Viewer Help Index
Print It Help Index

General

AFP Workbench for Windows:  Print It Application Overview

Print It Command Line Interface


AFP Workbench for Windows:  The Viewer Application

AFP Workbench for Windows:  The Print It Application

Overview

The Advanced Function Presentation (AFP) Workbench for Windows is a platform for the integration of AFP-enabling applications and services.  Print It is a part of the Workbench that runs under WIN-OS/2 or Microsoft Windows.

Print It uses the same print function as the Workbench Viewer.  When printing values are modified, either by the Viewer or manually, both Print It and the Viewer will be modified.  Print It must be restarted to use all new values.

Print It can be used as a Drag and Drop feature under Windows 3.1.  For example, you can select a file in the Windows File Manager, drag it to the Print It icon, and drop it.  Print It then prints the file.

Print It provides the ability to do the following:

Specifying which form definition (FORMDEF) is to be used to view the file.

Printing of the following types of files residing on your workstation or network without having to view them:

•	AFP documents, such as those generated by IBM's Document Composition Facility (DCF) and BookMaster for AFP device types

•	AFP documents created by AFP Conversion and Indexing Facility (ACIF), which processes S/370 line data using a page definition (PAGEDEF)

•	AFP overlays and page segments, such as those created by IBM's Overlay Generation Language (OGL) and Print Management Facility (PMF)

•	Output from workstation applications that is converted to an AFP document using the Pennant AFP Printer Driver for Windows (supplied with Workbench)

•	ASCII data (ignoring graphics controls)

•	Tag Image File Format (TIFF)

•	Bitmaps

•	Device Independent Bitmaps (DIB)

•	Picture Exchange files (PCX)

•	Distributed Control Extension files (DCX)


Print It Command Line Interface

The Print It command line interface allows you to start the Print It application and supply additional information on how Print It looks and operates when it comes up.  The command line for Print It is currently defined as:

FLDWPRT	[filename] [/A] [/C:copies] [/F:formdef] [/N] [/P] [/Q:port] [/R:pagerange]

Optional Parameters

•	filename

•	/A

•	/C:copies

•	/F:formdef

•	/N

•	/P

•	/Q:port

•	/R:pagerange


filename

Use the filename parameter to specify a file for printing.  It is dependent on the current configuration.  For example, it can be used in the context of a file that resides on the workstation or possibly a dataset name on your host system.

The filename is a workstation file and follows DOS and OS/2 file specifications (Print It does not support OS/2 HFPS long names).  A drive letter and colon, a directory name, a file name, or a combination can be given.

Print It closes after the file has been printed.


/A

Use the /A option to specify that notes be printed with the file.  The Print notes option of the Print dialog box applies to all documents until the value is changed.

The default is to not print notes.


/C:copies

Use the /C:copies option to specify the number of copies of each page to print.  Valid values are 1-99.  The Copies option of the Print dialog box applies to all documents printed until it is changed in the Print dialog box.

The default is 1 copy.


/F:formdef

Use the /F:formdef option to associate an AFP form definition (FORMDEF) with the AFP file to be printed.  The form definition applies for all files printed unless it is modified in the Form Definition dialog box.


/N

Use the /N option to keep the Open dialog box from being shown when Print It is started.  The default is to show the Open dialog box.


/P

Use the /P option to skip the Print dialog box whenever a file is selected for printing.  The file can be selected on the command line, through the drag and drop interface, or from the Open dialog box.

The default is to display the Print dialog box whenever a file is selected.  This option applies to all files printed.


/Q:port

Use the /Q:port option to send your print request to a PSF print queue.  For example, /Q:2 is equivalent to selecting PSF/2 or PSF/6000 and LPT2 in the Print dialog box.  The /Q:port option applies to files that can be printed using PSF (MO:DCA), all other types of files cause the default to change back to a Windows printer.

The default is to print to a Windows printer.


/R:pagerange

Use the /R:pagerange option to select specific pages of a document to be printed.  The default is to print the entire document.  The page range is reset on the second document opened to print if the Print dialog box is shown.  If the Print dialog box is not shown, it will apply to all documents printed.

The pagerange option can be single pages (for example, 2, 4, and 8) or a range (or ranges) of pages (for example, 2-6 and 4-8).  Each page or range of pages must be separated by a comma with no spaces.  For example:

/R:2,12-20

/R:2,4,999

/R:12-20,40-60,256

The /R:pagerange option is limited to 100 pages.


Open Dialog Box

Use the Open dialog box to open a file for viewing.

File Name:

Type a file name or select a name from the list.  To list all of the files in the current directory with one extension, type an asterisk (*), a period, and the extension (for example, *.OLY or *.AFP).  Then select the OK push button to see a list of files with that extension in the Files list.

