6287
®
AGILE
6287 ALLY PLUS
Printer Interface Controller
™
USER’S
MANUAL
Page ii
6287 ALLY PLUS User’s Manual
Copyright Information
© 1995 AGILE
All rights reserved. Copyright protection includes all forms and matters of
copyrightable material and information now allowed by statutory or
judicial law or hereinafter granted.
AGILE is a registered trademark of AGILE. 6287 ALLY PLUS and all
other AGILE products mentioned in this publication are trademarks of
AGILE.
IBM and all IBM products mentioned in this publication are registered
trademarks of International Business Machines, Inc.
Xerox, 2700, 3700, 4010, 4011, 4030, 4045, 4197, 4213, 4220, 4235,
4700 and all other Xerox products mentioned in this publication are
trademarks of Xerox Corporation.
Hewlett-Packard, LaserJet II, IID, IIID, IIISi, 4, 4Si and all other HP
products mentioned in this publication are trademarks of the Hewlett-
Packard Company.
All other trademarks appearing in this publication are owned by their
respective companies.
Release Notes
This document was printed in October 1995 and describes 6287 ALLY
PLUS firmware version 6.00 and later.
Printed in the United States of America.
Fill in for future reference:
AGILE 6287 ALLY PLUS Purchase Date: _______________________
AGILE 6287 ALLY PLUS Serial Number: _______________________
Page iii
About AGILE
In 1978 IBM and the word compatible were rarely found together, but
IBMs mainframe customers wanted a less expensive, more flexible
printing solution than IBM offered them. They wanted value, performance
and features that only ASCII printers could provide. They wanted freedom
of choice.
This market need prompted Robert Torrey, then Director of Engineering
for AGILE, to develop a bridge between popular ASCII printers and the
IBM 3270 coax protocol that was a barrier to using ASCII printers in an
IBM environment. Robert Torrey is now president of AGILE, and his
coax protocol converter was so successful that more than 40 companies
tried to copy it.
The industry has undergone enormous changes, and so has AGILE. As the
age of the mainframe fades, AGILEs 6287 ULTRA coax printer interface
is still known industry wide as the finest available. The recognized leader
in IBM and PCM mainframe and midrange connectivity, AGILE
continually seeks new ways to offer its customers options that broaden
their choices and provide solutions to their printing problems.
Over 50,000 AGILE interfaces have been installed worldwide. By
working closely with industry leaders including Xerox, Lexmark, Hewlett-
Packard and Novell, AGILE makes certain that its products will continue
to provide full compatibility, remain attractively priced and stay on the
leading edge of market developments.
AGILEs staff of experienced hardware, software and technical support
engineers ensure that we will remain in the forefront of technology
without sacrificing reliability. The custom solution is one of our strengths,
and we have a variety of platforms from which to fulfill the special needs
of our customers. If we cannot provide the connectivity you require, we
will gladly refer you to one of our strategic business partners who can.
If you read what AGILEs customers have to say, you will see words like
the performance was flawless and the best support we have seen. You
see, customer satisfaction is the only true measure of our success. We
understand that to keep pace with the rapidly changing environment, we
must do more than simply provide products. That is why we remain
uncompromising about some very important things: Quality, Performance,
Value and Service.
Page iv
6287 ALLY PLUS User’s Manual
Also From AGILE
6287 ALLY™
A high-speed protocol converter that enables industry-standard serial and
parallel ASCII and EBCDIC printers and plotters to be attached to a 3270-
type controller.
6287 ULTRA™
A full-featured protocol converter that enables an industry-standard serial
or parallel ASCII or EBCDIC printer or plotter to be attached to a 3270-
type controller. Its alternate host feature allows the mainframe host and a
PC to share the printer without an A/B switch.
3270 KLONE™
A PC expansion card that enables an IBM PC/AT/XT, PS/2 or compatible
computer to emulate a mainframe terminal. Its features include powerful
file transfer utilities for sharing PC and mainframe data, plus mainframe
printer emulation, allowing mainframe data to be printed on a PC printer.
5250 OPTIMA™
An intelligent protocol converter that enables industry-standard serial and
parallel ASCII and EBCDIC printers to be attached to an AS/400 or
System/3X midrange computer. Up to three twinax addresses are
supported. Its alternate host feature allows the midrange host and PC to
share the same printer without an A/B switch.
5250 ALLY™
An intelligent protocol converter that enables an industry-standard parallel
ASCII or EBCDIC printer to be attached to an AS/400 or System/3X
midrange computer. Its alternate host feature allows the midrange host and
PC to share the printer without an A/B switch.
