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RPM Remote Print Manager Elite Changelog

What's new in RPM Remote Print Manager Elite 6.2.0.565

May 10, 2024
  • Changes to the filter action ("run program"):
  • we now enforce the configuration setting "Assume error if program returns non-zero result"
  • if the program sends text in the standard error interface, we report that as a warning, not an error
  • we suppress standard error for each action beyond the first instance, so we don't fill the event log
  • we log standard error in the message log as a warning
  • we log the numeric value that Windows returns when a process exits, in the message log, when logging at high detail
  • we no longer trigger Critical Event on standard error from processes
  • The text to PDF generator now uses the RPM temp folder and a unique "payload" file as concurrency was causing occasional issues
  • UI:
  • the Critical Event window now makes it easier to purge multiple events
  • added a Data File column to the Jobs window, as we now store data files under the spool folder before creating the job the path no longer includes the job ID
  • the option to view a folder or file in Windows Explorer now highlights the file in Explorer for the user
  • In the Devices window, if the Device reservation is zero or greater than 249, we show "Unlimited"
  • RPM now automatically sets an option for the dbpipe log or dbshm log to turn on the one setting that will show SQL requests and responses in the diagnostic log. This will reduce turnaround when the user has an issue with the database commands since they will now already have a log which shows what we need.

New in RPM Remote Print Manager Elite 6.2.0.564 (Apr 25, 2024)

  • Resolved issue where the orientation setting was ignored in rf5 format.

New in RPM Remote Print Manager Elite 6.2.0.562 (Apr 1, 2024)

  • We did a tremendous amount with the LPD protocol including supporting Microsoft's way of byte counting, added capture support, increased speed substantially, fixed "lpstat" results so network probes are satisfied, added AS/400 specific extensions, and around a dozen items
  • In network updates we made all new "print" programs for LPR and Telnet for sending outgoing jobs, and more
  • In job processing, our biggest change was fixing and greatly improving the situation with multiple actions AND multiple transforms in a setup; in fixing that we actually made the whole process much more fluid even for simpler setups; plus we added PCLXL support to the PCL Resource Transform, worked on the Intel CPU bugs, and more
  • Also in job handling, we made a lot of fixes to reprint and error handling
  • We made a number of changes to database handling but probably the biggest is that we streamlined the log message process; it now completes in its own thread so you can turn up the log detail and not slow RPM down by much
  • The biggest User Interface update that people have commented on was that we enlarged the icon that shows whether the UI is connected to the service, so it's a lot more obvious; we did more than that but this is the one people have commented on

New in RPM Remote Print Manager Elite 6.2.0.561 (Mar 21, 2024)

  • Added diagnostic logging to a number of action modules.
  • Removed some tests for data file existing and not being empty, as we were getting false positives, and those requirements had been addressed previously. Tests show that we have 100% file fidelity and no inexplicable errors.
  • For installations with a large number of DNS servers, we now start up correctly.
  • The job manager now has an entirely new job cache.
  • Addressed an outlier condition with the user interface communication with the service.
  • The PCL parse module was eliminating white space at the top of a PCL file without accounting for that being intentional. It never had before.
  • Removed some diagnostic logging from the dbpipe and dbshm modules.

New in RPM Remote Print Manager Elite 6.2.0.560 (Jan 16, 2024)

  • Rewritten the Queue Folders to address bottlenecks causing the directory monitoring to freeze Fixed the issue when message log entries are stored in the database out of order Fixed the "source doesn't exist" issue when moving/copying a file to another folder on some user systems And other fixes

New in RPM Remote Print Manager Elite 6.2.0.543 (May 25, 2023)

  • Completely overhauled Job Launcher that schedules and executes print jobs after they arrive All jobs are now spooled to a folder and added to RPM by a task in the background Updated all the code in RPM that runs a program Updated the PCL to PDF transform to include the trial watermark And more

New in RPM Remote Print Manager Elite 6.2.0.542 (May 14, 2023)

  • We did a tremendous amount with the LPD protocol including supporting Microsoft's way of byte counting, added capture support, increased speed substantially, fixed "lpstat" results so network probes are satisfied, added AS/400 specific extensions, and around a dozen items
  • In network updates we made all new "print" programs for LPR and Telnet for sending outgoing jobs, and more
  • In job processing, our biggest change was fixing and greatly improving the situation with multiple actions AND multiple transforms in a setup; in fixing that we actually made the whole process much more fluid even for simpler setups; plus we added PCLXL support to the PCL Resource Transform, worked on the Intel CPU bugs, and more
  • Also in job handling, we made a lot of fixes to reprint and error handling
  • We made a number of changes to database handling but probably the biggest is that we streamlined the log message process; it now completes in its own thread so you can turn up the log detail and not slow RPM down by much
  • The biggest User Interface update that people have commented on was that we enlarged the icon that shows whether the UI is connected to the service, so it's a lot more obvious; we did more than that but this is the one people have commented on

