How AFP Download Plus differs from other PSF features
PSF and three of its features, AFP Download Plus, Download for z/OS®, and AFP Conversion and Indexing Facility (ACIF), perform various functions on print data. Each feature has its own specific purpose that depends on where the print data is coming from and where the AFP data is sent.
These descriptions summarize PSF and each of the features:
- PSF
- PSF is the z/OS printer-driver program that manages and controls data that is transmitted to AFP printers. PSF obtains the print data from the JES spool, combines the data with the necessary resources from system and user resource libraries, transforms the data into the Intelligent Printer Data Stream (IPDS), and sends the result to the printer.
- AFP Download Plus
- AFP Download Plus sends AFP data and all resources to a receiving system for processing. This feature obtains data from the JES spool, obtains resources from system and user resource libraries, transforms the data to MO:DCA-P (if required), and builds a MO:DCA resource group. AFP Download Plus temporarily stores the resource group in a file in a z/OS File System (zFS) working directory before it sends the resource group to the receiving system. AFP Download Plus can temporarily store the MO:DCA-P data in a file in the working directory before it sends the data to the receiving system or optionally, send the MO:DCA-P data directly to the receiving system without storing it in a temporary file in the working directory. The MO:DCA-P data and resource group can optionally be encoded, compressed, or both before they are sent to the receiving system.
- Download for z/OS
- Download for z/OS sends data, without transforming it, to a receiving system for printing or archiving. This feature obtains the data from the JES spool (but does not obtain any resources) and requires a routing-control data set to specify where the data is sent.
- ACIF
- ACIF is a batch utility that formats data from a data set to create documents that you can print, view, or archive. ACIF provides indexing capabilities and packages AFP resources in a separate file so you can view, distribute, archive, and retrieve document files across systems.
AFP Download Plus performs
similar functions as Download for z/OS and
ACIF, but it is not a replacement for Download for z/OS or ACIF. AFP Download Plus has its
own unique capabilities, including these advantages:
- The data is obtained from the JES spool, not a data file as with ACIF.
- The data is downloaded automatically and consists entirely of MO:DCA-P data.
- All required resources for printing can be included in the downloaded file, including PSF and JES default resources.
- Installation exit processing, similar to PSF, is reflected in the downloaded file.
- SMF type 6 records are produced, similar to PSF.
- Resource Access Control Facility (RACF®) checking is done for user resource libraries.
- Distributed data can optionally be protected by secure transmission.
Table 1 shows how AFP Download Plus differs
from PSF, Download for z/OS,
and ACIF.
| Function | AFP Download Plus | PSF | Download for z/OS | ACIF |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Obtains input from | JES spool data set | JES spool data set | JES spool data set | User's data set |
| Transforms data set from | Line data MO:DCA-P XML |
Line data MO:DCA-P XML |
No transform | Line data MO:DCA-P XML |
| Transforms data set to | MO:DCA-P | IPDS | No transform | MO:DCA-P |
| Obtains required resources | Yes | Yes | No | Yes |
| Puts resources inline | Yes | No | No | No (resources are put inline manually) |
| Requires receiver resource library synchronization | No | N/A | Yes | N/A |
| Protects resource libraries with RACF | Yes | Yes | N/A | No |
| Encodes data and resource group | Yes, optionally | No | No | No |
| Processes jobs with multiple data sets | Yes | Yes | Yes, with Exit 15 | No |
| Counts pages and sheets | Yes–uses -opagecount, -osheetcount, SMF6IMPS, and SMF6LPGE | Yes–uses SMF6IMPS and SMF6LPGE | No | N/A |
| Compresses data sets with LZW compression | Yes | No | No | No |
| Indexes documents | No | No | No | Yes |
| Connects to | Download receiver | Printer | Download receiver | N/A |
| Sends data to | z/OS AIX® Windows Linux |
Printer | z/OS AIX Windows Linux |
N/A |
| Sends messages when errors stop transformation | Yes, optionally | Yes | No | No |
| Sends separator pages | Yes, optionally | Yes, optionally | No | No |
| Uses working directory | Yes–resources; optionally–MO:DCA-P data | No | No | No |
| Uses routing-control data set | No | No | Yes | No |
| Creates SMF data (SMF type 6 records can vary) | Yes | Yes | Yes | No |
| Supports PSF installation exits | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, and 15 | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 14, and 16 | 15 | No |