Printer Monitor™
A small device that enables the user to capture print data streams for
troubleshooting analysis. Attaches to a parallel port of a PC used to
capture data that otherwise would have been sent to the printer.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
PREFACE
About This Manual .....................................................................................xv
AGILE Product Warranty......................................................................... xvi
Standard Warranty............................................................................. xvi
Optional Warranties and Services .................................................... xvii
FCC Statement ........................................................................................ xviii
Warnings................................................................................................... xix
Electrical Shock................................................................................. xix
Notes ......................................................................................................... xix
Standard Factory Setup ..................................................................... xix
Serial Port Setup ................................................................................ xix
Coax Host Considerations ...................................................................xx
Power-On Reset................................................................................... xx
Printer/Controller Configuration .........................................................xx
INTRODUCTION
General Information ................................................................................. 1-1
Supported Printer Interfaces and Character Sets ............................... 1-1
IBM Port ............................................................................................ 1-1
Alternate Host Feature ...................................................................... 1-1
6287 ALLY PLUS Features and Specifications ....................................... 1-2
INSTALLATION
General Information ................................................................................. 2-1
Before Beginning ..................................................................................... 2-1
Selecting a Location ................................................................................. 2-1
Space Requirements .......................................................................... 2-1
Electrical Requirements .................................................................... 2-2
Operating Environment ..................................................................... 2-2
Unpacking ................................................................................................ 2-2
Package Contents .............................................................................. 2-2
6287 ALLY PLUS User’s ManualPage vi
Connections .............................................................................................. 2-3
AGILE 6287 ALLY PLUS Cable Chart ........................................... 2-3
6287 ALLY PLUS Rear Panel .......................................................... 2-3
6287 ALLY PLUS Connection to Establishment Controller ............ 2-4
6287 ALLY PLUS Connection to Printer/Plotter ............................. 2-4
Dual Printer Installation .................................................................... 2-5
6287 ALLY PLUS Connection to Alternate Host(s) ........................ 2-5
Multiple Alternate Host Installation .................................................. 2-6
6287 ALLY PLUS Connection to AC Outlet ................................... 2-6
6287 ALLY PLUS Front Panel ................................................................ 2-7
Modes ....................................................................................................... 2-7
0 Normal Operating Mode ........................................................... 2-7
1 PA1 or PFS %59 ....................................................................... 2-7
2 PA2 or PFS %60 ....................................................................... 2-7
3 RESET ....................................................................................... 2-7
4 Form Feed ................................................................................. 2-7
5 General Configuration Report ................................................... 2-8
6 Translate Table Report .............................................................. 2-8
7 PFS Report ................................................................................ 2-8
8 Printer Test Report .................................................................... 2-8
9 Plotter Test Report .................................................................... 2-8
A ASCII/EBCDIC Toggle............................................................ 2-8
B Serial Port Mode ....................................................................... 2-8
C Centronics Mode....................................................................... 2-9
D Extended Modes ....................................................................... 2-9
E Reserved.................................................................................... 2-9
F Host Diagnostic Report ............................................................. 2-9
Extended Modes ....................................................................................... 2-9
D2 6287 ULTRA Alternate Host Configuration .......................... 2-9
D3 6287 ULTRA Coax Host Configuration .............................. 2-10
Resetting to Defaults .............................................................................. 2-10
6287 ALLY PLUS Power Up................................................................. 2-10
Connection Tests .................................................................................... 2-11
Printer/Plotter Verification .............................................................. 2-11
Coax Host Verification.................................................................... 2-12
Alternate Host Verification ............................................................. 2-13
Contacting AGILE Technical Support ................................................... 2-13
The AGILE Bulletin Board System ................................................ 2-14
Software Upgrades ................................................................................. 2-15
Page viiTABLE OF CONTENTS
CONFIGURATION
General Information ................................................................................. 3-1
Changing Configuration Option Parameters ............................................ 3-2
Multiple Configuration Changes ....................................................... 3-3
Configuration Defaults ...................................................................... 3-3
Changing Configuration Options Within a Print Job ........................ 3-4
Configuration Groups ............................................................................... 3-5
Printer Output (Group #00) ...................................................................... 3-5
00 Printer type (Xerox, HP, 4213, other) ..................................... 3-5
01 Output type .............................................................................. 3-6
02 Character set ............................................................................ 3-6
03 Plotter Support......................................................................... 3-7
SCS Page Formatting (Group #10) .......................................................... 3-8
11 SCS left margin ....................................................................... 3-8
12 SCS right margin ..................................................................... 3-8
13 SCS top margin ....................................................................... 3-9
14 SCS bottom margin ................................................................. 3-9
15 SCS line spacing.................................................................... 3-10
16 SCS EM ignored if in column 1 ............................................ 3-10
DSC Page Formatting (Group #20) ........................................................ 3-11
21 DSC left margin .................................................................... 3-11
22 DSC right margin .................................................................. 3-11
23 DSC top margin ..................................................................... 3-12
24 DSC bottom margin .............................................................. 3-12
25 DSC line spacing ................................................................... 3-13
26 DSC EM generates CR/LF even in infinite line length ......... 3-13
27 DSC EM generates CR/LF even if in column 1 .................... 3-14
Local Copy Page Formatting (Group #30) ............................................. 3-15
30 FF before Local Copy ........................................................... 3-15
31 FF after Local Copy .............................................................. 3-15
32 Local Copy blank line suppression ....................................... 3-15
