Resubmitting documents to Print Interface for filtering (basic mode)

The IP PrintWay™ basic mode resubmit for filtering option lets you transform data in any output data set that IP PrintWay selects from the JES spool. For example, this option lets you use these AFP data transforms which IBM® transform products provide:

• The AFP to PCL transform, which lets you print AFP and line-data documents to PCL printers
• The AFP to PostScript transform, which lets you print AFP and line-data documents to PostScript printers
• The AFP to PDF transform, which lets you create PDF output for viewing and printing from a workstation

IP PrintWay extended mode transforms data without resubmitting data sets to Print Interface, so the resubmit for filtering option does not apply. IP PrintWay extended mode ignores the Resubmit for filtering field if it is selected.

Figure 5 shows the processing that occurs when you select the Resubmit for filtering field in a printer definition.

Figure 5. Processing when resubmit for filtering option is selected

1. IP PrintWay basic mode selects a data set from the JES spool. It selects the printer definition to use based on the parameters specified on the OUTPUT JCL statement. (The job submitter can specify either the FSSDATA parameter or the DEST, CLASS, and FORMS parameters to select the printer definition.) IP PrintWay detects that the data set has not already been processed by Print Interface.
2. Because the Resubmit for filtering field is selected in the printer definition, IP PrintWay basic mode transmits the data set and its JCL parameters to Print Interface.
3. Print Interface validates that the printer supports the data format and the print options requested in the JCL parameters. Print Interface calls the transform filter (if any) associated with the input data format and writes the transformed data to a second output data set on the JES spool.
4. IP PrintWay basic mode selects the second output data set from the JES spool. If Print Interface has called a data transform, IP PrintWay transmits the data, unchanged, to the printer. Otherwise, IP PrintWay does the formatting specified in the printer definition.
5. IP PrintWay transmits the data to the remote printer.

Steps 2, 3, and 4 are done only when the Resubmit for filtering field is selected.

These considerations apply when IP PrintWay basic mode resubmits a data set to Print Interface for filtering:

• IP PrintWay writes two accounting records for the same data, one for the first data set transmitted to Print Interface (see step 2) and another for the second data set transmitted to the printer (see step 5). Your system programmer can write an IP PrintWay SMF exit routine to suppress one of the SMF records. For more information about the SMF accounting record, see Using accounting information in SMF type 6 records.
• IP PrintWay retains both data sets on the JES spool if you specify a retention period in the Retention period fields. Retention periods specified at job submission (for example, on an OUTPUT JCL statement) apply only to the first data set allocated on the JES spool.
• The Print Interface LPD must listen at port 515.
• Job submitters cannot specify the printer's IP address, print queue name, or port number on the OUTPUT JCL statement or in an Infoprint Server job attribute. IP PrintWay ignores these values if specified at job submission and, instead, uses the values in the printer definition.
• Do not select the Resubmit for filtering field in the IP PrintWay default printer definition.
• JES always assigns each data set that Print Interface allocates on the JES spool to a separate JES output group. This is true even if the data set was originally in the same JES output group as other data sets when IP PrintWay first selected it from the JES spool. Therefore, when you select the Resubmit for filtering field, IP PrintWay cannot transmit data sets in the original JES output group together to the printer or send them in the same email. These results occur:
  • Data sets in the same original JES output group might not print together or might not print in the original order, even if the Job or Concatenate job option is selected in the Dataset grouping field. This result is especially likely if your installation has customized the Infoprint Server Transform Manager so that it can transform more than one data set at the same time. When you transform more than one data set at the same time, small data sets are transformed more quickly and then IP PrintWay can transmit them to the printer before larger data sets.
  • Data sets in the same original JES output group are always sent in separate emails, even if the Concatenate job option is selected in the Dataset grouping field.
  • If your installation adds a separator page only before the first data set in a JES output group, that separator page prints before each data set.
• The second sysout data set, which Print Interface allocates on the JES spool, contains the same job name, job ID, and last qualifier of the data set name as the original sysout data set on the JES spool. Therefore, the operator can use these values to find the job submitter's data set on the JES spool.

For information about how to write IP PrintWay exit routines and configure the Print Interface LPD, see z/OS Infoprint Server Customization.