Re: Report Design tool to allow formatting print fields in an overlay

[Vernon Hamberg <vhamberg@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

You might consider IBM's Infoprint Designer - it's a Windows app - might 
be wysiwyg, IIRC.

I don't know the cost.

On 12/10/2013 10:26 AM, Stone, Joel wrote:
> Is there a WYSIWYG way - like other OS's had 20 years ago?  Probably not.  There are third party form tool vendors that may get close.
>
> One option that may work better is: if the overlays are simply lines, boxes, signatures & logos: consider using DDS keywords & page segments INSTEAD of overlays.
>
> There are numerous advantages including: dynamic line control, logo placement and size control, signature control, etc.
>
> With overlays, everything is somewhat fixed.
>
> At least with DDS keywords, you are placing everything relative a x-y grid.  And as you change printers, the ink dots follow.
>
> With overlays, there are two separate images that you are trying to merge - it gets tedious and changes from one printer to another.
>
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: midrange-l-bounces@xxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:midrange-l-bounces@xxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Jeff Young
> Sent: Monday, December 09, 2013 4:24 PM
> To: Midrange Systems Technical Discussion
> Subject: Report Design tool to allow formatting print fields in an overlay
>
> Just a thought for grins, but I have a client with many overlays for
> different forms (Order confirmation, Invoice, Credit, Purchase Order ...)
> that will be sent as a PDF file via Fax or E-Mail or just print the PDF
> locally..
>
> Presently, I need to print the overlay and then attempt to align the
> various fields with the overlay.
>
> Is there a better mouse trap available?
> Ideally, a tool that would let me bring the overlay up in a GUI editor and
> then place the fields where needed, saving the result as a DDS PRTF.
>
> Thanks,
>
> Jeff Young
> Sr. Programmer Analyst