Serial Port Setup (Group #40) ................................................................ 3-16
41 (47) Baud rate ........................................................................ 3-16
42 (48) Parity .............................................................................. 3-16
43 (49) Word length (data bits) .................................................. 3-17
44 (4A) Stop bits ........................................................................ 3-17
45 (4B) Flow control (handshaking) .......................................... 3-17
6287 ALLY PLUS User’s ManualPage viii
Host Parameters (Group #50) ................................................................. 3-18
50 Physical buffer size ............................................................... 3-18
51 Logical buffer size................................................................. 3-18
52 Intervention required status report delay .............................. 3-19
53 Coax port timer ..................................................................... 3-19
54 LU1 bracketing...................................................................... 3-19
57 Alternate bind processing ...................................................... 3-20
Transparency Modes (Group #60) ......................................................... 3-21
60 Allow IBM 35h transparency ................................................ 3-21
61 Allow Xerox 36h transparency ............................................. 3-22
62 Pseudo transparency .............................................................. 3-22
63 DSC PTM trigger 1 ............................................................... 3-24
64 DSC PTM trigger 2 ............................................................... 3-24
65 SCS PTM trigger 1 ................................................................ 3-24
66 SCS PTM trigger 2 ................................................................ 3-25
67 Discard transparency terminator ........................................... 3-25
68 Specify DSC transparency terminator ................................... 3-25
69 Specify SCS transparency terminator ................................... 3-26
Custom Configuration (Group #70) ....................................................... 3-27
70 DisplayWrite 370 support ..................................................... 3-27
71 MD-Laser support ................................................................. 3-29
72 Metacode support .................................................................. 3-29
73 Xerox graphic window support ............................................. 3-30
74 Allow EBCDIC font downloads ........................................... 3-30
75 Continous bell ringing ........................................................... 3-31
76 Eliminate C0 05 header ......................................................... 3-31
77 CR with each FF .................................................................... 3-31
78 Laserpage support ................................................................. 3-32
79 Continuous program mode .................................................... 3-32
Alternate Host Setup (Group #80).......................................................... 3-33
80 Parallel port 1 timer ............................................................... 3-33
81 Parallel port 2 timer ............................................................... 3-33
82 Serial port 1 timer .................................................................. 3-33
83 Serial port 2 timer .................................................................. 3-34
PROGRAMMABLE FUNCTION STRINGS
General Information ................................................................................. 4-1
Programming PFSs ................................................................................... 4-2
Resetting PFSs to their Default Values ............................................. 4-2
Deleting the Contents of a PFS ......................................................... 4-3
Accessing PFSs From the Host ................................................................ 4-3
Page ixTABLE OF CONTENTS
PFS Descriptions ...................................................................................... 4-4
%00 Power On ............................................................................. 4-4
%01 Printer Reset ......................................................................... 4-4
%02 Bolding On ........................................................................... 4-4
%03 Bolding Off .......................................................................... 4-4
%04 Overstriking On ................................................................... 4-4
%05 Overstriking Off ................................................................... 4-4
%06 Underlining On .................................................................... 4-5
%07 Underlining Off.................................................................... 4-5
%08 Set Line Density to 3 LPI..................................................... 4-5
%09 Set Line Density to 4 LPI..................................................... 4-5
%10 Set Line Density to 6 LPI..................................................... 4-5
%11 Set Line Density to 8 LPI..................................................... 4-5
%12 Switch to Coax Host ............................................................ 4-5
%13 Coax Host Fininshed ............................................................ 4-6
%14 Switch to Parallel Port 1 Host .............................................. 4-6
%15 Parallel Port 1 Host Finished ............................................... 4-6
%16 Switch to Parallel Port 2 Host .............................................. 4-6
%17 Parallel Port 2 Host Finished ............................................... 4-6
%18 Switch to Local Copy........................................................... 4-6
%19 Local Copy Finished ............................................................ 4-6
%20 Reserved ............................................................................... 4-6
%21 LU1 Begin Bracket .............................................................. 4-6
%22 LU1 End Bracket ................................................................. 4-7
%23 Switch to Serial Port 1 Host ................................................. 4-7
%24 Serial Port 1 Host Finished .................................................. 4-7
%25 Switch to Serial Port 2 Host ................................................. 4-7
%26 Serial Port 2 Host Finished .................................................. 4-7
%27 LU1 Bind ............................................................................. 4-7
%28 LU1 Unbind ......................................................................... 4-7
%29 LU3 Bind ............................................................................. 4-8
%30 LU3 Unbind ......................................................................... 4-8
%31 Tray 1 ................................................................................... 4-8
%32 Tray 2 ................................................................................... 4-8
%33 Tray 3 ................................................................................... 4-8
%34 Envelope Tray 1 ................................................................... 4-8
%35 Envelope Tray 2 ................................................................... 4-8
%36 - %51 Reserved .................................................................... 4-8
%52 Alternate LU1 Begin Bracket .............................................. 4-8
%53 Alternate LU1 End Bracket ................................................. 4-9
%54 LU3 Begin Bracket .............................................................. 4-9
%55 LU3 End Bracket ................................................................. 4-9
%56 Reserved ............................................................................... 4-9
6287 ALLY PLUS User’s ManualPage x
%57 Reserved ............................................................................... 4-9
%58 Reserved ............................................................................... 4-9
%59 Mode 1 PFS.......................................................................... 4-9
%60 Mode 2 PFS.......................................................................... 4-9
%61 sc1 Replacement ........................................................... 4-10
%62 sc2 Replacement ........................................................... 4-10
%63 sc3 Replacement ........................................................... 4-10
Job Boundary PFSs................................................................................. 4-11
Job Boundary PFS Examples .......................................................... 4-12
TRANSLATE TABLES
General Information ................................................................................. 5-1
Translate Table Selection ......................................................................... 5-2
Functions .................................................................................................. 5-3
Function Options ............................................................................... 5-4
