Re: Forms printing

John--

An overlay is just a bitmap that you print on a page along with variable data from the iSeries. Using IBM's special print drivers lets you use -any- PC-based program to create the overlay-- as long as it fits on the page! So your backside overlay with all the text can be a page generated by Microsoft Word and run through the special print driver.

You use OVRPRTF to select the frontside and backside overlays at printing time. You can let your program select either Spanish or English versions of the overlay for the backside.

Overlays can be full page bitmaps as described above, or they can be smaller pieces (ie your logo/letterhead) that you position on the page wherever you need it. This doesn't need to be a full page bitmap.

We use whole bunch of Xerox printers (as well as HP laserjets), and all print just fine with overlays. If you have a color printer your overlay can print in color, too-- great for your company's logo!

Your printers need to be capable of "AFP" printing. If they also suport IPDS (hope I got that right) as well it makes the process more efficient-- In AFP printing the iSeries builds the final bitmap to send to the printer-- the overlay plus your variable data. IPDS lets the printer cache the overlay, so you only have to send the overlay bitmap to the printer once for the entire print job, followed by the variable data. The printer then assembles the final printed page. A -good- IPDS printer can caches several overlays, so you don't have to keep sending them to the printer!

--Paul E Musselman
paulMmn@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx



At 10:55 PM -0500 10/14/10, jmmckee wrote:

Forms are printed on plain paper using Lexmark printers and a custom programmed forms chip. I can see how to do most of this using a printer file.
Two issues. First is likely simple - printing a letterhead. Is that done using an overlay?

Second issue seems more difficult. The back of the form has plain text and a couple of database fields. The plain text, however, could be English, or it could be Spanish.
Not sure how to deal with the text, whether English or Spanish. Could just have the text as text. Could also read from a file and write to the form. But, there would be font changes to accommodate.

Then, there is the Spanish, with the different characters. What would be required to get the Spanish characters to print?

Why am I interested? I heard that Lexmark has discontinued the specific printer model used for this forms chip. Also, we have a lot of Xerox printers and it would be very nice if the form could be printed on those as well. I think it would be nice to be able to present an alternative to the expensive forms chip method. Besides, two other systems send forms to the Lexmark printers - HP and VAX. Be nice to highlight ease of use.

This is not a requirement. Our SA put his foot down (and/or in his mouth) years ago with the position that forms can't be done on the i. Of course, a year or so ago, the need arose to print barcode on specific lab orders. That was pretty easy. Involved part was getting the positioning and text "just so", and that wasn't hard, either. The SA ends up being the worst form of advertising for the i, with that attitude.

Any suggested reading?

John McKee