Greetings,

One pain point I've always dealt with is that whenever we do a MIMIX role swap the process never varies on our printer devices and start the printer writers.  I've always had to go thru them one by one and vary them on manually.  Is there a better way to do this?  I realize this doesn't apply to this specific situation, but I can see in our start-up program this code for starting the writers and the QSPL subsystem. 

/*******************************************************************/   
/* START PRINTERS IF NECESSARY                                     */   
/*******************************************************************/   
             DLYJOB     DLY(180)                                        
             IF         COND(&MXSYSROLE *EQ 'P') THEN(DO)               
             QSYS/STRSBS SBSD(QSPL)                                     
             MONMSG     MSGID(CPF0000)                                  
             QSYS/RTVSYSVAL SYSVAL(QSTRPRTWTR) RTNVAR(&STRWTRS)         
             IF         COND(&STRWTRS = '0') THEN(GOTO CMDLBL(NOWTRS))  
             CALL       PGM(QSYS/QWCSWTRS)                              
             MONMSG     MSGID(CPF0000)                                  
NOWTRS:                                                                 
             ENDDO                                                      

I'm wondering if I could write a CL program that I could call to vary on the devices and start the writers.  

Thank you,

------------------------------
Michael Soucy
Sr Midrange Engineer
Bangor Savings Bank
Bangor ME
------------------------------

Hello

You may want to try using IBM i Services like the following, through a RUNSQL command:

To vary on the varied off printer devices:

select qsys2.qcmdexc('VRYCFG CFGOBJ(' concat OBJECT_NAME concat ') OBJTYPE(*DEVD) STATUS(*ON)')

from SYSTOOLS.CONFIGURATION_STATUS where OBJECT_TYPE = '*DEVD'  and OBJECT_ATTRIBUTE like ('PRT%') and STATUS_DESCRIPTION = 'VARIED OFF'

Then to start the printers:

select qsys2.qcmdexc('STRPRTWTR DEV(' concat OBJECT_NAME concat ')')

from SYSTOOLS.CONFIGURATION_STATUS where OBJECT_TYPE = '*DEVD'  and OBJECT_ATTRIBUTE like ('PRT%')

------------------------------
Marc Rauzier
------------------------------

My bad sorry.

Neither RUNSQL nor RUNSQLSTM can execute an SELECT SQL statement.

You have to create one QMQRY for each statement, then run them with STRQMQRY, or run your statements from "Run SQL scripts" feature of iACS PASE installation (https://www.ibm.com/support/pages/ibm-i-access-acs-updates-pase).

------------------------------
Marc Rauzier
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: Fri March 27, 2026 04:58 PM
From: Marc Rauzier
Subject: Varying on printer devices & starting writers after role swap

Hello

You may want to try using IBM i Services like the following, through a RUNSQL command:

To vary on the varied off printer devices:

select qsys2.qcmdexc('VRYCFG CFGOBJ(' concat OBJECT_NAME concat ') OBJTYPE(*DEVD) STATUS(*ON)')

from SYSTOOLS.CONFIGURATION_STATUS where OBJECT_TYPE = '*DEVD'  and OBJECT_ATTRIBUTE like ('PRT%') and STATUS_DESCRIPTION = 'VARIED OFF'

Then to start the printers:

select qsys2.qcmdexc('STRPRTWTR DEV(' concat OBJECT_NAME concat ')')

from SYSTOOLS.CONFIGURATION_STATUS where OBJECT_TYPE = '*DEVD'  and OBJECT_ATTRIBUTE like ('PRT%')

------------------------------
Marc Rauzier
------------------------------

Workaround:

create or replace table qtemp.cfg_status_result as (

... use select statement above

) with data;

------------------------------
Robert Berendt IBMChampion
Business Systems Analyst, Lead
Dekko
Fort Wayne
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: Sat March 28, 2026 04:51 AM
From: Marc Rauzier
Subject: Varying on printer devices & starting writers after role swap

My bad sorry.

Neither RUNSQL nor RUNSQLSTM can execute an SELECT SQL statement.

You have to create one QMQRY for each statement, then run them with STRQMQRY, or run your statements from "Run SQL scripts" feature of iACS PASE installation (https://www.ibm.com/support/pages/ibm-i-access-acs-updates-pase).

