IBM S544-5351-03 Chapter 1. Introducing Advanced Print Utility

Chapter 1. Introducing Advanced Print Utility

Use this chapter to gain an understanding of what the IBM PrintSuite for iSeries

Advanced Print Utility (APU) can do for you, including:

v“What is APU?”

v“What YouCan Do with APU”

v“Why Use APU?” on page 4

v“Printing with and without APU”on page 4

v“APU formatting instructions”on page 6

v“Steps in Creating an APU Document”on page 7

Advanced Print Utility (APU) is part of the Advanced Function Presentation (AFP)

PrintSuite family of document-creation systems that enables you to use SCS files as

input to APU and then to transform that input to “full-page” electronic output,

with pages that include electronic forms, image, bar codes, lines, boxes, and text in

a variety of fonts.

APU provides an interactive design approach that is independent of the

application program.

vThe input to APU is the line-mode (SCS) output file that the line-of-business

application creates.

vThe output of APU is an AFPspooled file.

Output specifications for iSeries application programs generate either SNA

Character Stream (SCS) or AFP spooled files.APU works on SCS spooled files. SCS

is a line-oriented datastream that for the most part uses preprinted forms to create

the final document. WithAPU, you can eliminate the need for preprinted forms.

Instead, you create a completely electronic document. WithAPU, you can:

vCreate multi-copy documents, with each page customized

vUse data that is contained within a page to determine which of multiple output

formats to use

vRemap any field that the input SCS pages contain (change position, font,

orientation, color, and so on)

vPrint application data in any of the standard bar code symbologies

vAdd document elements such as electronic forms (overlays), images, lines, boxes,

and constant text

vPlace a new application into production for automatic processing

vManage the production of input and output files, including the routing of

different output files to different queues, printers, and output bins

vImplement user-defined programs that can address unique document or

document distribution requirements

APU provides an interactive interface for defining new output applications. For

simpler applications, APU provides a “fast path”. Youuse the current spooled file

(SCS) interactively to redefine the formatting of application data.