Reading Translate Tables ......................................................................... 5-5
Modifying Translate Tables ..................................................................... 5-6
The Translate Tables ................................................................................ 5-7
ASCII from ASCII (Tables 0 & 1) .................................................... 5-7
ASCII from DSC (Tables 2 & 3) ...................................................... 5-8
ASCII from SCS (Tables 4 & 5) ....................................................... 5-9
EBCDIC from ASCII (Tables 6 & 7).............................................. 5-10
EBCDIC from DSC (Tables 8 & 9) ................................................ 5-11
EBCDIC from SCS (Tables A & B) ............................................... 5-12
ASCII from DSC APL (Tables C & D) .......................................... 5-13
ASCII from SCS APL (Tables E & F) ............................................ 5-14
EBCDIC from DSC APL (Tables G & H) ...................................... 5-15
EBCDIC from SCS APL (Tables I & J).......................................... 5-16
COAX HOST CONSIDERATIONS
System Configuration ............................................................................... 6-1
VTAM and Network Control Program Requirements ............................. 6-2
APL Support ............................................................................................. 6-2
Extended Attribute Buffer Support .......................................................... 6-3
Page xiTABLE OF CONTENTS
SCS DATA STREAMS
General Information ................................................................................. 7-1
Presentation Surface: SNA Character String Definitions ......................... 7-1
SCS Commands Supported by the ALLY PLUS ..................................... 7-2
Backspace (BS) 16h ..................................................................... 7-2
End of Message (EM) 19h ........................................................... 7-2
Form Feed (FF) 0Ch ..................................................................... 7-2
Graphic Escape (GE) 08h............................................................. 7-2
Horizontal Tab (HT) 05h ............................................................. 7-2
Interchange File Separator (IFS) 1Ch .......................................... 7-2
Interchange Group Separator (IGS) 1Dh ..................................... 7-3
Interchange Record Separator (IRS) 1Eh ..................................... 7-3
Interchange Unit Separator (IUS) 1Fh ......................................... 7-3
Line Feed (LF) 25h ...................................................................... 7-3
Null 00h ........................................................................................ 7-3
Set Horizontal Format (SHF) 2BC1h ........................................... 7-3
Set Line Density (SLD) 2BC6h.................................................... 7-4
Set Vertical Format (SVF) 2BC2h ............................................... 7-4
Transparent (TRN) 35h ................................................................ 7-5
Vertical Tab (VT) 0Bh ................................................................. 7-5
SCS Command Summary ......................................................................... 7-6
SNA Printer Exception Conditions/Sense Codes ..................................... 7-7
Request Errors = 10h ......................................................................... 7-7
Request Reject = 08h......................................................................... 7-7
DSC DATA STREAMS
General Information ................................................................................. 8-1
Carriage Return (CR) 05h ............................................................ 8-1
End of Message (EM) 01h ........................................................... 8-1
Form Feed (FF) 02h ..................................................................... 8-1
New Line (NL) 03h ...................................................................... 8-1
XEROX APPLICATIONS
General Information ................................................................................. 9-1
User-Defined Keys (UDKs) ..................................................................... 9-1
XPAF Support .......................................................................................... 9-2
Xerox Graphic Windows ................................................................... 9-2
Xerox EBCDIC Font Downloads ...................................................... 9-3
Metacode Support..................................................................................... 9-3
6287 ALLY PLUS User’s ManualPage xii
ALTERNATE HOST CONSIDERATIONS
General Information ............................................................................... 10-1
6287 ULTRA COMPATIBILITY
General Information ............................................................................... 11-1
6287 ULTRA Configuration Compatibility ........................................... 11-1
Dip Switch Emulation ............................................................................ 11-2
Configuration Options ............................................................................ 11-3
1 Column Width ......................................................................... 11-3
2 Lines Per Page ......................................................................... 11-3
3 Line Spacing ............................................................................ 11-3
4 Local Copy Null Line Suppression ......................................... 11-3
5 Xerox 36 Hex Transparency ................................................... 11-4
6 Form Feed Before Local Copy ................................................ 11-4
7 Form Feed After Local Copy .................................................. 11-4
8 New Line Order ....................................................................... 11-4
9 PA Key Usage ......................................................................... 11-4
10 Output in ASCII or EBCDIC ................................................ 11-4
11 APL Output ........................................................................... 11-5
12 Reserved ................................................................................ 11-5
13 Reserved ................................................................................ 11-5
14 Reserved ................................................................................ 11-5
15 Bold Print Emulation ............................................................. 11-5
16 Reserved ................................................................................ 11-5
17 Reserved ................................................................................ 11-5
18 Reserved ................................................................................ 11-6
19 Reserved ................................................................................ 11-6
20 Physical Buffer Size .............................................................. 11-6
21 Logical Buffer Size ............................................................... 11-6
22 Reserved ................................................................................ 11-6
23 Reserved ................................................................................ 11-6
24 Reserved ................................................................................ 11-7
25 Centronics or Dataproducts Parallel ...................................... 11-7
26 Intervention Required............................................................ 11-7
27 Intervention Required Delay ................................................. 11-7
28 Reserved ................................................................................ 11-7
29 Reserved ................................................................................ 11-7
30 Pseudo Transparency Mode (PTM) Selection ...................... 11-8
31 Discard PTM Terminating Delimiter .................................... 11-8
32 DSC Trigger 1 ....................................................................... 11-8
Page xiiiTABLE OF CONTENTS
33 DSC Trigger 2 ....................................................................... 11-8
34 SCS Trigger 1 ........................................................................ 11-8
35 SCS Trigger 2 ........................................................................ 11-8
36 Reserved ................................................................................ 11-8
37 Reserved ................................................................................ 11-9
38 Reserved ................................................................................ 11-9
39 Non-Transparency Trigger 1 Output..................................... 11-9
40 Alternate Host Lockout Duration .......................................... 11-9
41 Serial Alternate Host CTS Enabled ....................................... 11-9
42 Reserved ................................................................................ 11-9
43 Reserved ................................................................................ 11-9
