chars

This multi-valued attribute identifies from 1 to 4 coded fonts that are used to print a line data document or a MO:DCA document in which no fonts are specified.

A coded font is a pair of a character set and a code page. Coded font names begin with a 2-character prefix (X0 or XZ), followed by up to 4 alphanumeric characters. X042B2 is an example of a coded font name. For more information about coded fonts, see >

Allowed values

You can enter a text string that contains the names of the coded fonts. The name of each font can be 1 to 4 characters.

Omit the 2-character prefix from the coded font name or the alternate coded font name.

If you specify more than one coded font, separate the font names by spaces and surround the string of font names with braces. For example:

-o "chars={GT10 GT12}"

Default values

1. The default coded fonts that the administrator has defined for the printer.
2. The coded fonts that the page definition used to print the job specifies.

Usage guidelines

• This attribute is most useful for line data documents.
• This attribute applies to line data documents printed on an AFP printer.
• Products that transform AFP documents can support this attribute. For information, see the documentation for the transform.
• PSF uses this attribute only if the page definition used to print the job does not specify fonts, or if the default page definition is used.
• If you specify more than one coded font with the chars attribute, the job must contain either shift-out-shift-in (SOSI) codes or table reference characters (TRCs) to use coded fonts other than the first one. IBM® suggests that you do not mix SOSI codes and TRCs.
  • If the job contains TRCs, you must specify the table-reference-characters attribute value as true. The TRC characters are used to select the corresponding coded font specified with the chars attribute.
  • If the job contains SOSI codes, the first coded font specified with the chars attribute is used as the single-byte font and the second coded font is used as the double-byte font.
  For more information about using multiple coded fonts, see AFP: Programming Guide and Line Data Reference and PSF for z/OS: User’s Guide.
• Raster fonts are used unless the administrator has requested font mapping to outline fonts and your font name is in the font mapping table.
• This attribute is equivalent to the CHARS parameter of the OUTPUT and DD JCL statements.