RE: Printing of Bar Codes & Forms on Laser Printer

Ewart,
The following is an email from Scott Klement that REALLY helped us out when
we started using overlays.  Hope it helps.

From:   Scott Klement [klemscot@klements.com]
Sent:   Thursday, April 12, 2001 1:19 PM
To:     Ed Chabot
Subject:        Re: Overlay creation


Hi Ed,

On Thu, 12 Apr 2001, Ed Chabot wrote:

> Scott,
> Just last night I was playing around trying to do the same thing.  I
didn't
> get as far as you did though.  Hopefully, you can point me in the right
> direction.
>   When you say "I created the overlay in Windows and print it to a file
> using the IBM AFP driver that comes w/Client Access Express."
>
> How do you install the AFP driver?
> As a printer?


I installed the "IBM AFP 300" (the 300 dpi AFP driver) on my Win 98
machine.   This driver was included with CA/400 or CA Express, I don't
remember which -- but if you can't find it, you can also get it from:
http://www.printers.ibm.com/afpdr.html

I'm using version 5.09.

If you download it, you'll need to extract it.  I created a directory
called "C:\AFP" and downloaded the file into this directory.  Then
from an MS-DOS Window, I did a "cd \AFP" to switch to this directory,
followed by a "ibmafp09 . /d" to extract the files.

Then I exited my DOS prompt, and Clicked on "My Computer", then "Printers"
then "Add Printer".

It asked me "Local or Network printer" I chose "local".

It came to a dialog that showed lots of printers and manufacturers, I
clicked "Have Disk" and when it asked me where the manufacturer's files
were, I typed "C:\AFP".

It then gave me a list of the different AFP drivers, each one reads
something like "IBM AFP 300" where 300 is the DPI of the printer.  I
picked IBM AFP 300.

It asked me which port to use.  I chose "FILE: (creates a file on disk)".

It asked for a printer name, and if I wanted to make it my default
printer.  I used the default name, and didn't make it my default.

It asked if I wanted to print a test page.  I said "no", since printing
a test page to a file on disk seemed silly :)


> What did you use to create it in Windows?
> What format did you save it in?

I created my overlay in MS-Word 2000.   It shouldn't matter which
application you create it in, though -- as long as it's able to print
to a Windows printer.

Since I created my document in Word 2000, I saved it in .doc format.
This is just so that I can edit the file later, though -- this doesn't
get sent to the AS/400.


> How did you print it to a file?

Then (in MS-Word) I clicked the "File" menu, and choose "Print".

In the Print dialog that comes up, I choose my IBM AFP 300 printer
to print to, and click "Properties".  On the "Paper" tab, I set
my "output type" to "Overlay" and click OK.

Then I click OK again to print my document.   Windows asks me for a
filename, and I pick something like "testovl.prn".  Word sends it's
document to the IBM AFP driver.   The AFP driver transforms the document
to an AFPDS and writes it to the "testovl.prn" file on my PC's hard drive.

On my AS/400, I create a PF to upload my overlay into.
     CRTPF MYLIB/OVLSRC RCDLEN(32766)  should do the trick.

Now on my PC, I type "ftp my-as400-name" and I sign into my AS/400.  Then
I type "binary" to make sure I'm in binary mode, and I type
"put TESTOVL.PRN MYLIB/OVLSRC" to transfer the file.

Back on the AS/400, I type:

CRTOVL OVL(MYLIB/TESTOVL) FILE(MYLIB/OVLSRC) MBR(OVLSRC) DATATYPE(*AFPDS)

To create the actual *OVL object on my AS/400.

Now, I can use CHGPRTF or OVRPRTF to add the overlay to a document on
my AS/400.   Something like this should work:
    OVRPRTF FILE(PRINTER) FRONTOVL(MYLIB/TESTOVL 0 0)

(Then, of course, run a program that prints to FILE(PRINTER) or whatever
you specified above)


> "Is there a special code page that I need to assign somewhere?  If so,
where
> do I set it?"
> I think it needs to be set to 65535 or something when you go from the PC
to
> the AS/400, but I'm not positive.  I know I ran into a similar problem
with
> a file transfer and changing the CCSID worked.  Hope that helps.

The code page under the AFP driver isn't a CCSID.  It's an 8-digit code,
the default one starts with a "T".   (But, if you followed the steps
above, you probably noticed that)