44 Reserved ................................................................................ 11-9
45 Reserved .............................................................................. 11-10
46 Reserved .............................................................................. 11-10
47 Reserved .............................................................................. 11-10
48 Continuous Bell Ringing ..................................................... 11-10
49 Eliminate DSC C0 05 Header ............................................. 11-10
50 Alternate Host Enable/Disable ............................................ 11-10
51 DSC EM Generates CR/LF in Infinite Line Length ........... 11-10
52 SCS EM Always Generates CR/LF ..................................... 11-11
53 Ignore IBM 35 Hex Transparency ...................................... 11-11
54 Power-On Reset (POR) After 60 Seconds .......................... 11-11
55 MD-Laser Support .............................................................. 11-11
56 Reserved .............................................................................. 11-11
57 DSC NL at EM Even If in Column 1 .................................. 11-11
58 Metacode Support ............................................................... 11-12
59 Laserpage Support ............................................................... 11-12
60 Xerox Graphic Window Support ........................................ 11-12
61 Reserved .............................................................................. 11-12
62 Allow EBCDIC Font Downloading .................................... 11-12
PFS Downloading ................................................................................. 11-12
0 Power On Sequence .............................................................. 11-13
1 6 LPI ...................................................................................... 11-13
2 8 LPI ...................................................................................... 11-13
3 DisplayWrite 370 Overstriking On ....................................... 11-13
4 DisplayWrite 370 Overstriking Off....................................... 11-13
5 DisplayWrite 370 Underlining On ........................................ 11-13
6 DisplayWrite 370 Underlining Off ....................................... 11-13
7 PA1 Key ................................................................................ 11-13
8 PA2 Key ................................................................................ 11-13
9 DisplayWrite 370 Bolding On............................................... 11-14
A DisplayWrite 370 Bolding Off ............................................. 11-14
B Coax Host PFS ...................................................................... 11-14
6287 ALLY PLUS User’s ManualPage xiv
C Alternate Host PFS ............................................................... 11-14
D Custom Banner ..................................................................... 11-14
E Begin Bracket ....................................................................... 11-14
F System Status Available ........................................................ 11-14
G Tray 1 ................................................................................... 11-15
H Tray 2 ................................................................................... 11-15
I Tray 3 ..................................................................................... 11-15
J Manual Feed .......................................................................... 11-15
K Envelope Tray ...................................................................... 11-15
Accessing PFSs from the Host ............................................................. 11-15
Translate Table Downloading .............................................................. 11-15
1 DSC to ASCII ........................................................................ 11-16
2 SCS to ASCII ........................................................................ 11-16
3 ASCII to ASCII ..................................................................... 11-16
4 DSC to EBCDIC ................................................................... 11-16
5 SCS to EBCDIC .................................................................... 11-16
6 ASCII to EBCDIC ................................................................. 11-16
7 DSC to APL........................................................................... 11-16
8 SCS to APL ........................................................................... 11-16
9 Reserved (SCS font download table) .................................... 11-16
A Reserved (DSC font download table) ................................... 11-16
B Reserved (not used) .............................................................. 11-17
C Reserved (not used) .............................................................. 11-17
APPENDIX
General Information ............................................................................... 12-1
General Configuration Report ................................................................ 12-1
Programmable Function String Report................................................... 12-4
Translate and Function Table Report ..................................................... 12-7
Printer Test Report ............................................................................... 12-17
Plotter Test Report ................................................................................ 12-18
Host Diagnostic Report ........................................................................ 12-19
Hexadecimal to Decimal Conversion Chart ......................................... 12-27
Pin-out Charts ....................................................................................... 12-28
GLOSSARY
Glossary .................................................................................................. 13-1
PREFACE
About This Manual
This manual covers the installation and use of the AGILE 6287 ALLY
PLUS printer interface controller. AGILE makes no warranties, expressed
or implied, as to its completeness or accuracy. The information in this
manual is current as of the date of its publication, but it is subject to change
by AGILE at any time without notice. This manual is not intended to be
used for manufacturing or engineering specifications, and it is assumed that
the user understands the interrelationship between any affected systems,
machines, programs and media.
AGILE periodically updates this manual for clarity, to correct inaccuracies
and typographical errors, or to document added or changed product
features. AGILE will be pleased to improve the manual by implementing
suggestions from our customers. Please put suggestions in writing and mail
to AGILE at the address below:
AGILE
Attn: Marketing
875 Alfred Nobel Drive
Hercules, CA 94547-1899
6287 ALLY PLUS User’s ManualPage xvi
AGILE Product Warranty
Standard Warranty
AGILE warrants to the original purchaser that this product will be free from
defects in materials and workmanship and in good working order per the
functional specifications current at the time of shipment for a period of two (2)
years from the date of shipment to the purchaser. AGILE units that fail within
the first thirty (30) days from the date of delivery will be treated as an Express
Exchange Service (see Optional Warranties and Services) at no extra charge.
Should this product fail to be in good working order at any time during the two-
year period, AGILE will, at its absolute discretion, repair or replace this product.
AGILE shall have no obligation whatsoever if the product has been damaged
due to accident or disaster, or if it has been misused, carelessly handled,
defaced, modified or altered, including unauthorized repairs made or attempted,
or if the user has failed to provide and maintain a proper environment for the
product.
AGILE reserves the right to determine what constitutes warranty repair. Out-of-
warranty products will be repaired using AGILEs flat repair rate. All out-of-
warranty repaired units have a 90-day Standard Warranty. Units returned for
repair and found not defective will, at AGILEs discretion, incur a handling and
testing charge. AGILE is not responsible for delays caused by shipping or non-
availability of replacement components or other similar causes, events or
conditions beyond its reasonable control.
Claims must be reported to AGILEs Technical Support Department at (510)
724-1600, (800) 538-1634, or by FAX at (510) 724-2222. AGILE will assist the
customer in verifying the source of the problem.
At AGILEs discretion, a Return Materials Authorization (RMA) number will
be issued to the customer. The customer will then carefully package and ship the
unit to AGILE (preferably in the original shipping container) with the RMA
number on the outside of the box. Shipping costs incurred in sending the unit to
AGILE are borne by the customer. Shipping costs incurred in returning the unit
to the customer via UPS Ground (or equivalent service with a secondary
shipper) are borne by AGILE. Repair parts and replacement products will be
furnished on an exchange basis and will be either reconditioned or new. All
replaced parts and products become the property of AGILE.
