Re: Converting PCL spool files to PDF

["Brad Jensen" <brad@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

> To the list,
>
> Is there anyway to convert existing PCL spool files to PDF to
allow them to
> be emailed from the 400?  We are currently using a third party
package to
> create the forms but now want to email them.

There are a couple of people doing this on the AS/400, but I think
(I do not know, I just think) they are using the convert PCL to
TIF function on the 400, then wrapping it in some PDF code.

The good news is that it is rather hard to edit the PDF on the
receiving end.

The bad news is that the PDFs are bigger (which doesn't make much
difference on invoice and such that are only a couple of pages
long) but most importantly, they aren't text. That means the
recipient can't do a text search within the PDf, and they can't
copy and paste (to move date to other documents or spreadsheets.)

I'm putting the finishing touches on a slightly different
approach. It's a Line Printer Daemon (LPD) that receives the print
file from the AS/400 using the standard LPR command on the 400,
converts the PCL to PDF, and emails it. It will support AFP and or
SCS (there is some GL/2 it doesn't render correctly, but we are
working on that.)

You put the From/to/subject on the LPR command, and that's all
there is to it. We are also working on a feature to let you set a
printq (not outq, but the pc side printq) to go to a particular
email address, so accounting can print their reports to
accounting, and get them thru email, and your programmers can each
have a personal queue.

It's like a virtual printer. It runs on Windows
98/me/XtraPrecious/NT/2000. No special software on the AS/400.  It
doesn't use much PC horsepower. We run it on any old thing here.

No paper, no toner, no operator, no waiting for reports to show
up.

I'd appreciate any suggestions for product features I haven't
thought of, and I would also appreciate it if you guys would tell
me what to charge for it. Anybody who wants to beta test it for me
should email me privately.

I'm also going to set up a demo server so you can test it over the
web. (It's in alpha test now in my tech support department, it
should be ready in a couple of days.)

Brad Jensen
ESC LaserVault - "the best software we ever bought"