# startspooler command

The startspooler command kills all printers
associated with the spooler, then initializes the spooler and returns
it to normal operation. This process is usually invoked when the system
is powered on.

The spooler controls the printing process and is normally
started during coldstart. When necessary, startspooler can be used to execute specified portions of the spooler initialization
process without reinitializing the entire spooler subsystem.

Using startspooler without options makes no changes
in the spooler subsystem, but *wakes up* the printers (if any
are started). The printers then poll their respective form queues
for scheduled jobs to print.

## Syntax

```
startspooler {port.number} {(options)}
:startspooler
```

## Parameter(s)

| options | port.number | Starts the spooler process on the given port number. If the port number is not specified, the spooler is started on the first port following the last physical port on the system. Used primarily by developers to test spooler code. |
| --- | --- | --- |
| c | Starts the spooler, clears the form queue assignments, kills the printer, clears input and output queues and converts any existing print files to hold files. This should be used as the second to last option for resetting the spooler. | |
| d | Used in conjunction with the port.number option above to enable the debugger on the port. | |
| f | Starts the spooler and converts any existing print files to hold files. This option does not kill printers and keeps a port’s form queue assignment. | |
| i | Starts the spooler and initializes control data with new overflow frames. The disk space used previously by the spooler is lost until the next file restore (approximately 5-9 frames). This is the last resort in resetting the spooler. | |

## See also

- [Options (Spooler)](https://d3codex.com/tcl/options-spooler/)
- [Port number](https://d3codex.com/definitions/port-number/)
- [start.ss command](https://d3codex.com/tcl/start-ss-command/)
- [startshp command](https://d3codex.com/tcl/startshp-command/)
- [stopptr command](https://d3codex.com/tcl/stopptr-command/)

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Source: https://d3codex.com/tcl/startspooler-command/ - part of the D3Codex reference.