Using job attributes

A job is a set of one or more documents that you submit to Infoprint Server for printing in a single printing session. A document is either a file or a group of similar files.

Infoprint Server uses job attributes to describe jobs and the documents in jobs. For example, you can specify the number of copies of a document to print by setting a value for the copies job attribute.

You can specify job attributes in different ways, depending on the method you use to submit a print job. Table 1 shows how to specify job attributes for different job submission methods and refers you to the section that contains more information.

Table 1. How to specify job attributes
Job submission method How to specify job attributes See
z/OS® UNIX lp command -o option Options
z/OS UNIX remotexf command -j option and xf-options attribute remotexf--Transform data remotely, xf-options
JCL parameters with IP PrintWay™ extended mode PRTATTRS JCL parameter PRTATTRS='attribute=value ...'
Print Interface subsystem SUBSYS parameter on the DD JCL statement JCL parameters for the Print Interface subsystem
AOPPRINT JCL procedure OPTIONS parameter on the EXEC JCL statement AOPPRINT parameters
NetSpool Embed job attributes in print data Embedding job attributes in print data
Infoprint Port Monitor for Windows Infoprint Port Monitor Options window (select during port configuration) Adding and configuring a local printer for Infoprint Port Monitor for Windows
AIX® enq command -o option Printing from an AIX workstation
IBM® i LPR command DESTOPT option Printing from an IBM i system
IBM i remote queue that is defined with CRTOUTQ Destination options field Printing from an IBM i system
lprafp command -o option Printing with the lprafp command

You can also use the -j option of these transform commands: afpxpcl, afpxpdf, and afpxpostscript. For more information about the commands, see the documentation for the transform.

Job attributes are only one of the factors that determine how your job is printed. These values also affect your job:
  • Print command options. For example, you can use the -n option of the lp command to specify the number of copies of a job.
  • Values in the data stream. For example, the document can specify an overlay.
  • Values in the page definition that are used to print the job. For example, the page definition can specify fonts.
  • Values in the form definition that are used to print the job. For example, the form definition can specify duplex printing.
  • Printer specifications. Infoprint Server lets the administrator specify printer characteristics for each printer.
    • The administrator can limit the jobs that a printer can accept. For example, if the administrator specifies that a certain printer can print at most five copies of a job and you submit a job with a value of 10 for the copies job attribute, your job is not accepted.
    • The administrator can specify default values for jobs that are printed on a printer. For example, the administrator can specify the form definition that the printer uses to print jobs that are submitted without a value for the form-definition attribute.
  • Printer setup. The way a printer is set up can affect printing. For example, if duplexing is not specified in the PCL or PostScript data stream, the printer setup determines whether documents print on one or both sides of the paper.