Re: IPDS to AFP (was Re: Confused about printing)

[Pat Barber <mboceanside@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

I can't recall the specific ones and it has
a GREAT deal to do with exactly whcih printer
is being used.

Here is a quote from the manual:

The AFP-to-ASCII transform function
supports AFP font, text, bar code
commands, as well as double-byte
code pages and fonts. The function
works well with the following types
of printers:

   IBM 4019, 4029 and 4039 laser
    printers

   HP laser and ink jet printers

   IBM pages printers


On other printers, images or bar
code may not be supported by
AFP-to-ASCII transform function,
and the text may not be positioned
correctly.

To follow up on that, here is another quote:

Currently, the AFP to ASCII
transform has the following
limitations:

   It does not support graphics
    (GOCA) commands

   It does not support multi-up
    printing

   It does not provide support for
    computer output reduction (COR)
    printing

   It ignores the fidelity attribute of
    the spooled file and always
    performs content printing

   It can only produce 240 DIP
    images and 300 DPI images

So I guess the answer is, it supports "most"
but not "all" functions "depending" on the
printer used and what it is capable of.

I can't find a list of "exactly" what it will
not do and it probably depends on what release
you are running also...

HPT is fine for "limited" runs of "special"
forms but will die a unnatural death with a
large print load. This is where IPDS and AFP
really come into play.

Just to add to the confusion, HPT treats print
streams differently depending on the emulation
being used.

Then of course is the "newer" translation feature
that I have a VERY limited knowledge of:

Image Print Transform:

What is the Image Print Transform Function?

The image print transform function
converts image or print data from one
format into another. A supporting
printer interprets the resultant printer
data stream. The image print
transform function can convert the
following data streams:

   Tag Image File Format** (TIFF)

   Graphics Interchange Format**
    (GIF)

   OS/2 and Windows** Bitmap
    (BMP)

   PostScript** Level 1 with DBCS
    extensions


The image print transform function
can generate the following printer
data streams:

   Advanced Function Print Data
    Stream (AFPDS)

   Hewlett-Packard** Printer Control
    Language (PCL)

   PostScript** Level 1


Similar to the host print transform
function, the image print transform
function converts the data on
AS/400 instead of an emulator.

When a data stream is converted by
the image print transform function,
the printer data stream that is
created contains a bit-mapped
image. A bit-mapped image is an
array of numerical values. Each
value represents part or all of a
pixel. A pixel is a single point or dot
of an image. An image is usually
measured in terms of pixels, for both
width and height. The resolution of
an image is then defined as the
number of pixels (dots) per unit of
measure. For example, a resolution
supported by many printers is 300
dots per inch (dpi). Therefore, an
image having dimensions 1200 pixels
by 1500 pixels would have a width
of 4 inches and a height of 5 inches
when printed at 300 dpi.


CWilt@xxxxxxxxxxxx wrote:
> Pat,
> 
> Do you know of any specific things HPT will not handle?
> 
> I've yet to run into any.  Thus, I think it is more likely that HPT will
> handle MOST instead of only a "few" *AFPDS operations.
> 
> Certainly, everything I've seen say it will not handle all.