pcnfsd.conf Configuration File

Purpose

Provides configuration options for the rpc.pcnfsd daemon.

Description

The /etc/pcnfsd.conf file is an ASCII file written by users to add options to the operation of the rpc.pcnfsd daemon, which takes no command-line flags. This file is part of Network Support Facilities.

When started, the rpc.pcnfsd daemon checks for the presence of the pcnfsd.conf configuration file and conforms its performance to the specified arguments. The following options can be entered in the pcnfsd.conf file:

Option Description
aixargs -BCharacterPair Controls the printing of burst pages according to the value of the CharacterPair variable, as listed below. The first character applies to the header and the second character to the trailer. Possible values are n (never), a (always), and g (group).
HT
Description
nn
No headers, no trailers
na
No headers, trailer on every file
ng
No header, trailer at the end of the job
an
Header on every file, no trailers
aa
Headers and trailers on every file in the job
ag
Header on every file, trailer after job
gn
Header at beginning of job, no trailer
ga
Header at beginning of job, trailer after every file
gg
Header at beginning of job, trailer at end of job

The header and trailer stanzas in the /etc/qconfig file define the default treatment of burst pages.

Note: The -B flag works exactly like the -B flag in the enq command. Unlike the enq command, however, the rpc.pcnfsd daemon does not allow spaces between the -B flag and the CharacterPair variable.
getjobnum off Disables the rpc.pcnfsd daemon feature that returns job numbers when print jobs are submitted.
printer Name AliasFor Command Defines a PC-NFS virtual printer, recognized only by rpc.pcnfsd daemon clients. Each virtual printer is defined on a separate line in the pcnfsd.conf file. The following variables are specified with this option.
Name
Specifies the name of the PC-NFS virtual printer to be defined.
AliasFor
Specifies the name of an existing printer that performs the print job.
Note: To define a PC-NFS virtual printer associated with no existing printer, use a single - (minus sign) instead of the AliasFor variable.
Command
Specifies the command that is run when a file is printed on the Name printer. This command is executed by the Bourne shell, using the -c option. For complex operations, replace the Command variable with an executable shell script.

The following list of tokens and substitution values can be used in the Command variable:

Token
Substitution Value
$FILE
The full path name of the print data file. After the command has executed, the file will be unlinked.
$USER
The user name of the user logged in to the client.
$HOST
The host name of the client system.
spooldir PathName Designates a new parent directory, PathName, where the rpc.pcnfsd daemon stores the subdirectories it creates for each of its clients. The default parent directory is /var/spool/pcnfs.
uidrange Specifies the valid UID (user number) range that the rpc.pcnfsd daemon accepts. The default UID range is 101-4294967295.
wtmp off Disables the login record-keeping feature of the rpc.pcnfsd daemon. By default, the daemon appends to the /var/adm/wtmp file a record of user logins.

Examples

  1. The following sample pcnfsd.conf configuration file demonstrates the effects some options have on the operation of the rpc.pcnfsd daemon: 
    printer test - /usr/bin/cp $FILE
 /usr/tmp/$HOST-$USER
printer sandman san ls -l $FILE
wtmp off

    The first line establishes a printer test. Files sent to the test printer will be copied into the /usr/tmp directory. Requests to the test PC-NFS virtual printer to list the queue, check the status, or do similar printer operations, will be rejected because a - (minus sign) has been given for the Alias-For parameter.

    The second line establishes a PC-NFS virtual printer called sandman that lists, in long form, the file specifications for the print data file.

    The third line turns off the rpc.pcnfsd daemon feature that records user logins.

  2. To set a UID range enter: 
    uidrange 1-100,200-50000

    This entry means that only numbers from 101-199 and over 50000 are invalid UID numbers.

Files

Item Description
/etc/pcnfsd.conf Specifies the path of the configuration file.
/var/spool/pcnfs directory Contains subdirectories for clients of the pcnfsd daemon.
/etc/qconfig Configures a printer queuing system.
/var/adm/wtmp Describes formats for user and accounting information.