Tumble Duplex on IBM Infoprint 21

["Sims, Ken" <KSIMS@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Hi gang -

We recently purchased an IBM Infoprint 21 printer.  We want everything sent
to this printer to print in tumble duplex.  Unfortunately host information
overrides the printer configuration so the reports print in simplex.

We CANNOT change the reports to specify DUPLEX(*TUMBLE) since the same
report may be printed on other printers that can handle duplex but we want
them to print in simplex on those printers.

I tried writing a data transformation program to change the simplex command
to specify "no change" so that the printer configuration would be used, but
have run into multiple problems.

1. Even if I don't change the data, the report prints on one line and the
characters look like Japanese.
2. The simplex command is not in the data passed to the data transformation
program anyway.  The only commands passed in the buffer before the actual
print data are to set the language to English and to set the unprintable
characters replacement character to blank.

I changed my program to specify that it is not going to transform the data.
That got rid of problem #1.
To get around #2, on option 20 (opening a spool entry to print) I send back
a command forcing tumble duplex, but the report still prints in simplex.  I
don't know if this is because my command is not being sent, it is being sent
but it is sent before the simplex command so that command overrides my
command, or if it is being sent in the proper order but is being translated
to "Japanese" so that it's not the proper command when it actually gets to
the printer.

I have submitted a request to IBM for help, but quite frankly I have my
doubts as to whether I will get anything useful.

Does anyone here have anything helpful about the Infoprint 21 printer?  Or
does anyone have any experience with data transformation programs and can
give me some help in getting one to work the way I want.  The documentation
is minimal (section 2.4 in the V4R4 Print APIs manual) and I couldn't find
anything in the Printing redbook, either V or VI.

We are on V4R4.

Ken
Southern Wine and Spirits of Nevada, Inc.
Opinions expressed are my own and do not necessarily represent the views of
my employer or anyone in their right mind.

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