Software Solutions to enhance AS400 Printing

iSeries® spool file printing can be accomplished with an outq or a device description. The spool file type can determine which is the required option for the AS400 printer configuration. SCS and AFPDS files can be printed using a remote outq. IPDS spool files require a device description. Using a remote outq with AFPDS spool files is dependent upon a compatible printer emulation being supported with the Host Print Transform.

RPM Preserves SCS Formatting and AS400 Finishing Functions

RPM takes AS400 print files and gives you full control over the AS400 printer finishing functions. RPM also allows you to easily print AS400 page ranges, reduces the CPU time, and gives you the ability to automatically archive and email all your AS400 print files. Download and try RPM for 21 days free.

ExcelliPrint Prints AS400 IPDS Files to Any Windows Printer

ExcelliPrint is software installed on Windows allowing you to receive the AS400 IPDS/AFPDS file on your Windows printer, desktop or networked. Once ExcelliPrint receives the file, it can also be converted into PDF format or archived to a print history location or folder. Download and try ExcelliPrint for 21 days free.

AS400 printer configuration: Queues and Objects

Both AS400 printer configurations have print writer objects and output queues. One of the differences is the spool file will be directed to the outq name instead of the printer name. Another difference is a remote outq uses the LPR protocol which defaults to port 515. A device supports three system driver options, IBMPJLDRV, HPPJLDRV and NETSTNDRV.

Both the patterns (lines, squares, dots, etc.) and spacing’s constitute the data encodation schema.

AS400 Barcode Printing with ExcelliPrint IPDS

Various IPDS printers support various barcodes dependent upon the printer model. ExcelliPrint supports 3812, 3816, and 4028 IPDS printer emulation.

ExcelliPrint can archive barcode spool files in various formats including pdf, gif, tif, and bmp.

ExcelliPrint currently supports all barcodes except 2D barcodes and converts IPDS spool files to a “Windows Print Driver” format which will support printing barcodes to most PC capable printers.

Barcode Printing with RPM (for non-IPDS files)

If the data stream is preformatted in the appropriate printer language for the printer and the printer supports barcodes, an RPM “Raw Printer” action will meet the requirement of barcode printing.

Print Barcodes to your Existing Printers

We have provided AS400 and mainframe barcode printing solutions for over 10 years. Both are able to print barcodes on most printers. AS400 and mainframe barcode printing can be streamlined and affordable by using RPM and ExcelliPrint. With RPM, to do barcodes, the files must be preformatted and printed by RPM with the raw printer action.

AS/400 print overlays can consist of overlays, page segments, and AFP fonts.

An overlay is an object (*OVL) thats used as the "background" for a printed form. An overlay will typically contain static information such as column headings or descriptive labels on a form.

A page segment, an object of type *PAGSEG, is similar to an overlay in that it contains information to be printed on a form, but a page segment is usually used for dynamic information.

Placing AS400 print overlays and page segments on printer output is composed of these processes:

Overlay creation-performed once unless the overlay changes

• Dynamic page-segment creation-performed for each dynamic image
• Transferring the page segment-performed for each dynamic image
• Printer file creation-performed once unless the printer file changes
• Program creation-performed once unless the program changes

AS400 Print Overlay and Watermarks

ExcelliPrint will print AFPDS data on a watermark helping you ease the stress and cost of pre-printed forms. The file is sent via TCP/IP to a Windows PC with ExcelliPrint installed and will merge the IPDS file with the Watermark or graphical overlay. Read more on merging IPDS data with a watermark.

RPM converts *SCS, *USERASCII, and *LINE into formats such as PDF and HTML, or printer-ready PCL 5e.

Benefits to using RPM for AS400 to PDF Conversion

• RPM saves money in paper and AS400 printer costs.
• Automatically create an AS400 print file archive.
• Send AS400 PDF files via email.
• Use your desktop printers to print the converted PDF files.
• Save money and resources with converting AS400 files into PDF.
• Have a complete record of all AS400 print files at the end of the day.

RPM supports AS400 text printing features including fonts, margins, line wrap and orientation. RPM can pass AS400 spool files directly to a printer without modification, open it in another Windows application, or save the file to disk in plain text, PDF, or HTML format.