New in RPM Remote Print Manager Elite 6.2.0.540 (Mar 21, 2023)

  • Launcher:
  • Completely overhauled the job launcher that schedules and executes print jobs after they arrive. Some users had seen that output stopped. We put a lot of resources into fixing this; since then, while testing, we have sent over a million jobs into RPM, and we are satisfied this problem is behind us.
  • Reinstated support for device limits
  • On startup, we now clear the error status from existing jobs, so they are not restricted from starting
  • We also clear the error status for queues when you resume (turn ‘off’ suspend) or enable
  • We post the active job status proactively to the user interface when we launch the job and when it completes
  • On job errors, we take more caution to make sure the UI shows the job error status and the message
  • Launcher was sometimes failing to remove files in the TEMP folder because they were still in use; RPM now has a thread that will attempt to remove files periodically until they are gone
  • Update to job error handling: if the error was due to a problem with a transform, we now clean up sufficiently that a job retry might succeed
  • Job management:
  • All jobs are now spooled to a folder and added to RPM by a task in the background. This happens continuously. There should no longer be delays starting RPM when significant numbers of jobs are left from a previous run.
  • The text banner transform can now safely follow a data extraction transform and display the desired fields
  • Jobs that failed were occasionally marked as “complete”. This is fixed.
  • Overhauled and streamlined the way the job manager creates jobs, updates jobs, and issues database commands
  • When RPM removes a job for any reason, the text reason is now included in the log and other messaging, for instance, if the job completed normally, removed manually, or due to job retention policies
  • The Jobs folder is now assigned parallel to the Spool folder
  • While resetting job status on startup, RPM proactively updates any jobs not in “wait” status so that the UI reflects this for the user
  • RPM was failing to archive jobs on a hidden Windows share
  • Addressed a problem where we weren't able to use credentials to examine a folder on a hidden share. This is fixed.
  • Archive to folder action now reports when the folder is not found and the folder path is not a folder
  • The job cleanup manager could exit on startup
  • If you had job retention turned on with a maximum number of jobs and have a queue with more jobs than the retention limit, RPM could exit on startup
  • Process management:
  • We updated all the code in RPM that runs a program. We had occasional reports of RPM failing to run a program, be it a user’s filter program or the PCL to PDF utility. We updated the filter action, filter transform, PCL to PDF and PCL to PostScript, the email action, the alert function, the LPR and IP Printer actions, the device tester, and the interactive Text and Raw Printer actions
  • Simplified process management and updated the way we check on idle time for processes we launch
  • Eliminated the “shell” option from running a process as an action or transform
  • The filter action and transform now have a setting to react to the program exit code as an error, including a diagnostic log message and a Critical Event
  • The process code now logs the directory it’s running in
  • PCL to PDF:
  • Update the PCL to PDF transform to include the trial watermark and overlay options
  • Now shipping a new version of the PCL to PDF utility
  • The string translator could lose a byte here and there on large substitutions using regular expressions
  • LPD:
  • Now allows an incorrectly formed queue status command as some mainstream print clients fail to follow the RFC specification
  • Added logic to detect that client lost network connection while sending the data file, which happens often on some networks (possibly VPN). We handle these incomplete jobs using the UI settings to error the job, delete, or ignore the error and process it anyway
  • LPD object was “closing” twice, which is unnecessary and resulted in an erroneous diagnostic log message that the queue was not specified (although it was)
  • Added the connection ID from the socket manager to the properties for the job and some of the diagnostic logging, so we could track an LPD job from the initial connection to job scheduling.
  • The LPD protocol now adds port settings to the parameters in the job so that the LPD manager can determine the right setting for auto-creating the queue if it doesn’t exist
  • The “LPQ” or “print queue status” command now returns text results as expected
  • The verbose or long version of the “LPQ” command now returns the results
  • If you do a status query on a queue that doesn’t exist, you get immediate feedback
  • Also updated the “LPQ” message text for non-existent queues in those instances where RPM is not configured with permission to automatically create the queue
  • Device manager:
  • The device error message includes the device type and attempts to look up the queue name
  • Device error messages are now written to the event log a maximum number of times (5) although the device continues to be tested, silently
  • If the device error clears, we note that in the event log as well
  • Queue Folder:
  • Completely removed the old program and replaced it with a new one. Queue Folders now routinely fetch tens of thousands of files without issue.
  • The Queue Folders module in RPM now moves the new file or files from the watch folder to a staging area. In the past, if files were created in the watch folder faster than Queue Folders could process them, it may submit the file multiple times which didn't help to process if it was otherwise bottle-necked
  • Email:
  • Addressed logic in the email program and the module that manages it, to better track and log exception returns
  • If the service can’t start, it now attempts to send an alert email provided the Email Notification settings are in place (Configure / Notification Settings)
  • Email action now handles a trailing comma in a To: address
  • Email action parses the output of the email client program and records it in the event log
  • Fixed an exception in the email alert process
  • Critical event emails now include the RPM version, the Windows version, and the product serial number
  • Logging:
  • Added startup messages, updated many existing messages, and removed several
  • Removed the document management warning from the device tester and print actions
  • Improvement to diagnostic log to suppress newlines from data we are logging
  • Somewhat increased the number of things we include in the diagnostic log
  • Message log entries are now spooled to disk rather than being cached in memory
  • User interface:
  • If the user enables “use overlay” then make sure they select an overlay
  • Text to PDF: better security options
  • Licensing:
  • Added “Multiplexor” to the list of adapters names we ignore alongside Juniper
  • Database:
  • Overhauled the way we do database queries and updates
  • Upgraded our handling of converting text date/time statements
  • Miscellaneous:
  • File handling: Improved the way we manage file operations in a threaded environment; as soon as we did this, several unusual errors were eliminated
  • Server sockets are now removed gracefully when the service exits unexpectedly
  • PDF Gen now runs 60 minutes idle before shutting down
  • The RPM installer will suppress the upgrade dialog if the /silent switch is used
  • Somewhat simplified the chain of events for outgoing RPC and solved some issues which were preventing the UI from recognizing events from the service
  • The process for adding a telnet protocol was taking an exception; this is fixed
  • We put the startup code for Timer manager in its own thread, in case it has to read thousands of stored time events (such as the time to remove a job)

