Bi-directional printing / RPM 6.2.0.508

RPM Remote Print Manager® ("RPM") version 6.2.0.508 is available July 24, 2019.

AppSocket

The most significant addition is bi-directional printing. If your print jobs have PJL commands, then RPM will not only use that info but also respond as appropriate. PJL is the Printer Job Language developed by HP Inc. and widely used in compatible printers.

We have talked with clients who were concerned RPM wasn't receiving their print jobs, when in fact the telnet protocol implemented in RPM didn't know how to answer back. PJL commands are often used to query the printer and check status before sending the job. We had a very low-level version of this some time ago but, in this release, we have gone a long way toward providing helpful responses to your client applications. We go as far as to query printers for their settings and data, and then use that info in our response to client queries.

RPM now supports 3 TCP/IP protocols:

  1. LPR/LPD
  2. Telnet or direct socket printing
  3. AppSocket or JetDirect

Also new and improved in this RPM version:

  • we corrected a mistake importing telnet protocol settings from RPM version 5.1
  • we made some changes to the way the licensing code checked the license and reported status
  • the user interface, when you do Help / Check for Updates, will now hide the beta version if it is earlier than the release version
  • minor updates to the unreleased 507 version, mostly minor adjustments to AppSocket as we tested with a wide variety of printer emulations