COR (Character Output Reduction) can be applied to the PDF conversion. Automatically formats the document to landscape or portrait orientation. Eliminating multiple queues or user intervention

A spool file archival product that can convert an iSeries (AS400) spool file to a PC text file, HTML or PDF document on PC storage maintaining all SCS formatting.

The spool file archiving product needs to meet basic requirements:

• Operator less functionality (Fully Automated)
• Small learning curve
• Reduce disk space on the iSeries by archiving the spool files on a PC disk
• In a readable format on the PC system
• Accessible and secure from remote systems
• No additional hardware

Solution for AS400 Spool File Archival

The Brooks RPM Remote Print Manager can translate the SCS data to ASCII text, pdf, or html and write the spool file to the PC media. Many file naming conventions are offered and CPU is greatly reduced on the iSeries with the RPM spool file archival functionality.

Topics covered: how to save and print a spool file as400, how to save as400 spool files to disk, how to save spool file on as400

There are two types of output queues. Those associated with a device description (printer) and remote outq’s.

Remote outq’s have no device associated with them by default. An AS400 Remote outq redirects the spool file via the TCP/IP LPR/LPD protocol to a remote system.

There are various ways to create or configure an AS400 remote outque to print to a WAN/LAN or network printer.

• Creating and outq using the AS400 host table, retaining the static IP address.
• Not using the host table but creating with a static or hard code IP address
• Using the host name from your DNS server and the remote address or IP address is only in one place for better management.

The Brooks Remote Print Manager supports the iSeries remote outq’s extensively with complete support of all SCS formatting instructions and EBCDIC to ASCII character conversion.

For more information, please read our page on how to set up an AS400 outq.

Preserving the SCS formatting coming off the iSeries is a concern for many IT managers utilizing the AS400. Most print servers, especially hardware print servers, do not keep SCS codes if the No Line Formatting option is selected for 3270 print sessions. Once this happens, the print job will not render as desired, completely ignoring the SCS formatting instructions. RPM print server allows you to preserve all SCS formatting instructions, while at the same time bringing your spool file into the Windows world.

AFPDS & IPDS contain graphics, AFP Fonts, Barcodes, and text are also native to the iSeries printing arena. All can be modified and moved into the Windows world for manipulation or distribution.

LINE is FCB data and USERASCII is PC ASCII text data.

Affordable AS400 to Windows Printing

The Brooks Remote Print Manager can receive the SCS data and convert the EBCDIC characters to ASCII characters and convert “ALL” the SCS formatting instructions to the appropriate PC printer commands.

The Brooks ExcelliPrint can receive the AFPDS & IPDS data and convert to PC formats as PDF, PCL, EMF, GDI, TIFF, & GIF. These formats can be archived and sent to a Windows printer. You can get away from buying and maintaining expensive IPDS capable printers with ExcelliPrint software.

The RPM Remote Print Manager “Text Queue” can apply any and all the finishing functions that the print driver supports to the report.

Text printing allows RPM to adapt text to any Windows printer using the print driver. The ability to handle many text formats intelligently, while providing a simple interface, has been a key reason for administrators and other IT professionals to make the switch from their existing print server to RPM.

Flexible Finishing Functions for AS400 Spool Files

• Select the printer and the setup
• Margins, both soft margins set by the user and printer margins
• Control the font
• Wrap or truncate lines
• Show bold & overstrike
• Suppress banner pages
• Suppress blank pages

RPM can accept print jobs from an iSeries and print the file to ANY printer that can be seen in the Windows print manager. This way you do not have to purchase extra hardware, add maintenance fee’s, or deploy extra upkeep and upgrades. RPM installs in seconds and and you can be receiving and printing your iSeries print jobs in minutes… right on your PC attached printer!

IPDS Watermark: merge form and graphic

1. iSeries™ or zSeries® generates a file (AFPDS, IPDS, SCS) and the PSF 400 converts the file to IPDS
2. The file is sent via TCP/IP to a Windows PC with ExcelliPrint installed
3. ExcelliPrint merges the IPDS file with the Watermark or graphical overlay
4. ExcelliPrint creates a PDF file
5. You can send this PDF file to your locally attached printer, network printer, or write to disk

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