------------------------------
Marc Rauzier
------------------------------


Original Message:
Sent: Fri March 27, 2026 04:58 PM
From: Marc Rauzier
Subject: Varying on printer devices & starting writers after role swap

Hello

You may want to try using IBM i Services like the following, through a RUNSQL command:

To vary on the varied off printer devices:

select qsys2.qcmdexc('VRYCFG CFGOBJ(' concat OBJECT_NAME concat ') OBJTYPE(*DEVD) STATUS(*ON)')

from SYSTOOLS.CONFIGURATION_STATUS where OBJECT_TYPE = '*DEVD'  and OBJECT_ATTRIBUTE like ('PRT%') and STATUS_DESCRIPTION = 'VARIED OFF'

Then to start the printers:

select qsys2.qcmdexc('STRPRTWTR DEV(' concat OBJECT_NAME concat ')')

from SYSTOOLS.CONFIGURATION_STATUS where OBJECT_TYPE = '*DEVD'  and OBJECT_ATTRIBUTE like ('PRT%')

------------------------------
Marc Rauzier

Another example of using stored procedures to replace CL

------------------------------
Robert Berendt IBMChampion
Business Systems Analyst, Lead
Dekko
Fort Wayne
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: Mon March 30, 2026 07:38 AM
From: Robert Berendt
Subject: Varying on printer devices & starting writers after role swap

Workaround:

create or replace table qtemp.cfg_status_result as (

... use select statement above

) with data;

------------------------------
Robert Berendt IBMChampion
Business Systems Analyst, Lead
Dekko
Fort Wayne
------------------------------


Original Message:
Sent: Sat March 28, 2026 04:51 AM
From: Marc Rauzier
Subject: Varying on printer devices & starting writers after role swap

My bad sorry.

Neither RUNSQL nor RUNSQLSTM can execute an SELECT SQL statement.

You have to create one QMQRY for each statement, then run them with STRQMQRY, or run your statements from "Run SQL scripts" feature of iACS PASE installation (https://www.ibm.com/support/pages/ibm-i-access-acs-updates-pase).

------------------------------
Marc Rauzier


Original Message:
Sent: Fri March 27, 2026 04:58 PM
From: Marc Rauzier
Subject: Varying on printer devices & starting writers after role swap

Hello

You may want to try using IBM i Services like the following, through a RUNSQL command:

To vary on the varied off printer devices:

select qsys2.qcmdexc('VRYCFG CFGOBJ(' concat OBJECT_NAME concat ') OBJTYPE(*DEVD) STATUS(*ON)')

from SYSTOOLS.CONFIGURATION_STATUS where OBJECT_TYPE = '*DEVD'  and OBJECT_ATTRIBUTE like ('PRT%') and STATUS_DESCRIPTION = 'VARIED OFF'

Then to start the printers:

select qsys2.qcmdexc('STRPRTWTR DEV(' concat OBJECT_NAME concat ')')

from SYSTOOLS.CONFIGURATION_STATUS where OBJECT_TYPE = '*DEVD'  and OBJECT_ATTRIBUTE like ('PRT%')

------------------------------
Marc Rauzier

when we do role swaps using Mimix, we submit the vary on (CL Program) as a separate  batch job early in the process by the time the vary-on job is done - we're able to start the writers without issue. While you can use SQL to do something similar, i find that some things do run slower using SQL Services compared to the "old" way of doing things..and like all things. "it depends".  You're not going to notice something running slow if its a small amount of 'x', but you will notice it on items that have a large quantity of 'x'. 

------------------------------
Rich Malloy
Principal Systems Engineer - IBMi
Cox Automotive
Draper UT
------------------------------

Thank you everyone for your help with this.  I was able to create a CL program using some code that I "stole" from a webservice program a former coworker of mine created.  The webservice program displays a list of all the printers we have.  This is my CL program. 

 START:         PGM        /* B#UTLCPRT */

                DCL        VAR(&SQLCMD) TYPE(*CHAR) LEN(1000)

                DCLF       FILE(B#PRINTERS) OPNID(F1)

                DSPOBJD    OBJ(*ALL) OBJTYPE(*DEVD) DETAIL(*FULL) OUTPUT(*OUTFILE) +
                             OUTFILE(QTEMP/PRTDEVD)
                CLRPFM     FILE(B#PRINTERS)
                CHGVAR     VAR(&SQLCMD) VALUE('INSERT INTO B#PRINTERS SELECT odobnm AS +
                             JHAPrinter, odobtx AS Description   FROM QTEMP.prtdevd WHERE +
                             odobat LIKE ''%PRT%'' AND odobnm NOT LIKE ''%V1%'' AND odobnm NOT +
                             IN (''PDFPRINTER'', ''VALIDATOR'', ''SPLTOPDF'', ''T64E'') AND +
                             SUBSTR(qgpl.prtdrmtloc(odobnm), 1, 20) IS NOT null ORDER BY odobnm')

