I'm seeing some weird behavior with files passed to the print queue
in a batch fashion. It seems like files get added to the queue, but if
they somehow don't complete before additional print files get added,
they seem to get 'forgotten'. Once all of the files in the batch
are processed, these 'old' files resume processing and complete
successfully. However, if there are a lot of files in the batch job, it
can take a long time before it resumes processing these older files.

Has anyone seen this behavior before? Is there any way to control the
Windows print queue and make it finish these older jobs before starting
new ones?

Sincerely,

Bryan Ax
Software Developer

Printer Properties, Advanced,
Select
Start printing after last page is spooled

and

Print spooled documents first (this is the default so should already be
set)

--
Alan Morris
Windows Printing Team
Search the Microsoft Knowledge Base here:
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=fh;[ln];kbhowto

This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no rights.

"Bryan Ax" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed)...
> I'm seeing some weird behavior with files passed to the print queue
> in a batch fashion. It seems like files get added to the queue, but if
> they somehow don't complete before additional print files get added,
> they seem to get 'forgotten'. Once all of the files in the batch
> are processed, these 'old' files resume processing and complete
> successfully. However, if there are a lot of files in the batch job, it
> can take a long time before it resumes processing these older files.
>
> Has anyone seen this behavior before? Is there any way to control the
> Windows print queue and make it finish these older jobs before starting
> new ones?
>
> Sincerely,
>
> Bryan Ax
> Software Developer
>

Interesting - I added a printer for this last week - it's set up as a
FILE: printer, and they were setup as Start Printing Immediately. I'll
go ahead and test this - thanks for the pointer.

Alan Morris [MSFT] wrote:
> Printer Properties, Advanced,
> Select
> Start printing after last page is spooled
>
> and
>
> Print spooled documents first (this is the default so should already be
> set)
>
> --
> Alan Morris
> Windows Printing Team
> Search the Microsoft Knowledge Base here:
> http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=fh;[ln];kbhowto
>

Bryan Ax wrote:
> Interesting - I added a printer for this last week - it's set up as a
> FILE: printer, and they were setup as Start Printing Immediately. I'll
> go ahead and test this - thanks for the pointer.
>
> Alan Morris [MSFT] wrote:
> > Printer Properties, Advanced,
> > Select
> > Start printing after last page is spooled
> >
> > and
> >
> > Print spooled documents first (this is the default so should already be
> > set)
> >
> > --
> > Alan Morris
> > Windows Printing Team
> > Search the Microsoft Knowledge Base here:
> > http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=fh;[ln];kbhowto
> >

Alan:

One other question - if I turn off the Print spooled documents first,
would that also help this situation? Reading the context help for this
setting, it reads, "When this option is disabled, the spooler picks
documents based only on priority". To me, that sounds as if it works
based on a first in/first out situation alone.

Bryan

All the jobs have the same priority unless you set this in the document
properties. I normally do not change the priority. A job that takes a
long time to spool to the server can block smaller jobs so I set the
properties so print will not start until the document write has complete to
the server.

The post is for Win2k. If you are using Server 2003, there is another
configuration to try.

--
Alan Morris
Windows Printing Team
Search the Microsoft Knowledge Base here:
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=fh;[ln];kbhowto

This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no rights.

"Bryan Ax" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed)...
>
> Bryan Ax wrote:
>> Interesting - I added a printer for this last week - it's set up as a
>> FILE: printer, and they were setup as Start Printing Immediately. I'll
>> go ahead and test this - thanks for the pointer.
>>
>> Alan Morris [MSFT] wrote:
>> > Printer Properties, Advanced,
>> > Select
>> > Start printing after last page is spooled
>> >
>> > and
>> >
>> > Print spooled documents first (this is the default so should already
>> > be
>> > set)
>> >
>> > --
>> > Alan Morris
>> > Windows Printing Team
>> > Search the Microsoft Knowledge Base here:
>> > http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=fh;[ln];kbhowto
>> >
>
> Alan:
>
> One other question - if I turn off the Print spooled documents first,
> would that also help this situation? Reading the context help for this
> setting, it reads, "When this option is disabled, the spooler picks
> documents based only on priority". To me, that sounds as if it works
> based on a first in/first out situation alone.
>
> Bryan
>

I should have clarified that before - yes, we are using Server 2003.