Page xviiPREFACE
This warranty is the only warranty provided by AGILE. If this product is not in
good working order as warranted above, the customers sole remedy shall be
repair or replacement as provided above. This warranty states the purchasers
exclusive remedy for any breach of AGILEs warranty and for any claim,
whether in contract or tort, for loss, injury or damages caused by the sale or use
of any product and is in lieu of all other warranties, expressed or implied. In no
event shall AGILE be responsible for any loss of business, savings or profits,
downtime or delay, labor repair or material costs, injury to person or property, or
any similar or dissimilar consequential or inconsequential loss or damage
resulting from this product, its use, or arising out of any breach of warranty,
even if AGILE or an authorized AGILE dealer has been advised of the
possibility of such damage, or for any claim by any other party. Some states do
not allow the exclusion or limitation of incidental or consequential damages, so
the above limitations or exclusions may not apply.
All expressed and implied warranties for this product, including the warranties
of merchantability and fitness for a particular purpose, are limited in duration to
a period of two (2) years from the date of purchase by the original purchaser,
and no warranties, whether expressed or implied, will apply after this period.
Some states do not allow limitations on how long an implied warranty lasts, so
the above limitations may not apply.
This warranty gives the user specific legal rights, and the user may also have
other rights which may vary from state to state.
Optional Warranties and Services
Extended Warranty lengthens the Standard Warranty and is available in 12-
month increments for a maximum of three (3) years. This extension can effectively
lengthen the Standard Warranty to five (5) years. Any Extended Warranty must be
purchased prior to the expiration date of the Standard Warranty.
Express Exchange Service provides a next-business-day delivery of a
replacement unit. The customer must contact AGILE, and AGILEs Customer
Support Department must determine by 2:00 p.m. PST that a replacement unit is
required. Express Exchange Service is available in 12-month increments for a
maximum total of five (5) years and must be concurrent with Standard or
Extended Warranties.
Medallion Support Program extends the AGILE two-year Standard Warranty
by one year to three years, plus it includes three years of Express Exchange
Service, all at a savings of one-third off the standard price.
6287 ALLY PLUS User’s ManualPage xviii
FCC Statement
This equipment generates, uses and can radiate radio frequency energy. If it
is not installed and used in strict accordance with AGILEs instructions, it
may cause interference to radio and television reception. This equipment
has been tested and complies with the limits for a Class A computing device
in accordance with the specifications in Subpart J of Part 15 of FCC Rules,
which are designed to provide reasonable protection against such
interference when operated in a commercial environment. Operation of this
equipment in a residential area is likely to cause interference.
However, there is no guarantee that interference will not occur in a
particular installation. If this equipment does cause interference to radio and
television reception, which can be determined by turning the equipment off,
the user is encouraged to try to correct the interference by one or more of
the following measures:
Reorient the receiving antenna.
Relocate the ALLY PLUS with respect to the receiver.
Move the ALLY PLUS away from the receiver.
Plug the ALLY PLUS into a different outlet so that the ALLY PLUS
and receiver are on different branch circuits.
If necessary, the user should consult the dealer or an experienced radio/
television technician for additional suggestions. The booklet, How to
Identify and Resolve Radio-TV Interference Problems, prepared by the
Federal Communications Commission, may also be helpful. This booklet is
available from the US Government Printing Office, Washington, DC
20402, Stock No. 004-000-00345-4.
WARNING: This equipment has been certified to comply with the limits for
a Class A computing device, pursuant to Subpart J of Part 15 of FCC rules.
Only peripherals (computer input/output devices, printers, plotters, etc.)
certified to comply with the Class A (commercial) or Class B (residential)
limits may be attached to the ALLY PLUS. Operation with non-certified
peripherals is likely to result in interference to radio and TV reception.
Note: This equipment uses shielded cables to meet compliance limits for a
Class A computing device. Shielded cables must be used to ensure this
equipment continues to meet these limits. The shield must be terminated to
the metallic connector at both ends to guarantee adequate suppression of
undesirable emissions. All cables are fully double shielded (Mylar foil and
tinned copper braid.)
Page xixPREFACE
Warnings
Electrical Shock
Never open the ALLY PLUS when the power is on or when it is connected
to any power source. Opening the ALLY PLUS may void the warranty.
Notes
Standard Factory Setup
Unless otherwise requested, the ALLY PLUS is shipped with the following
defaults:
Other printer type (non-Xerox)
Parallel output
ASCII character set
132 column right margin
If the users equipment does not match these parameters, the relevant
configuration settings on the ALLY PLUS must be changed.
Serial Port Setup
With serial interfacing, the baud rate, parity, word length (data bits), stop
bits and handshaking settings of the ALLY PLUS must match the serial port
settings of the printer and alternate host (if using an alternate host). If the
users equipment is not set up to use the default settings, these configuration
parameters in Option Group #40 must be changed. The default settings for
the serial ports are:
9600 baud
No parity
8 data bit word length
1 stop bit
RTS/CTS flow control (handshaking)
6287 ALLY PLUS User’s ManualPage xx
Coax Host Considerations
The ALLY PLUS connects directly to the establishment controller through
an IBM category A device adapter. The port designation for the ALLY
PLUS must be configured for a category A device, not as the system
printer.
The ALLY PLUS must be defined to the system as a 3287 printer with a
maximum 4K physical buffer size (and/or with other features required by
the system and supported by the ALLY PLUS).
The host parameters in Option Group #50 must match what the host expects
on the channel to which the ALLY PLUS is attached. The defaults are as
follows:
4K physical buffer size
3440 bytes/buffer logical buffer size
If using SCS data streams, the ALLY PLUS must be defined to the host as
an SNA type 1 logical unit (LU1).
