RE: Printing RTF files from iSeries (w/ or w/out Java)

["Walden H. Leverich" <WaldenL@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

>Walden, can you share some info on the websphere app your using?

Sure. It's a custom app we've built for a client, but at it heart is
simple text replacement. It's basically a mail-merge facility.

There are 2 kinds of RTF documents stored in our system, "templates" and
"documents." Templates are created by taking a MS Word document (or any
other word processor capable of saving a document as an RTF) and
creating the document template you want to see. You can use fonts, add
graphics, tables, whatever you want. You add placeholders in the
document where you want to substitute text. By convention we mark those
placeholders with $$, but you could do anything. 

For example, you could have a template like:

---
Dear $$FirstName$$,

Thank you for your recent order, number $$OrderNo$$. Since this is your
first order with us we're enclosing this letter about XYZ company. Your
customer rep is $$RepName$$ and you can reach your rep at $$RepPhone$$.

Blaa blaa blaa
---

Of course, you could use fonts, add bold, put a picture in the header,
etc. You would then save this document as an RTF file and upload it into
the system, we're storing templates in CLOB fields in the DB. You would
also describe to the system what the substitution fields are, and how to
get the data. In the first generation of this system we did all fields
were pre-defined and you selected which ones you wanted in document. In
the latest generation, you can also setup the template so that the
system prompts the user for data. Basically, the user completes a form
and out pops a formatted document.

Try saving a document as RTF and take a look at it. It's simply a text
file -- an ugly one, but just a text file. If you do a find/replace for
$$FirstName$$ and put 'Walden' in it's place and then open the document
in Word it will say "Dear Walden" at the top. So all the app does is
simple text replacement and generates a document from the template. The
document is then stored in a CLOB field in the database. 

Now, in past versions it was encumbent on the user to open the document
(actually, the web app sends the document back) and hit print if they
wanted a hard copy. In the new version we're trying to eliminate that
step, especially since the documents need to print by the cashiers, and
the end user probably doesn't have the cashiers printers setup on their
PC. Hence our desire to print the RTF from the iSeries. 

-Walden

------------
Walden H Leverich III
Tech Software
(516) 627-3800 x3051
WaldenL@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
http://www.TechSoftInc.com
 Quiquid latine dictum sit altum viditur.
(Whatever is said in Latin seems profound.)