Re: Customized Front Page: Spool File to PDF

[Sam_L <lennon_s_j@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

Vern:  Thanks for the reply.  I don't think we're open to a commercial 
solution.

Sam

On 7/10/2011 9:34 PM, Vern Hamberg wrote:
> Sam
>
> <verndor response>
> If a commercial solution is an option, you might consider our iForms
> product - this can take your existing spooled files and convert to PDF -
> and because it is really almost a programming environment, you can add
> additional pages wherever you want. The turnaround on cost is, you don't
> have to do any changes to your existing applications.
>
> Another possibility here is to take your existing PDFs and use iForms to
> generate just the front page from the spooled file data, then merge them
> - we have a PDF to Tiff Utilities product, and iForms might have a PDF
> merge, too - I forget!
>
> Look for iForms on our website www.rjssoftware.com if interested, or
> call us toll-free at 888.RJS.SOFT.
> </verndor response>
>
> Regards
> Vern
>
> On 7/10/2011 8:01 PM, Sam_L wrote:
> > We have a lot of legacy reports that we convert to PDFs using the
> > InfoPrint Server and then publish to our Intranet.
> >
> > There is a goal to add a report specific front page to the reports so
> > that when they end up on tablets (e.g., think iPad) it is easier to see
> > which report is which from the icon and/or looking at the front page.
> >
> > I’m looking for ideas on how to add a customized front page without
> > changing each program.
> >
> > I don't think we will need any graphics, but probably will need some
> > larger fonts.
> >
> > Virtually all the programs use O-Specs. We can get control of all the
> > spool files as they get moved from their original OUTQ to the InfoPrint
> > OUTQ.
> >
> > I have thought of three possible approaches to add a page:
> >
> > 1) Using APIs to duplicate the spool file, inserting a page at the
> > beginning. We’re not talking massive reports, so I don’t think overhead
> > will be an issue.
> >
> > 2) A customized separator page exit. I’ve never done this and I’m not
> > sure how much you can do in such an exit, but it would certainly have to
> > handle varying report widths, CPI and LPI. I’m not sure how this would
> > play with the InfoPrint server, where we already have an exit in place
> > to create a sensible PDF name.
> >
> > 3) Trying to insert a page inside our InfoPrint exit, though I don’t
> > recall seeing anything in the documentation that suggested you could do
> > this.
> >
> > I’d appreciate any thoughts you have.
> >
> > Thanks, Sam