New in RPM Remote Print Manager Elite 6.2.0.536 Beta (Nov 13, 2022)

  • Summary of changes:
  • Moved loading timers from the database into a background thread. For instance, if the user had thousands of print jobs set to expire at a given time, loading these times could make RPM startup take a very long time.
  • Loading LPD jobs left over from a previous run of the service is now loaded into its thread, and it can be interrupted if the user decides to exit the service
  • RPM’s JOBS folder was supposed to be parallel to the SPOOL folder, not in it
  • LPD jobs are now spooled to disk as they arrive, not cached in memory
  • QueueFolder jobs are spooled to a staging area immediately, which keeps files from being recognized and staged more than once
  • Message log entries are now spooled to disk and archived in the database as a background task
  • Updated diagnostic logging for numerous file operations
  • Worked to make file operations more thread-safe
  • Added a connection string in diagnostic logging to track incoming jobs starting with the network and through the various stages of LPD processing
  • If a temp file is still open when we try to remove it, cache that path and try again until it succeeds
  • Upgraded the way we parse results from the email program which we use in the email action and in notifications
  • Important fix to a string translation issue using regular expressions; rarely, an output block could be truncated by a few characters
  • When adding a Telnet port, the Telnet manager issued a traceback
  • Jobs and actions both now successfully error the job status when in fact, an error occurred
  • Resolved an error that occurred rarely when importing a configuration that used the version 1.0 QueueFolders

New in RPM Remote Print Manager Elite 6.2.0.531 Beta (Jul 10, 2022)

  • Updated the Job launcher.
  • Updated the entire process of running programs from RPM.
  • LPD protocol changes.
  • Added a new Queue Folder process.

New in RPM Remote Print Manager Elite 6.2.0.526 (Jun 30, 2021)

  • Text print was aligning overstrike text at the beginning of the line
  • instead of in the correct position. This is now fixed.
  • A thicker underline for bold text in Text Markup to PDF transform is now available.
  • Improved underline position in Text Markup to PDF transform.

New in RPM Remote Print Manager Elite 6.2.0.512 (Jun 24, 2020)

  • A command-line option to purge the log
  • Fixed issues:
  • Queue Folders was waiting for locked files and caused a delay adding other ready files
  • The upgrade removed the license unnecessarily
  • The log export issue
  • Opening the About dialog if the registered company name has only numeric characters