If using DSC data streams, the ALLY PLUS must be defined to the host as
a type 3 logical unit (LU3).
If using VTAM or another Network Control Program, the 3174, 3274 or
3276 control unit to which the ALLY PLUS is attached must be defined as
a type 2 physical unit.
Power-On Reset
The ALLY PLUS responds to a poll with a POR sequence if no coax traffic
has been detected for five seconds, so the host will know that it is ready,
even after catastrophic circumstances. For instance, if power to the host or
controller fails, the controller, when it resumes operation, might otherwise
consider the ALLY PLUS inactive. In other cases, systems are put to
sleep when not in use. This feature ensures that communication with the
host will resume when the host is ready.
Printer/Controller Configuration
The ALLY PLUS provides all of the necessary functions normally provided
by the operator switches of an IBM 3287. However, practical application of
industry-standard printers does not allow a one-to-one correspondence in
functions. It is accordingly expected that any particular printer/controller
configuration will be a subset of the IBM 3287 function set.
SECTION 1
INTRODUCTION
General Information
The AGILE 6287 ALLY PLUS is a high-speed protocol converter that
enables industry-standard ASCII and EBCDIC printers to be attached to an
IBM 3270-type mainframe controller. It also allows up to three alternate
hosts to share the attached printer(s).
The coax port allows a standard IBM RG62 A/U cable to connect to an
IBM 3174 or 3274 establishment controller (EC) with a category A device
adapter, a 3276 terminal controller unit, or an IBM CPU with a Display
Printer Adapter (DPA).
By using the ALLY PLUS, non-IBM impact and laser printers can replace
IBM 3287, 3289, 3262 and 4224 printers. Popular printers from Xerox,
Hewlett-Packard, Lexmark and other manufacturers are supported and
appear to the host as IBM printers.
The ALLY PLUS also may be attached to plotters, rasterizers, bar code
printers and other output devices that support parallel or serial interfacing,
although this manual will refer to the attached device as a printer.
Supported Printer Interfaces and Character Sets
The ALLY PLUS supports the following printer interfaces and character
sets:
DB-25 Centronics parallel interface (IBM PC compatible)
RJ-12 serial interface (to 115.2K baud)
ASCII, EBCDIC or APL character sets
IBM Port
The ALLY PLUS connects directly to the IBM establishment controller, or
equivalent CPU with a Display Printer Adapter, through an IBM standard
coaxial cable.
Alternate Host Feature
The ALLY PLUS has been designed to support up to three alternate host
devices. This allows the mainframe and the alternate host(s) to share the
printer(s) without the necessity of an A/B switch.
6287 ALLY PLUS User’s ManualPage 1-2
6287 ALLY PLUS Features and Specifications
Input/Output Ports
IBM RG62 A/U Coax Port
2 Centronics DB-25 Parallel Ports (1 input, 1 bidirectional)
2 RJ-12 Serial Ports (1 input, 1 bidirectional)
Host Interface
IBM BNC type A Coax
Printer/Plotter Output Interfacing
ASCII, EBCDIC or APL
1 Centronics DB-25 Parallel Port
1 RJ-12 Serial Port (300-115.2K baud)
Alternate Host Input Interfacing
Up to 2 DB-25 Parallel Ports
Up to 2 RJ-12 Serial Ports (300-115.2K baud)
Printer Sharing
Printer sharing between coax host and up to three alternate hosts
IBM Specifications
Category A device
Type 1 or 3 logical unit
IBM or compatible type A RG62 A/U coax cable attachment to
IBM 3174, 3274 or 3276 controller, or IBM CPU with a Display
Printer Adapter (DPA)
Host Systems Supported
IBM 30XX, 43XX, 9370, 370 with 3270 support
IBM 4700, 8100, S/3X, AS/400 with type A coax support
Printer Emulations
IBM 3262, 3287, 3289 and 4224 printers
Printers Supported
Xerox 2700, 3700, 4010, 4011, 4030, 4045, 4197, 4213, 4220,
4235, 4700 and other Xerox distributed electronic printers
Hewlett-Packard LaserJet II, IID, IIID, IIISi, 4, 4Si and compatibles
IBM/Lexmark laser, dot matrix and compatible printers
Plotters Supported
Hewlett-Packard 7221, 7475, 7550
Zeta plotters
All HPGL- and GML-capable plotters
Throughput
With DisplayWrite 370 feature disabled, supports up to 100 logical
pages-per-minute at 100% print density (132 columns by 66 lines,
for a total of 8712 characters per page); 60 logical pages-per-minute
with DisplayWrite 370 feature enabled.
Upgradeability
Removable external ROM cartridge for configuration and upgrade
ease
Programmability
On line through coax host or alternate host data stream
AGILE 6287 ULTRA programmability via alternate host or coax
host data stream
User Programmable Function Strings (PFSs)
64 PFSs in a dynamic 12K space
Transparency
35h
36h
2-trigger
Trigger+count byte
Translation
Translation tables changeable on line
Character Sets
Supports LU1 (SCS) and LU3 (DSC) character sets
Custom Application Support
Laserpage
XPAF
XES
DisplayWrite 370
MD-Laser
Metacode
Special application customization available
Power
5 VDC at 1 amp
Size
8.6" x 5.5" x 1.5"
Weight
1.5 lbs
Product Support
Toll-free technical support from 7:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Pacific time
Two-year product warranty
Page 1-3INTRODUCTION
SECTION 2
INSTALLATION
General Information
This chapter provides information on physically attaching the AGILE 6287
ALLY PLUS to the computer environment.
Before Beginning
The following are needed before installing the ALLY PLUS:
A suitable location.
A serial or parallel printer (or plotter).