Alan Morris [MSFT] wrote:
> All the jobs have the same priority unless you set this in the document
> properties. I normally do not change the priority. A job that takes a
> long time to spool to the server can block smaller jobs so I set the
> properties so print will not start until the document write has complete to
> the server.
>
> The post is for Win2k. If you are using Server 2003, there is another
> configuration to try.
>
> --
> Alan Morris
> Windows Printing Team
> Search the Microsoft Knowledge Base here:
> http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=fh;[ln];kbhowto
>
> This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no rights.
>
> "Bryan Ax" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
> news:(E-Mail Removed)...
> >
> > Bryan Ax wrote:
> >> Interesting - I added a printer for this last week - it's set up as a
> >> FILE: printer, and they were setup as Start Printing Immediately. I'll
> >> go ahead and test this - thanks for the pointer.
> >>
> >> Alan Morris [MSFT] wrote:
> >> > Printer Properties, Advanced,
> >> > Select
> >> > Start printing after last page is spooled
> >> >
> >> > and
> >> >
> >> > Print spooled documents first (this is the default so should already
> >> > be
> >> > set)
> >> >
> >> > --
> >> > Alan Morris
> >> > Windows Printing Team
> >> > Search the Microsoft Knowledge Base here:
> >> > http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=fh;[ln];kbhowto
> >> >
> >
> > Alan:
> >
> > One other question - if I turn off the Print spooled documents first,
> > would that also help this situation? Reading the context help for this
> > setting, it reads, "When this option is disabled, the spooler picks
> > documents based only on priority". To me, that sounds as if it works
> > based on a first in/first out situation alone.
> >
> > Bryan
> >

Also, because these are using a FILE: port, does spooling even help?
These are never being sent to a real printer, just using a printer
driver to create .PRN files at a given FILE: location.

Bryan Ax wrote:
> I should have clarified that before - yes, we are using Server 2003.
>
> Alan Morris [MSFT] wrote:
> > All the jobs have the same priority unless you set this in the document
> > properties. I normally do not change the priority. A job that takes a
> > long time to spool to the server can block smaller jobs so I set the
> > properties so print will not start until the document write has complete to
> > the server.
> >
> > The post is for Win2k. If you are using Server 2003, there is another
> > configuration to try.
> >
> > --
> > Alan Morris
> > Windows Printing Team
> > Search the Microsoft Knowledge Base here:
> > http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=fh;[ln];kbhowto
> >
> > This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no rights.
> >
> > "Bryan Ax" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
> > news:(E-Mail Removed)...
> > >
> > > Bryan Ax wrote:
> > >> Interesting - I added a printer for this last week - it's set up as a
> > >> FILE: printer, and they were setup as Start Printing Immediately. I'll
> > >> go ahead and test this - thanks for the pointer.
> > >>
> > >> Alan Morris [MSFT] wrote:
> > >> > Printer Properties, Advanced,
> > >> > Select
> > >> > Start printing after last page is spooled
> > >> >
> > >> > and
> > >> >
> > >> > Print spooled documents first (this is the default so should already
> > >> > be
> > >> > set)
> > >> >
> > >> > --
> > >> > Alan Morris
> > >> > Windows Printing Team
> > >> > Search the Microsoft Knowledge Base here:
> > >> > http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=fh;[ln];kbhowto
> > >> >
> > >
> > > Alan:
> > >
> > > One other question - if I turn off the Print spooled documents first,
> > > would that also help this situation? Reading the context help for this
> > > setting, it reads, "When this option is disabled, the spooler picks
> > > documents based only on priority". To me, that sounds as if it works
> > > based on a first in/first out situation alone.
> > >
> > > Bryan
> > >

Yes the data is still spooled.

Disable the spooler file pooling
add a key named DisableServerFilePooling under
HKLM/System/CurrentControlSet/Control/Print
dword value = 1



--
Alan Morris
Windows Printing Team
Search the Microsoft Knowledge Base here:
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=fh;[ln];kbhowto

This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no rights.

