Considerations for Line-Merge Jobs
Additional processing is needed for jobs which use an application technique called line-merge to mix
character sets on the same print line. On the 3800 this is done by coding TableReference Characters
(TRCs) and a “print-no-space”carriage control byte in the print records. This coding will also cause a line
merge on an AFP printer; however,the line merge operates differently. The 3800 merges character per
character, theAFP printers merge pel per pel. If the merge occurs between characters of different widths
(pitches), the resulting print position will be different on an AFPprinter than on the 3800.
The PSF Line Merge Function provides special processing for jobs that use line merge. If Exit 4 indicates
that the job uses Line Merge, PSF will process every record of job (instead of just the first record in the
data set) examine each record for line merge, and reproduce the 3800 line merge positioning. Because of
the extra processing involved, PSF only does this for jobs which indicate in Exit 4 that the processing is
needed. If you do not know which of its jobs use line merge, a good approach is to examine print job JCL
to identify jobs that are using multiple fonts and therefore may be mixing these fonts on a printline using
line merge. These jobs would require both of the following JCL parameters:
vOPTCD=J which indicates that table reference characters (TRCs) are used to select different fonts for
different records.
vCHARS=(xxxx,yyyy,....) indicating multiple character sets.
If all the character sets listed in the CHARS parameter are fixed pitch and all of them have the same pitch,
such as GT10 and GB10, you will not have a problem. The line merge will work the same on the AFP
printer, without extra processing by PSF Line Mode. But if any of the character sets in the CHARS
parameter are mixed pitch, such as the tri-pitch BITR, or if any two have different pitches, such as GT10
and GT12, then you have a potential line-merge problem. For these it would be wise to indicate additional
Line Merge processing.
Printers Supported by PSF/MVS Line Mode
PSF/MVS Line Mode was designed for processing 3800 jobs on continuous form AFP printers such as
3835, 3900, and Infoprint 4000. It can also be used to print 3800 jobs on AFP cut-sheet printers, if the
print jobs will fit on the cut-sheet paper. While 3800 jobs that printed on 8.5 inch wide paper should easily
fit on cut sheet paper, those designed for 12 inch or 14 inch paper probably will not. PSF/MVS Line Mode
will not rotate 3800 jobs on cut-sheet printers to try and make them fit the paper.
PSF/MVS Line Mode will not support printing on a 3800 printer. Some accounts may wish to transfer jobs
from compatibility mode to AFP mode on a 3800 printer.However because of limitations of the 3800, the
PSF/MVS Line Mode function will not process jobs destined for a 3800 printer.An error message will be
issued. PSF will terminate processing of the job and request that the job be held by the system.
The PSF/MVS Line Mode function can be used with Cut-Sheet Emulation. Cut-Sheet Emulation is an
automatic 2-UP provided by Infoprint 4000 printers in conjunction with PSF.Line Mode jobs can also be
printed in duplex, on a duplex printer.A special bit must be set in Exit 4 to indicate that duplexing is
desired.
Implementing PSF/MVS Line Mode
The following steps must be taken to use PSF/MVS Line Mode processing:
vInstall PSF/MVS 2.2.
vEnsure AFP fonts are available in the PSF resource library for all 3800 LCSs and GRAPHMODs used
by the jobs being processed.
vEnsure Electronic Overlays are created and available in the PSF resource library for all 3800 forms
flashes used.
vScreen the 3800 jobs to identify any using COPYMODS or merging lines with different sized characters.
–COPYMODS cannot be processed using PSF Line Mode
–Jobs merging fonts of different sizes must be flagged for extra processing by PSF.
168 Printer Information