Directories:

Displayed above the box is the current directory being used.  Select the directory where the file you want to view is located.  To see a list of the files in a directory, double click on a directory or select a directory and then select the OK push button.

List Files of Type:

Displayed in this list box are the file types that are listed in the File Name list box.  The Viewer lists all types of files (*.*).

Drives:

Select the drive where the file you want to view is located.  To see a list of the files and directories in the selected drive, double click on a drive, or select a drive, and select the OK push button.

OK

Select OK to open the file to be viewed.  If an asterisk (*) is in the File Name field or a new drive or directory has been selected, OK will update the list in the Files and Directories list boxes.

Cancel

Select Cancel to close the Open dialog box without opening a file.


Form Definition Dialog Box

Use the Form Definition dialog box to select a form definition to be used with the file being viewed.  When a form definition is applied, the first page of the file displays.

Files:

Select the form definition to be used with the file being viewed.  Form definitions contained in the file being viewed are shown in brackets [ ].  Select NONE to use the Viewer default values for form definition settings of offset of 0,0, one copy group, and no overlays.  The form definitions listed are those in the directory specified in the Resources entry field of the More Preferences dialog box of the Viewer.

OK

Select OK to apply the selected form definition to the file being viewed.

Cancel

Select Cancel to close the Form Definition dialog box without selecting a new form definition.


Select Pages from List Dialog Box

Use the Select Pages from List dialog box to select one or more pages to be copied or printed.

Select By

Sheet number

Select Sheet number to select pages in the order in which they are displayed by the Viewer.

Page identifier

Select Page identifier to select pages based on any user-defined information that identifies each page in an AFP document file.

Pages:

Select the pages you want to copy or print, either by sheet number or page identifier, from the Pages list box.  To select pages, click mouse button 1 on the pages you want to select.  That selection becomes highlighted.  To deselect a page, click mouse button 1 on that page and it will be deselected.

Number pages selected:

Displays the total number of pages youve selected.

Select

Select Select to save the list of selected pages.

Cancel

Select Cancel to close the Select Pages from List dialog box without saving the list of selected pages.


Select Pages by Range Dialog Box

Use the Select Pages by Range dialog box to select a range of pages to be copied or printed.

Select By

Sheet number

Select Sheet number to select a range of pages in the order in which they are displayed by the Viewer.

Page identifier

Select Page identifier to select a range of pages based on any user-defined information that identifies each page in an AFP document file.

From Page:

Enter the Sheet number or Page identifier of the first page of the range of pages you want to copy or print.

To Page:

Enter the Sheet number or Page identifier of the last page of the range of pages you want to copy or print.

Selected Pages

Lists the range of pages selected and the total number of pages in each selected range.

Add

Select the Add pushbutton to add the range of pages specified in the From Page: and To Page: fields to the Selected Pages list box.

Delete

Select the Delete pushbutton to delete a highlighted range of pages from the Selected Pages list box.

OK

Select OK to save the list of selected pages.

Cancel

Select Cancel to close the Select Pages by Range dialog box without saving the list of selected pages.


Print Dialog Box

Use the Print dialog box to print one or more pages of the document.

Number of Pages

All Pages

Select All Pages to print all the pages of the open file.

Select Pages from List

Select Select Pages from List and the Select push button to specify one or more pages to print.

Select Pages by Range

Select Select Pages by Range and the Select push button to specify one or more ranges of pages to print.

Printer

Windows

Select Windows to print the pages you have selected using the currently selected Windows printer.  When Windows is selected, you can select the Printer Setup push button to display the Printer Setup dialog box to change the current printer setup.

Shrink to Fit

Select the Shrink to Fit checkbox to have the Viewer automatically scale the displayed page to fit the printable area of your printer.  If Shrink to Fit is not selected, information on the page may be outside the printable area for your printer and will not print.

Rotate to Fit

Select the Rotate to Fit checkbox to have the Viewer automatically print the narrow side of the displayed whole page on the narrow side of your printer paper.

Print Notes

Select the Print Notes check box to print any notes and comments along with the document.

PSF/2 or PSF/6000

Select PSF/2 or PSF/6000 to print the composed pages you have selected using PSF/2 or PSF/6000.  Composed pages will be printed without any changes to page origin, scale, or page rotation that might be present in the current view.  When PSF/2 is selected, you can select LPT1, LPT2, or LPT3 as the port to which your PSF/2-attached printer is defined.

Copies

Use the Copies box to enter the number of copies you want to print.  The maximum number of copies you can print is 99.

Print

Select Print to print the selected pages.

Cancel

Select Cancel to close the Print dialog box without printing any pages.


Printer Setup Dialog Box

Use the Printer Setup dialog box to select the printer and port to which your Viewer print job will be submitted when Windows Printer is selected on the Print dialog box.

Printer

Select the printer and port you want to use.  Use the Windows Control Panel to define additional printers.

