As far as I know, you will need to switch to an externally defined AFPDS
print file for what you are trying to do (i.e., if you want to use page
segments and/or overlays). At a previous employer we used the IBM i Access
(Client Access) AFP printer driver to do exactly what you are trying to
do. We also used Gumbo products for spool file to PDF conversion. If you
have Access installed with the AFP printer driver feature, you can paste
your company's logo into Word, for example, then configure the AFP
"printer" driver for page segment or overlay, depending on your needs
(i.e., page segment for logos/images or overlays for a static form, which
can include logos or images). Using the AFP driver, you "print" your
document from Word through the driver to a file. Once you've got the file,
upload it to a file member on the system (I use FTP with the bin switch),
then run the CRTOVL or CRTPAGSEG commands over it, which create the
overlay or page segment objects respectively. From there, you can
reference and position these objects in your externally defined printer
file's DDS using the OVERLAY or PAGSEG keywords as a previous mailer
noted. Maybe there is an easier way to do it, but positioning was a matter
of trial and error for me since physical printers can vary somewhat. We
used network attached HP printers with the Host Print Transform feature on
the system. We also used Gumbo's SpoolMail and Spool-a-matic for PDF
creation. (As an aside, I would like to say that their products are
excellent, and they are a great company to work with. I had to do a lot of
work implementing the USPS Intelligent Mail Barcode for company mailings
to continue getting the best discount postage rate, and they were always
willing to assist and make modifications to their products accordingly.)
SpoolMail is for transforming and emailing spool files in PDF format, and
Spool-a-matic does the same thing, but to PDF files in the IFS. Output
should be the same as what comes out on your printer via Host Print
Transform, so long as you avoid placing print data in .5 in. no-print
border on your form. (Otherwise, Host Print Transform with shrink to fit,
if I recall correctly, and potentially cause your printed output to be
formatted slightly differently from your converted Gumbo output. Sorry,
it's been a while since I've worked on this, so I'm a little fuzzy.)
These references might also assist you:
May the (AFP Overlay) Forms Be with You (
http://www.mcpressonline.com/application-software/document-management/may-the-afp-overlay-forms-be-with-you.html
)
IBM AS/400 Printing V (ch. 5;
http://publib-b.boulder.ibm.com/abstracts/sg242160.html?Open)
Blake
Blake Butterworth | Senior Programmer Analyst | Kansas Turnpike Authority
| 9401 E Kellogg | Wichita, KS 67207 | (316) 652-2740
date: Tue, 03 Aug 2010 14:48:27 -0700
from: "James H. H. Lampert" <jamesl@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
subject: Re: Pictures in a report?
Vern Hamberg wrote:
James
Images are done using various AFP objects like overlays and page
segments. That's one way. I believe that Host Print Transform will take
care of these things pretty well, with some limitations.
Hmm. But can I continue printing with the same O-specs into an AFP print
file?
I've done a bit of research on my own, and it appears that the product
the customer is using ("Gumbo Spoolmail") can handle any spool file the
system can dish out.
I saw a data stream called AFPDSLINE. Is that something I should look
into?
Ironically, even though this RPG program generates a report, it doesn't
use The Cycle, because it's only accessing a handful of records.
--
JHHL
midrange.com
