QIPPSVR - Using IBM i as an IPP Server

Summary

The IBM i can be used an Internet Printing Protocol (IPP) server. The printers used through this server do not need to be an IPP printer. Using the IBM i as an IPP server allows other platforms to send printed output to the IPP server to be printed on a printer attached to the IBM i.

Objective

Environment

Steps

The steps to configure the IBM i as an IPP server are performed through Navigator for i. 
Adding a printer to use with the IPP server on the IBM i are performed through Navigator for i.
Information is provided for adding a print driver in Windows® 11 to print to the internet printer.  

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Log in to Navigator for i:
http://SystemName-or-IPAddress:2002/Navigator/
👁 Welcome to Navigator for i Log In screen

Select to MANAGE the system
On the left, select WORK MANAGEMENT / PRINTING / INTERNET PRINTERS

👁 Selecting the options for Work Management, Printing and Internet Printers from IBM Navigator for i

This action will create the QIPPSVR application server if it doesn't already exist.  
  If the QIPPSVR application existed before performing the steps and it is not working as expected, delete the QIPPSVR application and repeat the steps to recreate the server application. 

• 
  - Go to HTTPAdmin: <SystemName-or-IPAddress>:2001/HTTPAdmin
  - From APPLICATION SERVERS tab, locate QIPPSVR
  - STOP the QIPPSVR server if it is active
  - DELETE the QIPPSVR server
  - Repeat the steps

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  The printer added as an Internet Printer does not need to be configured to use the *IBMIPPSVR system driver program.  The printer device can of any configuration, a remote output queue or any output queue.

From Navigator for I, Internet Printers, select ACTIONS / CREATE NEW INTERNET PRINTER

👁 Internet Printers / ACTIONS / CREATE NEW INTERNET PRINTER

In the CREATE NEW INTERNET PRINTER box, the required fields are the NAME and PRINTER DEVICE or OUTPUT QUEUE NAME.  The remaining parameters can be left at the default values or changed as needed.

In this example, the new internet printer is named PrinterName and associated with a printer device named PRTRNAME on the IBM i.  The remaining parameters are left at the default values.

👁 Create New Internet Printer window highlighting the NAME, ASSOCIATE WITH a PRINTER, and PRINTER DEVICES options

In this example, the new internet printer is named PrinterName and associated with an output queue named PRTRNAME in library QUSRSYS on the IBM i.  The associated printer File is QSYSPRT in library QSYS and Transmitted Data Type if SCS (see NOTE at end of the document).  The IPP printer information will be published.

👁 CREATE NEW INTERNET PRINTER box with the NAME, OUTPUT QUEUE NAME, ASSOCIATED PRINTER FILE and TRANSMITTED DATA TYPE highlighted

After adding the new printer, it will be shown in the Internet Printers list:

👁 The added printer shown in the INTERNET PRINTERS view

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If this is the first time adding an internet printer or if the QIPPSVR was started before adding the printer, the server must be ended and restarted.

• 
  - Go to HTTPAdmin: <SystemName-or-IPAddress>:2001/HTTPAdmin
  - From ALL HTTP SERVERS or ALL APPLICATION SERVERS tab, locate QIPPSVR
  - Select the radio button next to QIPPSVR 
  - Click STOP at the bottom of the window
  - On the STOP:  QIPPSVR screen, click STOP 
  - Click REFRESH if needed to confirm the server is in STOPPED status

• 
  - Go to HTTPAdmin: <SystemName-or-IPAddress>:2001/HTTPAdmin
  - From ALL HTTP SERVERS or ALL APPLICATION SERVERS tab, locate QIPPSVR
  - Select the radio button next to QIPPSVR 
  - Click START at the bottom of the window
  - On the START:  QIPPSVR screen, click START
  - Click REFRESH if needed to confirm the server is RUNNING

👁 Starting the QIPPSVR server from HTTPAdmin

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NOTE:  This example is using Windows® 11

Copy the URL for the Internet Printer from Navigator for i.  In this example:
http://<SystemName-or-IPAddress>:631/ipp/printers/PrinterName

👁 The added printer shown in the INTERNET PRINTERS view

From Add Printer in Windows, select SELECT A SHARED PRINTER BY NAME and paste or specify the URL for the Internet Printer and click NEXT
👁 Windows ADD PRINTER highlighting SELECT A SHARED PRINTER BY NAME and NEXT button

Supply your IBM I user ID and password:
👁 Log in using your IBM i user ID and password

Select the appropriate Windows print driver for the printer hardware being used and click OK.  If only simple text documents will be printed, the Generic / Text Only driver can be used.

👁 Windows ADD PRINTER WIZARD; selecting the appropriate MANUFACTURER and PRINTER MODEL for the printer being used

Click NEXT 

👁 Windows ADD PRINTER; message stating the printer has been successfully installed and click NEXT

Select to Print a Test Page if desired otherwise click FINISH

👁 Select to print a TEST PAGE if desired, otherwise click FINISH

If a test page was printed, click CLOSE

👁 A test page has been sent to the printer, click CLOSE

The spooled file will be seen on the output queue:👁 Work with Output Queue (WRKOUTQ) showing the spooled file as printed from Windows

  The spooled file will be of type *USERASCII regardless of what was selected during the configuration of the internet printer.  The spooled file cannot be viewed.  If the writer for the printer is started, the spooled file will be printed.

Document Location

[{"Type":"MASTER","Line of Business":{"code":"LOB68","label":"Power HW"},"Business Unit":{"code":"BU070","label":"IBM Infrastructure"},"Product":{"code":"SWG60","label":"IBM i"},"ARM Category":[{"code":"a8m0z0000000CHFAA2","label":"Print"}],"ARM Case Number":"","Platform":[{"code":"PF012","label":"IBM i"}],"Version":"7.4.0;7.5.0;7.6.0"}]