A host interface cable RG62 A/U coaxial cable with BNC
connectors on both ends. The length of this cable is not to exceed
5000 feet (1500 meters).
Additionally, the user or someone in the users organization should
be knowledgeable about the host system.
Selecting a Location
The compact size, quiet operation and attractive styling of the ALLY PLUS
enable it to be placed in almost any location. For ease of operation, it is best
installed beside the printer.
Space Requirements
The dimensions of the ALLY PLUS are as follows:
6287 ALLY PLUS User’s ManualPage 2-2
Electrical Requirements
The ALLY PLUS requires 5 VDC at 1 amp provided by the 117 VAC
adapter or the optional 250 VAC adapter.
Users with any questions regarding the electrical service available at their
site should contact a qualified electrician.
Operating Environment
The ALLY PLUS operates best in an environment with a temperature
between 50 and 90 degrees Fahrenheit and 15% to 65% relative humidity.
Unpacking
After removing the ALLY PLUS from the shipping container, inspect the
unit for any damage in shipment. Immediately report any damage to the
freight carrier. Save the packing container.
Package Contents
Except when ordered otherwise, the ALLY PLUS includes the ALLY
PLUS protocol converter, an AC power adapter, a parallel printer cable and
this users manual. Should any of these items be missing, contact an AGILE
sales representative.
User’s Manual Diskette
6287 ALLY PLUS
AC Power Adapter Parallel Printer Cable
Page 2-3INSTALLATION
Connections
The following section describes and illustrates how to make the required
and optional physical connections between the ALLY PLUS and the other
components of the system. Be certain to use AGILE 6287 ALLY PLUS
cables for connections to printer(s) and alternate host(s). Approved cables
are listed in the following chart:
AGILE 6287 ALLY PLUS CABLE CHART
AGILE P/N DESCRIPTION
830650-1 Standard Parallel Output (DB-25 P/Centronics 36) 6'
830680-1 ALLY+ Parallel Alternate Host (DB-25 P/DB-25 P) 6'
830730-1 ALLY+ Serial COM Port Adapter (DB-25 P) 1'
830750-1 ALLY+ Serial 4045/HP LJIII (DB-25 P) 7'
830760-1 ALLY+ Serial Zeta Plotter (DB-25 P) 7'
830770-1 ALLY+ Serial Norcom 1700 (DB-25 S) 7'
830780-1 ALLY+ Serial HP-7550 (DB-25 P) 7'
830790-1 ALLY+ Serial Alternate Host (DB-25 S) 7'
830800-1 ALLY+ Serial Alternate Host (DB-9 S) 7'
830810-1 ALLY+ Serial Alternate Host (Unisys PC DB-25 S) 7'
6287 ALLY PLUS Rear Panel
The rear panel of the ALLY PLUS provides an on/off switch, an AC power
adapter outlet, a coax port for connection to the establishment controller
(RG62 A/U), a Centronics parallel printer port (PARALLEL I/O), an RJ-12
serial printer port (SERIAL 1), a parallel alternate host port (PARALLEL
IN) and an RJ-12 serial alternate host port (SERIAL 2). The PARALLEL
I/O port and the SERIAL 1 port are I/O ports, so they may be used as
secondary alternate host ports instead of printer ports.
6287 ALLY PLUS User’s ManualPage 2-4
6287 ALLY PLUS Connection to Establishment Controller
Attach the device end of an RG62 A/U coax cable to the coax connector on
the rear panel of the ALLY PLUS. Rotate the cable connector 1/4 turn
clockwise to lock it in place. Attach the EC end of the coaxial cable to the
establishment controller at the coax port designated for the ALLY PLUS.
6287 ALLY PLUS Connection to Printer/Plotter
Insert the device end of the AGILE printer cable into the connector on the
rear of the printer. Then connect the ALLY PLUS end of the AGILE printer
cable to the proper output port of the ALLY PLUS. Secure the cable to the
printer using the clips (parallel) or screws (serial) provided. If using the
AGILE COM port adapter with a serial cable, connect the serial port end of
the cable to the AGILE COM port adapter, then connect the adapter to the
SERIAL 1 port on the ALLY PLUS. The FCC requires all printer interface
cables to be properly shielded.
(serial printer connection to ALLY PLUS)
Page 2-5INSTALLATION
(parallel printer connection to ALLY PLUS)
Dual Printer Installation
The ALLY PLUS may have two printers (one serial and one parallel)
attached. Mode B on the front panel will switch to serial output; Mode C
will switch to parallel output. (See Configuration Option #01 for
instructions on switching output ports on line.)
6287 ALLY PLUS Connection to Alternate Host(s)
Connect the device end of the AGILE alternate host cable to the appropriate
port on the alternate host. Secure the cable to the alternate host using the
screws provided. Then connect the ALLY PLUS end of the cable to the
proper input port of the ALLY PLUS. The FCC requires all alternate host
interface cables to be properly shielded.
(serial alternate host connection to ALLY PLUS)
6287 ALLY PLUS User’s ManualPage 2-6
(parallel alternate host connection to ALLY PLUS)
Multiple Alternate Host Installation
The ALLY PLUS may have up to three alternate hosts (one serial and two
parallel, or two serial and one parallel) attached. Input at any of the ports is
detected automatically, and multiple alternate host input is queued as it is
received. No configuration for alternate hosts is necessary, except for serial
interfacing (baud rate, word length, stop bits, parity, flow control).
6287 ALLY PLUS Connection to AC Outlet
Ensure that the power switch on the ALLY PLUS is set in the OFF (down)
position. Insert the device end of the AC adapter into the rear of the ALLY
PLUS. Insert themale end of the AC adapter into a wall receptacle.
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