"Bryan Ax" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed)...
> Also, because these are using a FILE: port, does spooling even help?
> These are never being sent to a real printer, just using a printer
> driver to create .PRN files at a given FILE: location.
>
> Bryan Ax wrote:
>> I should have clarified that before - yes, we are using Server 2003.
>>
>> Alan Morris [MSFT] wrote:
>> > All the jobs have the same priority unless you set this in the document
>> > properties. I normally do not change the priority. A job that takes
>> > a
>> > long time to spool to the server can block smaller jobs so I set the
>> > properties so print will not start until the document write has
>> > complete to
>> > the server.
>> >
>> > The post is for Win2k. If you are using Server 2003, there is another
>> > configuration to try.
>> >
>> > --
>> > Alan Morris
>> > Windows Printing Team
>> > Search the Microsoft Knowledge Base here:
>> > http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=fh;[ln];kbhowto
>> >
>> > This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no
>> > rights.
>> >
>> > "Bryan Ax" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
>> > news:(E-Mail Removed)...
>> > >
>> > > Bryan Ax wrote:
>> > >> Interesting - I added a printer for this last week - it's set up as
>> > >> a
>> > >> FILE: printer, and they were setup as Start Printing Immediately.
>> > >> I'll
>> > >> go ahead and test this - thanks for the pointer.
>> > >>
>> > >> Alan Morris [MSFT] wrote:
>> > >> > Printer Properties, Advanced,
>> > >> > Select
>> > >> > Start printing after last page is spooled
>> > >> >
>> > >> > and
>> > >> >
>> > >> > Print spooled documents first (this is the default so should
>> > >> > already
>> > >> > be
>> > >> > set)
>> > >> >
>> > >> > --
>> > >> > Alan Morris
>> > >> > Windows Printing Team
>> > >> > Search the Microsoft Knowledge Base here:
>> > >> > http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=fh;[ln];kbhowto
>> > >> >
>> > >
>> > > Alan:
>> > >
>> > > One other question - if I turn off the Print spooled documents first,
>> > > would that also help this situation? Reading the context help for
>> > > this
>> > > setting, it reads, "When this option is disabled, the spooler picks
>> > > documents based only on priority". To me, that sounds as if it works
>> > > based on a first in/first out situation alone.
>> > >
>> > > Bryan
>> > >
>

Alan:

I will give this a shot - are there certain settings I need to keep set
in the print queue properties as well in combination with this registry
key?

Bryan

Alan Morris [MSFT] wrote:
> Yes the data is still spooled.
>
> Disable the spooler file pooling
> add a key named DisableServerFilePooling under
> HKLM/System/CurrentControlSet/Control/Print
> dword value = 1
>
>
>
> --
> Alan Morris
> Windows Printing Team
> Search the Microsoft Knowledge Base here:
> http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=fh;[ln];kbhowto
>
> This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no rights.
>
> "Bryan Ax" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
> news:(E-Mail Removed)...
> > Also, because these are using a FILE: port, does spooling even help?
> > These are never being sent to a real printer, just using a printer
> > driver to create .PRN files at a given FILE: location.
> >
> > Bryan Ax wrote:
> >> I should have clarified that before - yes, we are using Server 2003.
> >>
> >> Alan Morris [MSFT] wrote:
> >> > All the jobs have the same priority unless you set this in the document
> >> > properties. I normally do not change the priority. A job that takes
> >> > a
> >> > long time to spool to the server can block smaller jobs so I set the
> >> > properties so print will not start until the document write has
> >> > complete to
> >> > the server.
> >> >
> >> > The post is for Win2k. If you are using Server 2003, there is another
> >> > configuration to try.
> >> >
> >> > --
> >> > Alan Morris
> >> > Windows Printing Team
> >> > Search the Microsoft Knowledge Base here:
> >> > http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=fh;[ln];kbhowto
> >> >
> >> > This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no
> >> > rights.
> >> >
> >> > "Bryan Ax" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
> >> > news:(E-Mail Removed)...
> >> > >
> >> > > Bryan Ax wrote:
> >> > >> Interesting - I added a printer for this last week - it's set up as
> >> > >> a
> >> > >> FILE: printer, and they were setup as Start Printing Immediately.
> >> > >> I'll
> >> > >> go ahead and test this - thanks for the pointer.
> >> > >>
> >> > >> Alan Morris [MSFT] wrote:
> >> > >> > Printer Properties, Advanced,
> >> > >> > Select
> >> > >> > Start printing after last page is spooled
> >> > >> >
> >> > >> > and
> >> > >> >
> >> > >> > Print spooled documents first (this is the default so should
> >> > >> > already
> >> > >> > be
> >> > >> > set)
> >> > >> >
> >> > >> > --
> >> > >> > Alan Morris
> >> > >> > Windows Printing Team
> >> > >> > Search the Microsoft Knowledge Base here:
> >> > >> > http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=fh;[ln];kbhowto
> >> > >> >
> >> > >
> >> > > Alan:
> >> > >
> >> > > One other question - if I turn off the Print spooled documents first,
> >> > > would that also help this situation? Reading the context help for
> >> > > this
> >> > > setting, it reads, "When this option is disabled, the spooler picks
> >> > > documents based only on priority". To me, that sounds as if it works
> >> > > based on a first in/first out situation alone.
> >> > >
> >> > > Bryan
> >> > >
> >