RPM beta overview

The RPM beta is at version 5.2.0.278. If you are interested in taking a look at this beta software, please go to the Contact page and select the "RPM beta" category. 

Highlights of the new RPM beta version include:

Better performance:

  • Lower overhead processing jobs, more optimized
  • Better database performance
  • GUI is event driven, no polling, keeps up under heavy load, always responsive

More ways to print:

  • Now supports IP printing, and LPR printing, directly from RPM--avoiding the Windows spooler altogether; drive your high end printers at network speeds
  • Email has better performance, supports secure connections

Database updated:

  • Database schema refactored, analyzed, tested
  • Selective logging cuts processing load
  • GUI now fully maintains database, no more command line operations to memorize
  • Firebird database managed by Firebird server process

User interface:

  • The UI is all new. We do everything we used to do, but better; plus we have made a number of additions.
  • The UI gets an update from the service when something happens, so no more polling, no getting out of step with job updates, etc.
  • Supports offline configuration, that is while the RPM service is not running
  • Drag and drop configurations between queues, recreate similar queues quickly
  • Configure multiple queues side by side
  • Master list of actions and transforms
  • Separate event log for program events, things you need to know about--rather than searching a much larger log
  • Message log, can now see messages for a job, queue, device, user. Multiple searches and multiple windows on the log
  • Actions and transforms can be toggled on and off--keep the definition but make it inactive
  • View job contents--now supports your own program, e.g. your local PCL viewer
  • email jobs, queues to tech support
  • check for program updates

Remote access:

  • The GUI is wired to connect locally or to a remote RPM service (no longer web based)
  • No more passwords sent over the wire
  • Security options for remote access as well as admin vs. regular users

Operational overhaul:

  • RPM is now fully event driven. Every event, such as receiving a job, job printing, etc. are events and can be published to an outside program--such as our GUI or any custom program
  • Customization opportunities now far beyond running a program command line. We can now develop new logic and new interfaces, and have it run alongside RPM with full cooperation and knowledge of the print stream

Important additions:

  • Scheduler: we now support options for choosing which job prints next, including the “fair” scheduler, which we had before; “first in/first out”, “job order” and “priority”
  • Scheduler now ramps up the # of print tasks if it frequently finds no task is available (Elite only)
  • Scheduler is optimized to get jobs started quickly, even if many jobs are waiting (for instance, a suspended queue is set to resume)
  • Page break transform--we can now add page delimiters on demand
  • Database maintenance in the GUI: you can backup the database, check for errors, reduce the size, update the schema, rebuild it if needed

Printer handling:

  • RPM no longer allows driver crashes to crash the program; instead they are passed through as a “failure” event to the event log.
  • RPM tracks the print driver version string and version number, allows several ways to deal with printers that may be updated, on a per-device basis.