                RUNSQL     SQL(&SQLCMD) COMMIT(*NONE)

 READ:          RCVF       OPNID(F1)
                MONMSG     MSGID(CPF0000) EXEC(GOTO END)
                IF         COND(&F1_JHAPRINTER *NE 'ISTOPS') THEN(DO)
                   VRYCFG     CFGOBJ(&F1_JHAPRINTER) CFGTYPE(*DEV) STATUS(*ON)
                   STRPRTWTR  DEV(&F1_JHAPRINTER)
                ENDDO
                GOTO       CMDLBL(READ)

 END:           ENDPGM 

I ended up creating a table to narrow down the printer devices from the DSPOBJD command.  I tested it, and it works fine. 

------------------------------
Michael Soucy
Sr Midrange Engineer
Bangor Savings Bank
Bangor ME
------------------------------

Guess you're missing remote outqueues unless you don't have those but you can collect both printers and remote outqueues as follows;

with printers as (
SELECT OBJLIB, OBJNAME, OBJTYPE, OBJATTRIBUTE
FROM TABLE (QSYS2.OBJECT_STATISTICS('*ALL', '*DEVD'))
where OBJATTRIBUTE like '%PRT%'
union
select OUTPUT_QUEUE_LIBRARY_NAME, OUTPUT_QUEUE_NAME, '*OUTQ', 'REMOTE'
from QSYS2.OUTPUT_QUEUE_INFO
where WRITER_TYPE = 'REMOTE'
order by objlib, objname, objtype), 
cmds as (select printers.*, 
  case 
    when objtype = '*DEVD' then 
      'STRPRTWTR DEV(' || OBJNAME || ')'
    else 
      'STRRMTWTR OUTQ(' || OBJNAME || ')'
  end case  
from printers)
select * from cmds;

If you combine this (sorry, didn't have the time now) with other info in this thread like the SYSTOOLS.CONFIGURATION_STATUS and QSYS2.QCMDEXC functionality you can do it in a single SQL.

------------------------------
Paul Nicolay
Architect
Cegeka
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: Wed April 22, 2026 12:03 PM
From: Michael Soucy
Subject: Varying on printer devices & starting writers after role swap

Thank you everyone for your help with this.  I was able to create a CL program using some code that I "stole" from a webservice program a former coworker of mine created.  The webservice program displays a list of all the printers we have.  This is my CL program. 

 START:         PGM        /* B#UTLCPRT */

                DCL        VAR(&SQLCMD) TYPE(*CHAR) LEN(1000)

                DCLF       FILE(B#PRINTERS) OPNID(F1)

                DSPOBJD    OBJ(*ALL) OBJTYPE(*DEVD) DETAIL(*FULL) OUTPUT(*OUTFILE) +
                             OUTFILE(QTEMP/PRTDEVD)
                CLRPFM     FILE(B#PRINTERS)
                CHGVAR     VAR(&SQLCMD) VALUE('INSERT INTO B#PRINTERS SELECT odobnm AS +
                             JHAPrinter, odobtx AS Description   FROM QTEMP.prtdevd WHERE +
                             odobat LIKE ''%PRT%'' AND odobnm NOT LIKE ''%V1%'' AND odobnm NOT +
                             IN (''PDFPRINTER'', ''VALIDATOR'', ''SPLTOPDF'', ''T64E'') AND +
                             SUBSTR(qgpl.prtdrmtloc(odobnm), 1, 20) IS NOT null ORDER BY odobnm')

                RUNSQL     SQL(&SQLCMD) COMMIT(*NONE)

 READ:          RCVF       OPNID(F1)
                MONMSG     MSGID(CPF0000) EXEC(GOTO END)
                IF         COND(&F1_JHAPRINTER *NE 'ISTOPS') THEN(DO)
                   VRYCFG     CFGOBJ(&F1_JHAPRINTER) CFGTYPE(*DEV) STATUS(*ON)
                   STRPRTWTR  DEV(&F1_JHAPRINTER)
                ENDDO
                GOTO       CMDLBL(READ)

 END:           ENDPGM 

I ended up creating a table to narrow down the printer devices from the DSPOBJD command.  I tested it, and it works fine. 

------------------------------
Michael Soucy
Sr Midrange Engineer
Bangor Savings Bank
Bangor ME
------------------------------