my ERP is sending multiple xml files to my queue and printing daemon reads each files and send it to windows printer (queue) where another software that uses each file and prints one document at a time.

I would like to control first part when ERP send XML file I would like printing daemon to send files to windows queue in order the files came in from ERP.

Currently it send it in random order. (i think it's based on how fast it can process, size of file..ect)

I am not expert in Linux but I am sure someone here can help.

How about some actual details here??

WHAT ERP?? What kind of linux? (Version/distro)? What printing daemon? And you're right, it *CAN* send them in order...but you'll have to write custom code to do it. If it's sending files over the network, then obviously the smaller ones will transfer quicker, which means they'll reach the print queue first, which means they'll PRINT first.

Also...how, exactly, is Linux supposed to tell which jobs are in a batch?? If someone submits a 17 page job, and then someone else submits ONE page...then that job will be job #18, regardless. No way of knowing which belong with which....

Thank you for your reply.

We are using Glovia 9.1.2 as ERP system runs on Red hat 4.0

We have wrote custom code in Glovia that creates single xml file for each document that print daemon reads to know which windows print queue it needs to send. All servers are on LAN so Size may be effecting.

Linux shouldn't care what batch it's coming from. I just want it to process files in order they being created from ERP.

what kind of custom code I have to write to control it?

Since Glovia and RHEL are both commercially supported products, have you contacted your vendors, since you're paying for support?
Linux DOESN'T care, and that's the point you're missing. Again, bigger files take longer to transfer. A queue sends things along, no matter what size. You'd have to write code make sure all jobs are submitted to the queue, in a paused state, then un-pause them one at a time, so they're processed in order. You can either do it through CRON, or have the process sleep and loop through, getting job lists and processing them.

Can you give me example of how to submit in pause status and release?

Read the man pages on lp. You can submit a job in a HOLD state. Again, since your ERP software is submitting the job it will have to be custom-coded to do this, and you will then have to write code on the Linux box to release the jobs one at a time.