lpr/plotter problem

[Kathryn Fielding]

We have a Sun 3/280 with an ALM2 board in it, running Sun OS 4.0.3. One of
the printers connected is a Calcomp 5835 Electrostatic Plotter. Because of
the size of the files we're printing, we're using the lpr -s option to
send the files to the plotter. When we send a large file to the plotter,
it bogs the system down to the point where the keyboard stops responding,
and everything else basically hangs for a (too long) while. I can
understand maybe slowing the system down a little, but completely dead for
long periods of time (> 10 minutes) seems a little much.

If anyone has any suggestions, recomendations, pointers, we will be most
grateful.  We've tried some experimentation with xon/xoff but haven't
figured it out .

Thanks
Kathryn

	Kathryn Fielding	{uunet|zardoz|sun!sunkist}!ohio!kathryn
	System Administrator	kathryn at thomas.com		
	Thomas Bros. Maps	
	(714)863-1984		in CA (800) 432-8430