an online course. I have a serious transportation problem right now, so that would be very difficult to arrange.

Or get another wireless keyboard?

I might be able to borrow one from my neighbor.

I used TN5250 a lot from old Canon job for report/parts/etc. It was pretty stable and very quick.

 

[Reba]

Wirelessly posted (Blackberry Bold )

You might also want to pull up the onscreen keyboard that comes installed on all windows OS - see if using the printscreen key on that will work "properly" (just incase it's a physical keyboard issue)

I pulled up the on-screen keyboard, which has a totally different layout from my actual keyboard.

I tried the PrtScn key on the on-screen keyboard. I could hear the "click" and saw the window "flash" but no message showed up on the window. So I'm still doing something wrong.

 

[Anij]

Wirelessly posted (Blackberry Bold )

You might also want to pull up the onscreen keyboard that comes installed on all windows OS - see if using the printscreen key on that will work "properly" (just incase it's a physical keyboard issue)

I pulled up the on-screen keyboard, which has a totally different layout from my actual keyboard.



I tried the PrtScn key on the on-screen keyboard. I could hear the "click" and saw the window "flash" but no message showed up on the window. So I'm still doing something wrong.

Any chance that you have some popup blocker that might be interferring?



You should be able to turn off the ad block /popup block in the IE options (tools) ... Try disabling it and see if it makes a difference.

 

[Reba]

Wirelessly posted (Blackberry Bold )

Any chance that you have some popup blocker that might be interferring?

You should be able to turn off the *******/popup block in the IE options (tools) ... Try disabling it and see if it makes a difference.

Turned off popup blocker a long time ago. Online courses require that the popup blocker be off.

 

[naisho]

Ok, I just got access to a server using the Mocha TN5250 emulation.
I was able to press print screen and get the following prompts.

When I press PRTSCN, I get X - WAIT and PRINT in the boxes below.
What are you expecting to see happen when you press the key?

 

[Reba]

Ok, I just got access to a server using the Mocha TN5250 emulation.
I was able to press print screen and get the following prompts.

When I press PRTSCN, I get X - WAIT and PRINT in the boxes below.
What are you expecting to see happen when you press the key?

I get the X-WAIT PRINT also. But the lab requirement is a message in the lower left area of the window itself, in the message area, on the black part, not on the white part. The area below "F19=Extended system status."

It's supposed to say, "Print operation complete to the default printer device."

 

[naisho]

I decided to try it in my linux box and see if it would work. It did.

It makes me think that there is a step or configuration that might be missing for the Mocha installation. Was there any kind of tutorial over device/printer setup or anything like that? Did your instructor give directions about the program and software setup?

It works, apparently, for the same AS400 server on my linux distro. It just seems to have the same problem as you do with the Windows port, but the function works fine in a different terminal client.

 

[naisho]

Hmm, I think it's actually working fine in Mocha, just with a minor aesthetic bug.
I just realized it's not showing the "Print operation complete to the default printer device." But if you access your spooled jobs in your AS400 server, you should see what you've been trying to print and you probably have a TON of jobs/stuff you need to delete or remove.

In the end, meaning, your print command is actually going thru to the server, it's just not showing you the "Print operation complete to the default printer device". Check your spooled jobs to confirm/delete them and ask your instructor if he sees your stuff on the server.

In this case, this was the one I just did in the Mocha Windows client a few minutes ago at xx:35 (GMT timezone in the log)
Below, is a preview/display of the spool I made of those screenshots above. Of course, it doesn't say the "Print operation complete..." as we'd expect it to do so... Maybe the picture you're seeing in your manual or book was from a different client or version. :|

 

[Reba]

Hmm, I think it's actually working fine in Mocha, just with a minor aesthetic bug.
I just realized it's not showing the "Print operation complete to the default printer device." But if you access your spooled jobs in your AS400 server, you should see what you've been trying to print and you probably have a TON of jobs/stuff you need to delete or remove.

In the end, meaning, your print command is actually going thru to the server, it's just not showing you the "Print operation complete to the default printer device". Check your spooled jobs to confirm/delete them and ask your instructor if he sees your stuff on the server.

Yes, my clicks are apparently going thru because I have pages of spooled jobs when I look for them. (At the end of each session I delete most of them.) So I agree that the process goes thru but just the message doesn't show up. (For some reason, this is an important step in the lab assignment; I think it's just to drive me crazy.)

My instructor even told me that he sees my spooled files just fine. He doesn't understand why the message doesn't show up. He wants me to come to the school and try it there but I don't see how that will solve my problem at home. He's already checked my Mocha account and work from his end, and it was fine. It's my home computer that is a problem, not my account.

... Maybe the picture you're seeing in your manual or book was from a different client or version. :|

Don't know about the source for the book picture. All I know is, in the lab steps it very specifically says that I should see a message . . . or else! (Well, I added the "or else." But that's the tone of it.)

 

[Reba]

I decided to try it in my linux box and see if it would work. It did.

Yes, that's how it should look.

It makes me think that there is a step or configuration that might be missing for the Mocha installation. Was there any kind of tutorial over device/printer setup or anything like that? Did your instructor give directions about the program and software setup?

Not much. I went to the Mocha website and downloaded the software. I used the IP address, name, and license of the college server for the connection. He gave us a few instructions about the mapping of the F-keys, and assigned our usernames and initial passwords. Most of what we do is follow the directions in the text book. My first two labs, I got A-s, no problem. The 3rd one required the Print Screen exercise, and that's when things got sticky. I submitted my 3rd lab but haven't gotten a grade or feedback yet. I'm working on the 4th lab, and again, the Print Screen problem.

I would think that as long as that's the only message I don't see, I can work around that. (I can check on my spooled files to see if they're listed.) My biggest concern would be is suppose the message is supposed to be something else that has actual information I will need to perform subsequent steps. That could mess me up.

It works, apparently, for the same AS400 server on my linux distro. It just seems to have the same problem as you do with the Windows port, but the function works fine in a different terminal client.

I also hate that I'm spending way too much time on one question. In my other computer class, I have many chapters to read, and a research paper due this week.

On our class discussion board, either no one else is having the same problem that I have or else they don't want to discuss it. I hate being the odd bird who is the only one that can't solve the problem, and seeming like a whiner.