Host print transform advantages

The host print transform allows the data stream conversion of SNA character string (SCS) to American Standard Code for Information Interchange (ASCII) or Advanced Function Presentation (AFP) to ASCII to take place on the IBM® i operating system instead of on an emulator.

Having the conversion take place on the IBM i operating system provides these advantages:

• Consistent output for most ASCII printers

  The host print transform is capable of supporting many different types of ASCII data streams. For example, the Hewlett-Packard printer control language (PCL), the IBM personal printer data stream (PPDS), and the Epson FX and LQ data streams.

  Having the conversion done on the IBM i operating system ensures that the resultant ASCII data stream provides the same printed output regardless of the emulator that the printer is physically attached to.

• 3812 SCS printer emulation
  The host print transform is based on the 3812 SCS printer emulation of the IBM i Access for Windows workstation function. With the host print transform, all of the ASCII printers that are connected to a IBM i product can perform a 3812 SCS level of function.

  Note: You cannot perform functions that your printer does not support. For example, you cannot print in 180-degree orientation when your printer only supports 0-degree and 90-degree orientations.
• Support for many different ASCII printers

  Without host print transform, each emulator supports a limited number of ASCII printers. With the host print transform, most IBM printers and a large number of other printers are supported.

• Customized printer support

  Workstation customization objects that come with the host print transform can be updated by the user to change or add characteristics to a particular printer. Also, if the host print transform does not have a workstation customization object for a printer you want to use, you can create your own.

• Support for the Image Object Content Architecture (IOCA) embedded in an SCS data stream.

  Image output can be printed on PCL printers (Hewlet-Packard LaserJet) or PPDS laser printers (IBM 4019 or 4029).

  This support allows you to print incoming faxes from Facsimile Support for IBM i to PCL and PPDS laser printers. This support is available to all emulators discussed under host print transform.

  Incoming faxes saved in a folder as RFT:DCA can be printed by using the Print Document (PRTDOC) command. You can also use the Print Fax (PRTFAX) command to direct the incoming faxes directly to an ASCII print device configured to use the host print transform. Host print transform has also been enhanced to do image resolution scaling which allows faxes to be printed in normal size.

• Support for conversion of double-byte SCS or AFP data stream into ASCII data stream

For the AFP-to-ASCII data stream conversion, there are additional advantages, such as support for AFP font, text, image, and bar code commands.