Setup

Select Setup to display a printer-specific dialog box that allows you to select options, such as paper size, for the selected printer.

OK

Select OK to accept the current printer selection.

Cancel

Select Cancel to close the Printer Setup dialog box without changing your printer selection.


AFP Conversion and Indexing Facility (ACIF)

A PSF utility program that converts data into a common format, indexes data, and retrieves resources used by a document.


ASCII
American National Standard Code for Information Interchange (ASCII)

The standard code, using a coded character set consisting of 7-bit coded characters (8-bits including parity check) that is used for information interchange among data processing systems, data communications systems, and associated equipment.  The ASCII set consists of control characters and graphic characters.


bitmap

A coded representation in which each bit, or group of bits, represents or corresponds to an item; for example, a configuration of bits in main storage in which each bit indicates whether a peripheral or a storage block is available in which each group of bits corresponds to a pixel of a display image.


BookMaster

An IBM licensed program that uses a text formatter called SCRIPT/VS.  SCRIPT/VS can format documents for printing and viewing.


comment

Additional text added to a Viewer note.


composed page

A page from a document file that is shown in the Viewer window with the data from page segments, overlays, and a form definition included.


copy group

A subset of a form definition that allows different modifications to be made to multiple copies of the input data.  Modifications can include suppression of some data fields from printing as well as the use of different overlays.


current view

The view that you are currently using with the Viewer.


Distributed Control Extension (DCX)

A standard file format used by FAX applications to store multiple PCX images in a single file.


Document Composition Facility (DCF)

An IBM licensed program that provides a text formatter, called SCRIPT/VS.  SCRIPT/VS can format documents for printing and viewing.


form definition
form definition (FORMDEF)

An AFP resource used by the Viewer that defines the characteristics of the form.  A form definition can specify one or more overlays, text suppression, and the placement of a page of data on the physical form.


MO:DCA

Mixed Object Document Content Architecture.  An architecture developed to allow the interchange of object data among applications within the interchange environment and among environments.


annotatation
note

An added descriptive comment or explanatory note.


origin

The location where the composed page or selected area is anchored in the Viewer window.  The default origin is the top left corner of the Viewer window.


overlay; electronic form

A collection of predefined, constant data such as lines, shading, text, boxes, or logos, that is stored as an AFP resource file and that can be merged with variable data on a page while printing or viewing.


Overlay Generation Language (OGL)

A licensed program with commands used to create electronic overlays.


page identifier

A user-defined entity for uniquely identifying a page within an AFP document. For example, files created using Document Composition Facility (DCF) have page numbers that appear on the printed page as page identifiers.


page rotation

For the Viewer, page rotation is text orientation with the attributes of Set by file, 90 degree clockwise, 90 degree counterclockwise, 180 degree, 2 Up, and 4 Up.


page segment

An AFP resource that can contain text and images and can be included on any addressable point on a page or electronic overlay.  It assumes the environment the object it is included in


Picture Exchange Files (PCX)

A standard file format used to store single pages of raster data.


Print Services Facility (PSF)

(1)  Print Services Facility is the IBM licensed program that allows you to use the IBM family of IPDS printers.  (2)  PSF is a sophisticated print subsystem that drives IPDS page printers.  PSF is supported under MVS, VSE, VM, OS/2, RISC System/6000, and as a standard part of the operating system under OS/400.  PSF manages printer resources, such as fonts, images, and electronic forms, and use of typographic fonts without any change to application programs.


Print Services Facility/2 (PSF/2)

Print Services Facility/2 is an OS/2 print server that drives IPDS page printers, as well as IBM PPDS and HP-PCL compatible printers.  PSF/2 manages printer resources and provides error recovery for print jobs.  PSF/2 supports distributed printing of AFP print jobs from PSF/MVS, PSF/VSE, PSF/VM, and OS/400.  PSF/2 also supports printing from a wide range of workstation applications, including Microsoft Windows and OS/2 Presentation Manager, as well as the ASCII, PostScript, and AFP.


Print Services Facility/6000 (PSF/6000)

Print Services Facility/6000 provides AFP capabilities for the AIX/6000 operating system on the RISC System/6000.  With PSF/6000, you can print jobs at IBM channel-attached IPDS printers (such as the IBM 3900), IBM TCP/IP-attached printers (such as the IBM 4039), or printers that support the HP-PCL data stream.  PSF/6000 also lets you process, MO:DCA-P, S/370 line-mode, or flat ASCII data, so that you can view output with the Viewer.


 sheet number

The number of a sheet in the order in which the sheets are printed.  For example, for a file containing 3 pages with introductory information, such as a Table of Contents (with roman numeral page numbers prior to the page numbered 1), selecting sheets 1-3 selects the front matter pages.  Contrast with page identifier.


Tag Image File Format (TIFF)

A tag based file format for storing and interchanging raster images.